vertue yacht review

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Extraordinary boats: Andrillot, the original ‘Vertue’ design

• May 25, 2021

Andrillot is the original ‘Vertue’, the design which launched Laurent Giles’s long and illustrious career in 1935. Nic Compton reports

German boatbuilder Uli Killer was looking for a boat to sail while he was working on a big restoration project when he spotted Andrillot , a 25ft wooden cutter for sale in Dartmouth, UK.

The boat had recently undergone a three-year restoration and was said to be in very good condition for her age. The ad claimed the yacht was ‘an important part of our maritime heritage’ and that she and her sisterships had ‘become legends in their own right’. But to Uli, a relative newcomer to the classic world, she was just a pretty boat at the right price.

Andrillot as she was built with a gaff rig.

“She looked pretty and was affordable for us. I knew nothing about her history, and I had to ring a friend to ask him who Laurent Giles was!” Killer recalls. “Then I saw articles in English and American magazines and realised she really was such a famous boat, and hundreds of them were built. Being No 1 makes her more interesting.”

The boat Uli had inadvertently stumbled across was Andrillot , best known as the ‘original Vertue’, the first of a class which, 85 years after she was launched, is still going strong and now numbers around 200 boats. More by chance than intent, Uli had discovered a unique piece of maritime history, which he was able to buy for less than the price of a new VW Golf. He could hardly believe his luck.

It was in 1935 that Guernsey solicitor Dick Kinnersly commissioned British yacht designer Laurent Giles, then at the start of an illustrious career, to design a cruising boat for him.

“I was ignorant of yacht design but I knew what I wanted; a boat that would spin on a sixpence and I could sail single-handed,” he told British journalist (and fellow Vertue owner) Adrian Morgan 60 years later. “I don’t mind a transom, I said, and a good entry. I couldn’t afford an engine, so I needed ‘plenty of air’ aloft, which meant a topsail.”

The result was a modest 25ft 3in cruising yacht with a wide, distinctive sheer strake inspired by her working boat origins, and a manageable gaff rig (described by some as the ‘pinnacle’ of gaff rig design).

The hull shape was moderate in every way, and Giles himself was reticent about his achievement, saying: “There was nothing very special about the first conception, simply a contemporary interpretation of the Pilot Cutter theme with the same sort of displacement and general arrangements whittled down suitably to the very small size.”

Article continues below…

Extraordinary boats: a new take on a Dutch Lemsteraak

Name any traditional racing class and there will always be one owner who tries to move the game on. In…

Video: the superb sight of seven big schooners and a Fife gaff cutter at the Superyacht Cup

Palma Bay witnessed the superlative sight today of seven classic and replica schooners gathering, together with one Fife gaff cutter,…

The boat’s capabilities were soon put to the test by Giles’s colleague Humphrey Barton, who borrowed Andrillot soon after she was launched and sailed her from Lymington to Concarneau and back, covering 855 miles in 23 days. The voyage, almost unheard of at the time on such a small boat, earned him the 1937 RCC Founder’s Cup.

More orders for the design soon started trickling in although, strangely, the class didn’t get its name until 10 years after Andrillot was launched. One of the boats built to Laurent Giles Design No.0015 (as it was then known) was Epeneta , which won the Little Ship Club’s annual Vertue Challenge Cup in 1939 for a 745-mile cruise of the English Channel. When Giles came to naming the class after the war, he chose the name Vertue in honour of that achievement.

Andrillot has been converted from gaff to Bermudan rig. Photo: Nic Compton

Other epic Vertue voyages soon followed, including notable transatlantic crossings. One, by David Lewis on Cardinal Vertue , was made while competing in the first OSTAR in 1960. He finished 3rd, behind Francis Chichester and Blondie Hasler.

Over the years, there have been several changes to the boat’s superstructure and rig, but the basic hull shape remained unchanged (indeed Giles believed it couldn’t be improved) until the design was adapted for GRP construction in 1976.

Reconfigured with slightly more beam and a higher freeboard, more than 40 Vertues were built in GRP, mostly by Bossoms in Oxford.

