Mo Grá is a 1974 Rawson 30. The Rawson 30 was designed by William Garden and built by Ron Rawson. I purchased her in February 2021 and she was named Sun Chaser. She was in pretty rough shape and I am currently doing a massive repair and refit on her expected to last 2-4 years. The repair and refit process is being documented on the Sailing Mo Grá YouTube Channel Below is as much history I could piece together from the documents provided to me. If you recognize any names or have more information please contact me using the form at the bottom of this page.

• Survey Document:
  Owner:Tom Prentice
  Boat Name: Excessive Happiness
  Date: March 2002
• Bill of Sale:
  Sold to Martin Gehl
  Date:March 2002
• Survey Document:
  Boat Name:Excessive Happiness
  Date: August 2003
  Faxed: June 2005
• Survey Document:
  Owner:Marilyn Stroud
  Date: July 2005
• Bill of Sale:
  Sold to William H Branch
  Date: October 2014
• Survey Document:
  Boat Name:Sun Chaser
  Date: September 2015
• Bill of Sale:
  Sold to Jeffery Henley
  Date: September 2015
• I purchased the boat
  Date: February 2021

I realized that the Rawson 30 was another one of those great, inexpensive cruising boats that so often fall ‘through the cracks.' The Rawson 30, which can be purchased for between $10,000 and $30,000, is better known on the West Coast, where it was built and where most of the boats were sold. More than 250 of the standard 30s were built during a long production run that began in 1959 and stretched into the early ‘80s. Builder Ron Rawson was one of the pioneers of the fiberglass revolution and the handsome William Garden designed, long-keeled Rawson 30 is a well-proven circumnavigator. Every now and then a Rawson 30 will turn up for sale on the East Coast and often languish on the market. I saw one advertised recently for $9,900. East Coast sailors know all about the older full-keel boats like the Alberg 30, the Pearson Triton, and the Cape Dory 30. Yet, if I had to choose a 30-foot sloop for a world cruise, I'd pick the Rawson 30 in a heartbeat.

"Two reasons for the boat's success were robust construction, and despite a nine-foot beam, a roomy, practical interior plan."

Rawsons were built in Redmond, WA. Two reasons for the boat's success were robust construction, and despite a nine-foot beam, a roomy, practical interior plan. The full keel, fairly high freeboard hull shape displaces 12,000 pounds, with 5,000 pounds of ballast. It's not much of a light-air performer but its seaworthiness is legendary. By way of comparison, the Alberg 30 displaces 9,000 pounds. The interior features six-foot, three-inches of headroom, a large raised dinette to port, and ample storage. The boat was also offered in kit form, with owners finishing the interior, which is a mixed blessing for any boat. While some kit boats are well done, others are dreadful and the overall resale value sags as a result. But you don't buy a Rawson 30 for fine joinery—it's a boat to launch your cruising dreams now, instead of waiting to purchase a more expensive boat.

Excerpt from a John Kretschmer Article on sailnet.com