Wooden Vertues continue to be built to this day, both in carvel and strip-plank construction, and the company recently sent out plans for hull No.249 – though not all the plans sent out have been built.

As for Andrillot , the progenitor of this remarkable explosion of small boat sailing, she was owned by Kinnersly until 1947, after which she went through a succession of owners (seven in all) until 1982 when she was spotted by father and son Peter and Tim Stevenson.

By then Andrillot was in a dilapidated state. Peter and Tim had to tow her across the Solent and had her transported to a hay barn on the family farm near Lyndhurst.

The chart table was completely rebuilt for her new owner, including the non-original inlaid compass rose. Photo: Nic Compton

There, over the next two years, they gave her a full restoration, gutting the interior, doubling up several frames, and replacing the old Stuart Turner engine with an 8hp Bukh. By then, the yacht had already been converted to Bermudan rig and her coachroof had been extended, with the mast stepped on top of the coachroof rather than on the keel, as original. Peter and Tim kept the Bermudan rig but reinstated the bowsprit.

Andrillot across the channel

For the next few decades, Peter and Tim sailed extensively from the yacht’s base in Lymington to both sides of the English Channel. When Peter died in 2002, Tim took over the boat and based her on the River Exe in Devon. But eventually, the wear and tear of 35 years of sailing took its toll – particularly on the extended coachroof, which was creaking under the strain of the rig.

Tim entrusted the job of repairing the boat to Dartmouth-based boatbuilder Michel LeMoigne, whose CV includes working on major restoration projects such as the William Fife sloop Rosemary . He duly opened the coachroof up and replaced two deck beams, fitting three hefty posts under the mast step to transfer the load to the keel.

In the process, he had to rebuild the foc’s’le bunks and lockers. Once that was done, it was clear the rest of the interior needed to be updated, soon followed by the cockpit. And so one job led to another…

Andrillot in Darmouth where she was given an extensive refit. Photo: Nic Compton

Finally, near the end of the summer 2019, Andrillot was ready to be relaunched, but any hopes Tim might have had for a late season’s cruise were crushed when the surveyor spotted a crack in the mast – which had been there for years and never caused a problem – and condemned it.

It was the last straw for Tim and soon after Andrillot was put on the market. By the time a new mast was made and a buyer was found, the UK was deep in Coronavirus lockdown, so Andrillot wasn’t launched until August 2020 – three years after she’d been taken out of the water for repairs.

Uli Killer was in some ways a surprising buyer. A former CEO of a finance company, he quit his well-paid job in 2010 after becoming ill with the stress of work. In a dramatic change of life, he decided to pursue his lifelong love of boats and trained as a boatbuilder at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis.

He then set up shop at his home in southern Germany where, alongside building bespoke dinghies, he embarked on a major project restoring an 1884 gaff cutter called Wild Duck. But, as it became clear the restoration would take longer than expected, he decided to buy a smaller boat to sail in the meantime. Which is when he discovered Andrillot .

Close encounters

Uli only had time for one trial sail on his new boat, before he and his son Moritz set off from Dartmouth to Vlissingen, Holland, at the end of August.

They were pushed on their way by strong following winds, with a dramatic wind against tide run past the Needles, a boat crashing into them in the middle of the night in Lymington, and a close encounter with a military firing range near Dungeness.

The RCC Founder’s Cup was awarded to Andrillot after she sailed 855 miles from Lymington to Concarneau and back. Photo: Nic Compton

In the end, it took them two weeks to make the 380-mile trip – including a week’s stopover in Cowes for repairs – averaging 50 to 60 miles a day. Yet, despite the drama of the trip, Uli was euphoric about his new acquisition.

“The boat felt really safe. Several times, we made 7-8 knots. It’s amazing such a small boat goes so fast – more than the theoretical hull speed. With the white cliffs near Eastbourne to one side, it was really beautiful. And when you go into harbour, people are interested in the boat and want to talk to you – we met such nice people all the way. In the evenings, it was so cosy and nice to snuggle in there and have supper.”

If Uli was ignorant of the boat’s importance when he bought her, he is certainly fully appreciative of her now. He is talking about taking her back to her gaff rig one day – perhaps in time for her 90th birthday – and hopes his son will take over ownership once Wild Duck is restored.

Once again, it seems, Andrillot will be handed down from father to son, as it was under the Stevensons’ long tenure. Almost by accident, it seems, the little boat with a big heart has reinvented herself and found a doting owner to take her to the end of her first century. Laurent Giles himself could ask no more.

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams. Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

• Types of Sailboats
• Parts of a Sailboat
• Cruising Boats
• Small Sailboats
• Design Basics
• Sailboats under 30'
• Sailboats 30'-35
• Sailboats 35'-40'
• Sailboats 40'-45'
• Sailboats 45'-50'
• Sailboats 50'-55'
• Sailboats over 55'
• Masts & Spars
• Knots, Bends & Hitches
• The 12v Energy Equation
• Electronics & Instrumentation
• Build Your Own Boat
• Buying a Used Boat
• Choosing Accessories
• Living on a Boat
• Cruising Offshore
• Sailing in the Caribbean
• Anchoring Skills
• Sailing Authors & Their Writings
• Mary's Journal
• Nautical Terms
• Cruising Sailboats for Sale
• List your Boat for Sale Here!
• Used Sailing Equipment for Sale
• Sell Your Unwanted Gear
• Sailing eBooks: Download them here!
• Your Sailboats
• Your Sailing Stories
• Your Fishing Stories
• Advertising
• What's New?
• Chartering a Sailboat
• Cruiser Yachts under 30'

The Vertue 25 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Vertue 25, a heavy-displacement long-keeled sloop, was designed by Jack Laurent Giles and built in the UK by E.F.Elkins Ltd.

Published Specification for the Vertue 25

Underwater Profile:  Long keel with transom-hung rudder

Hull Material: V arious *

Length Overall:  25'3"  ( 7.7m)

Waterline Length:  21'6"  ( 6.6m)

Beam:  7'2"  ( 2.2m)

Draft:  4'6"  ( 1.4m)

Rig Type:  Masthead sloop

Displacement:  11,000lb (4,990kg)

Designer:  Jack Laurent Giles

Builder:  E F Elkins Ltd (UK)

Year First Built:  1947

Number Built: 270

*  230 in wood, wood/epoxy or steel, plus 40 in GRP.

Published Design Ratios for the Vertue 25

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 9.7

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 40.9

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 494

4. Comfort Ratio: 54.6

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   1.3

Read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the  Vertue 25

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 9.7 suggests that the Vertue 25 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 40.9 means that the Vertue 25 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 494, tells us the Vertue 25 is firmly in the ultra-heavy displacement category. Load her up as much as you like and her performance will be hardly affected, not that it was ever startling. Few if any sailboats are built to this displacement category these days - but they remain popular with some long-distance sailors.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 54.6 suggests that crew comfort of a Vertue 25 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of an extremely heavy bluewater boat - and that's as comfortable as life ever gets on a sailing boat!

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.3 indicates that a Vertue 25 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0. 

Cruisers' Questions about this Sailboat...

What is the history of Vertue 25 sailboat?

The history of the Vertue 25 sailboat is quite fascinating. It dates back to 1936, when the first boat of this design, named ANDRILLOT, was launched by Jack Laurent Giles for Humphrey Barton. The design was not named Vertue until after the war, when another boat of this design, named EPENETA, won the Little Ship Club's Vertue Cup in 1939 for a passage across the Bay of Biscay. The Vertue Cup is given for the best log of a cruise longer than a week by a member of the club.

The Vertue 25 sailboat gained an enviable reputation as a long-distance cruiser, with several remarkable voyages completed by boats of this class and close derivatives, such as Vertue XXXV, which sailed from England to New York in 1950. The design has also been praised by famous sailors such as Eric and Susan Hiscock.

There have been minor variants of the design, most notably in the shape of the coach-roof and the hull material. The original design had a length overall of 25'3" (7.7m), a beam of 7'2" (2.2m) and a draft of 4'6" (1.4m). The extended cruising version of the design was known as the Vertue Ocean and incorporated modifications suggested by Barton. The Vertue II design is slightly larger at 25'8" (7.8m) overall with a 7'10" (2.4m) beam and has been produced in GRP since the 1970s by Bossoms Boatyard in Oxford.

What are some famous voyages completed by Vertue 25 sailboats?

Some of the famous voyages completed by Vertue 25 sailboats are:

• In 1950, Humphrey Barton sailed from England to New York in Vertue XXXV, a 25'3" wooden sloop, in 40 days. This was the first transatlantic crossing by a small yacht and inspired many other sailors to follow his example.
• In 1952, Eric and Susan Hiscock sailed around the world in Wanderer III, a 30' wooden sloop based on the Vertue design. They covered 30,000 miles in three years and wrote several books about their adventure.
• In 1966, David Lewis sailed from England to New Zealand in Rehu Moana, a 25'8" GRP sloop of the Vertue II design. He then continued to sail around the Pacific islands and Antarctica for several years.
• In 1979, John Guzzwell sailed around the world in Trekka, a 20'9" wooden sloop derived from the Vertue design. He covered 28,000 miles in four years and became the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed at the time.
• In 1990, ELLENOR JOSEPHINE, a 25'8" GRP sloop of the Vertue Ocean design, was launched by IBTC Lowestoft for Ian Wright, who wanted to sail long distances. She has since been sold to different owners and has cruised around the UK and Europe.

What are some modifications that have been made to the Vertue 25 sailboat over time?

Some of the modifications that have been made to the Vertue 25 sailboat over time are:

• After winning the Vertue Cup in 1939, Laurent Giles named the class the Vertue and made minor modifications to the hull and coachroof design. These Vertues became the classic small boat of choice for the single-handed long distance sailor.
• The extended cruising version of the design was known as the Vertue Ocean and incorporated modifications suggested by Humphrey Barton, such as additional freeboard, a slightly different sheer, a longer bowsprit, a larger cockpit and a self-draining well.
• The Vertue II design is slightly larger at 25'8" (7.8m) overall with a 7'10" (2.4m) beam and has been produced in GRP since the 1970s by Bossoms Boatyard in Oxford. It also has a different coachroof shape, a longer waterline length, a shorter boom and a higher aspect ratio rig.
• Some individual owners have also made their own modifications to their Vertues, such as changing the engine, adding or removing equipment, altering the interior layout, or repainting the hull.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge,  we believe them to be accurate.

Recent Articles

Used Sailing Equipment For Sale

Feb 28, 24 05:58 AM

My Vagabond 47 Sailboat 'Untethered Soul' is for Sale

Feb 27, 24 12:40 PM

The Newport 41 Sailboat

Feb 24, 24 04:33 AM

Here's where to:

• Find  Used Sailboats for Sale...
• Find Used Sailing Gear for Sale...
• List your Sailboat for Sale...
• List your Used Sailing Gear...
• Sign-up for our newsletter, 'The Sailboat Cruiser' ...
• Identify this month's Mystery Boat...

Our eBooks...

A few of our Most Popular Pages...

Copyright © 2024  Dick McClary  Sailboat-Cruising.com

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Vertue is a 25 ′ 3 ″ / 7.7 m monohull sailboat designed by Jack Laurent Giles and built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard, Stebbings & Sons, Bossoms Boatyard, and Jouët starting in 1947.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Most VERTUES were built by different firms in England. Cheoy Lee built a few in the late 50’’s and early 60’’s. Some were built later in FG. The designed was changed significantly since the earliest boats of the 1950’s so dimensions listed here are only approximate. It is thought that approximately 100 have been built to this design.

Embed this page on your own website by copying and pasting this code.

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Classic cruiser boats: Why GRP models are now being welcomed into the fold

• Peter Poland
• January 11, 2023

Peter Poland considers the reasons why ‘plastic fantastics’ are now being welcomed into the fleets of traditional classic yachts…

Sprawled, glass in hand, in the cockpit of my friend James Stock’s beautiful Stephen Jones-designed Mystery 35, I pondered on the eclectic fleet of elegant flag-bedecked classic cruiser boats that surrounded us in Paimpol Harbour on the North Brittany coast.

These ranged from elderly wooden yachts to early GRP classics such as Swans, Nicholson 43s, 36s and 32s, Twisters, Contessas, Nordic Folkboats et al.

Originally known as the Classic Regatta Anglo-Breton (CRAB to its friends), I was lucky enough to be participating in the renamed Classic Channel Regatta 2022 race round the Île de Bréhat.

I’d crewed on James’s previous classic – a Twister 28 – in the 2013 and 2015 editions of the race. But purists might ask what any GRP yacht was doing in a fleet of classic cruiser boats. Surely they should all be wood?

Why were several ‘plastic fantastics’, albeit beautiful, seaworthy and speedy examples, gatecrashing such a gathering?

Article continues below…

Home before lockdown – 26ft classic boat delivery from Essex to South Wales

Due to family commitments I found myself having to move to Wolverhampton late last year from West Sussex. I’ve never…

Coming of age: the 1970s yacht designs that have stood the test of time

Sailing in the 1970s was characterised by innovation, enthusiasm, mass participation and home boatbuilding. Rupert Holmes reports

Our Mystery 35, although a recent design, was deemed to be a ‘modern classic’ – along with the Spirit range – by the organisers of the event.

What makes a classic cruiser boat?

Times are changing. While the British Classic Yacht Club (BCYC) restricts membership to owners of wood or steel yachts above 30ft and designed before 1970, Classic Channel Regatta chairman Bruce Thorogood told me that its doors were open to two groups of classics of wood, steel, aluminium or GRP.

These comprise designs from before the end of 1968, and later yachts designed before the end of 1974.

He said: “ Boats built as one-offs or in limited series are considered classic unless there’s a reason to exclude them. For GRP production boats, the design needs to be approved by the organisers. Many GRP yachts were still traditional looking, being derivatives of designs that could have been built in wood.”

Bruce added: “To my mind it’s absurd to reject all GRP boats when it has been the major boatbuilding material for over half a century and many very fine designs have been built in GRP. I think hull material is irrelevant; it is all about style and quality.”

A large modern Spirit beside an S&S 30 designed 50 years ago. Photo: Peter Poland

When it comes to size, the Classic Channel Regatta organisers accept a minimum length of 7.5m for cross-Channel events and 5.4m for inshore regattas – so boats like Vertues, Folkboats, Stellas, Twisters and Contessa 26s can join the fun.

Like many old age pensioners, I started sailing and racing in wooden yachts. These were the norm in the post war years up to the late 1960s; and would now all be termed as classics.

First up came a beautiful Robert Clark designed 60-footer called Lara; my grandfather’s pride and joy. Then I graduated to prancing precariously on the narrow and unfenced foredeck of a Solent Sunbeam, closely followed by an International One Design (IOD).

A bit later, I turned to cruiser-racing on a South Coast One Design (SCOD) then my father’s Sandy Balfour-designed and Berthon-built 36-footer Matchless .

Shortly after, I horrified my parents by setting off, aged 22, to sail across the Atlantic in a 25ft Buchanan-designed Wind Elf Mk2. Despite our ineptitude with a plastic sextant , my friend and I made it to Barbados in one piece and discovered the joys of Mount Gay rum.

Those were halcyon days and I was fortunate to have sailed such a wide variety of splendid wooden yachts. But when I came back down to UK earth and took up boatbuilding, I plunged headlong into the GRP age.

Everything was changing and fleets of new production boats were flooding the market; many of which are now old enough to be found at Classic Channel Regattas.

Pen Duick V leads a gaggle of classic cruiser boats. Photo: Peter Poland

Why buy a classic cruiser boat?

So why should today’s sailors with a yen to sail a classic consider a GRP yacht rather than a wooden one? And why should they buy a GRP classic rather than a far beamier, more modern design? If you are considering which model might appeal, you can do a lot worse than look at its displacement/length ratio.

This is a reliable indication of a yacht’s character as designer Ted Brewer succinctly explained: “The D/L ratio [DLR] is a non-dimensional figure derived from the displacement in tons [measured in lb] divided by .01 LWL [in feet] cubed, or, D/(.01 LWL)3. It allows us to compare the displacement of boats of widely different LWLs.”

As DLR examples Brewer puts a light cruiser/racer at 150-200; light cruising auxiliary 200-250; average cruising auxiliary 250-300; heavy cruising auxiliary 300-350; very heavy cruising auxiliary 350-400.” A Nordic Folkboat pitches in with a DLR of 249.

The most obvious reason for choosing a classic is its special charm and handling. It looks and sails very differently to a modern lightweight cruiser. And a GRP classic is likely to cost far less to restore (if this is indeed necessary) and maintain than a wooden one.

Its engine, rig and electrics might need replacing at some stage; so seek out a re-engined example. Then its topsides may need cutting back and polishing or painting.

Swan 55 Lulotte ’s crew don Ukrainian colours for the fancy dress sail-past. Photo: Peter Poland

But these expenses tend to be one-offs compared to the annual rituals on a wooden yacht. An onset of osmotic blisters is normally less onerous than the cost of a yard’s labour replacing planking, frames, ribs, and deck beams should a wooden hull become structurally unsound or rotten.

Of course purists who have the wherewithal or who are skilled DIY chippies won’t be put off by this cost. But many more will. An owner of a GRP Twister once told me “Beware the danger of being ruled by your emotions and optimism. A classic in sound condition is a beautiful thing. A ‘dog’ will cost you a shed load of money.

Know your market. Does the cost of the work and equipment needed make sense when added to the purchase price? Doing it yourself – if you have the skills and can spare the time – gives you huge leeway. Paying a boatyard may ruin you!”

A graceful Holman-designed Centurion 32 glides into Paimpol. Photo:

James Stock, my Twister skipper at CRAB 2013 and 2015, summed up the dilemma well, saying: “I favour GRP for a classic yacht – but with lots of wood embellishment – on the grounds of managing maintenance and cost.

“But thankfully there are still those with deep pockets sailing classics constructed in wood who are the custodians of these fine boats.”

He admitted to enjoying the comments of passers-by who paused to admire his Twister’s sheerline, elegant proportions and varnished bright work, saying: “It makes the hard work with a varnish brush worthwhile.”

Now his Mystery 35 receives even more admiring looks. He even gets requests for trial sails from people interested in buying their own ‘modern classic’ Mystery 35.

The Mystery 35, designed by Stephen Jones and built by Cornish Crabbers, has the looks and appeal of a ‘classic’. Photo: Michael Austen/Alamy

Which classic cruiser boat to choose?

So if you fancy joining the fray in a GRP classic, where should you start? The likely candidates cover two types of yacht: the long-keel developments of earlier cruisers and of the bionic Nordic Folkboat; then the later and sportier fin and skeg yachts, such as early Swans, S&S She 31 and 36, Centurion, Contessa 32, Albin Ballad, Norlin 34 and 37, Scampi etc that came to the fore in the late 1960s and early 70s.

The most influential design that spawned countless GRP long-keelers is the Folkboat. In the early 1940s, the Swedes launched an international competition, challenging designers to come up with a new sailboat class.

The brief was to design a cheap, fast, attractive and seaworthy racer that could also double up as a capable family cruiser.

Of around 60 submissions, no single design was considered ‘right’ enough to be an outright winner. So the organisers asked designer Tord Sunden to combine the best aspects of the final favourites into one yacht. Which became the Folkboat.

Originally the design featured a counter stern. But this would cost more to build, so Sunden removed it; replacing it with a jaunty transom.

Bow and stern overhangs balanced sweetly and a keel ‘cutaway’ forward reduced wetted surface while a rounded underbody and slackish bilge produced a hull that stiffened up dramatically in a breeze.

The 1963 Charm of Rhu hailed from the Fife Yard, Fairlie. Photo: Peter Poland

A 50% ballast ratio, DLR of 249 and lovely lines helped the Folkboat sail and handle beautifully under full sail while many modern cruisers are reefing to retain control.

Initially Nordic Folkboats were built of wood with clinker planking. Then in 1977, the class allowed GRP as an alternative construction. Around 1,000 of these have been built (and are still in production).

However even its greatest fans will concede that this delightful and potent little package leaves much to be desired when it comes to comfortable accommodation.

Modified versions such as Jester and Eira completed the first ever OSTAR and many others have crossed oceans; but the standard Folkboat is hardly a palace… even by 25-footer standards.

So in 1966 Sunden came up with a solution, designing one of the most successful Folkboat developments; a beautiful boat that will grace any classic yacht gathering. The International Folkboat (IF Boat for short) is longer overall (7.87m) and on the waterline (6.04m) and heavier (2,150kg) compared to the Nordic Folkboat.

It also has a higher ballast ratio and a higher Sail area/Displacement ratio to boost performance. Add a self-draining cockpit and an outboard well or small inboard engine and you have a far more versatile yacht. Proving the IF Boat’s appeal, over 3,000 were produced.

Down below, the IF Boat offers far more usable space than its Nordic ancestor. A forepeak with two 6ft-plus berths, longer settee berths in the saloon, a small heads, a rudimentary galley and improved stowage space all add up to a feasible family cruiser; even if headroom is only 4ft 8in.

‘The Folkboat was an influential design that spawned countless GRP long-keelers’

And its performance, seaworthiness and easy handling make the IF Boat as accomplished on a race course as it is on lengthy cruises. One owner summed up its appeal, telling me: “I have owned my boat for 17 years. I was invited to crew on one and allowed to helm; and from that moment I was smitten.

“She sails easily in very light winds and doesn’t really need to reef until Force 6. The helm is beautifully balanced throughout… I’ve yet to meet a sailor who didn’t appreciate sailing one.

“However, all boats are a compromise. The IF Boat has low freeboard and a long keel, which means she makes virtually no leeway even in strong winds.

“The trade-off is that she is a wet boat in a swell and does not have standing headroom below decks. However I am 6ft 2in tall and am quite comfortable in her, with a choice of three bunks that I fit.”

Much the same applies to van de Stadt’s Folkboat derivation; his GRP Invicta 26. Introduced in 1964, this sweet-hulled long-keeler probably influenced the Contessa 26 that hit the scene two years later.

The late, great Jeremy Rogers admitted to me that he liked the keyhole companionway detail. However he didn’t replicate the Invicta’s split level roof, so the Contessa 26 missed out on a bit of extra headroom. Van de Stadt also flattened off the Folkboat’s keel base so the Invicta dries out on the level.

Down below, the accommodation works well. Instead of shoehorning two berths into a small forepeak, van de Stadt designed saloon settee berths that extend into trotter boxes. As a result, the forepeak is given over to a WC and stowage.

Two quarterberths aft make for comfortable sleeping while the galley and chart table areas amidships are practical and easy to use at sea. Given the modest volume inside any Folkboat derivative, this layout has much to recommend it. And, dare I say it, I prefer it to the Contessa’s.

There were two versions of the Invicta; the Mk1 and Mk2. The latter has a slightly raised deck line which increases interior space. It also has a little less sail area than the Mk1, which was aimed more at the keen racer.

Either way, the Invicta is a lovely little yacht and would grace any classic gathering. What’s more it sails straight and fast. A little gem.

The Contessa 26, launched in 1966, was the first GRP cruiser-racer built by Jeremy Rogers and – like its Contessa 32 sister – is an active One Design class and successful club racer to this day. Photo: Tim Jones/Alamy

Contessa 26

Meanwhile Lymington-based Jeremy Rogers was hatching a plot to make his own long keel GRP cruiser-racer. He was already building successful cold-moulded wooden Folkboats and – together with the owner of one of these – he decided to take the GRP route and produce a modernised variation.

Rogers told me he butchered one of his cold-moulded Folkboat hulls to make the plug, cutting out the transom, inserting wedges into the open hull and pushing the sides outwards. It creaked and got wider until it looked right. He then levelled and lifted the sheer, allowing for the addition of small moulded bulwarks.

This raised the freeboard and increased the overall length. He and David Sadler then tidied things up, adding a low profile and attractive roof (with a keyhole companionway) and straightening the keel base. So in 1966 the mighty Contessa 26 was born.

The first of the class, Contessa of Lymington , cost her owner £2,416 and 10 shillings. David Sadler took No5 while Vernon Sainsbury (the business angel who funded the project) bought No6.

The Contessa was an instant hit and orders flooded in. The final total of boats built exceeds 750, including the Taylor-built versions in Canada. Then as now, the Contessa 26 has wide appeal. Some win races such as the Round the Island while others voyage across oceans.

Given her globe-girdling reputation, it was a shame that when I tested a Contessa 26 I had to make do with a wet, windy and cold winter’s day on the Solent rather than sliding into a palm-fringed bay in the Caribbean.

But she didn’t disappoint. She was a delight to sail. She’s pretty, seaworthy (with a DLR of 301 and ballast ratio of 42.6%) and offers easy handling, speed aplenty, stability and adequate accommodation.

True, the space and headroom down below are less than on similar length long-keeled yachts that I have sailed, such as the SCOD, Nicholson 26 and Wind Elf (that carted me across the pond); but everything is there and works.

Fans of classic cruiser boats may dream of a gleaming wooden hull, but prefer the convenience and relative economy of GRP.

The Elizabethan 29, built by Peter Webster, has a graceful counter. Photo: SailingScenes.com

Elizabethan 29

British designer Kim Holman also joined the early charge into GRP long-keeled cruisers. His Elizabethan 29 (DLR 406, ballast ratio 43%) and Twister 28 (DLR 447, ballast ratio 46%) designs both ruled the roost in Junior Offshore Group (JOG) cross Channel races in the 1960s and now join the fun in today’s classic events that allow GRP yachts to rub shoulders with the wooden fraternity. And when it comes to sweet lines and elegant profiles, neither lowers the tone.

The Elizabethan 29 went afloat in 1960. Unlike many Folkboat-style long-keelers of the day, Holman ignored the functional transom stern. Instead he gave her a graceful counter (hence the extra 3ft of length) and this balances perfectly with her bow overhang.

He also gave her a split-level roof, which increases headroom at the aft end of the saloon. Thanks to these traditional traits, she has the looks of a classic; albeit a GRP one. Down below there’s enough space for an enclosed heads amidships with settee berths in the saloon and twin berths in the forepeak.

The galley and chart table are aft at the foot of the companionway. All in all, it is a practical layout and comfortable at sea. I spent many happy days (and nights) as a junior crew member thrashing a Liz 29 around the Channel on JOG races in the 1960s.

As in many early GRP boats, her interior finish is functional rather than fancy. But everything works. And her sailing qualities are, as you would expect, exceptional.

Twister 28 Crionna goose-wings her way past some Breton rocks. Photo: Peter Poland

Holman’s Twister 28 is equally desirable as a GRP classic yacht. When I was crewing on the Liz back in the 60s, the Twister was our bête noire. We could usually outsail them on a reach or a run; but when it came to a beat – especially in heavy weather – it was a different story.

The Twister’s extra waterline length, beam, draught and weight gave her power that we could not match. Our counter stern may have been prettier, but we got fed up with watching her less refined transom.

Holman designed and built the first wooden Twister for himself in 1964. She was nigh on unbeatable. Then Tylers built GRP hulls and various yards finished these off, adding a wooden deck, superstructure and interior.

Finally, in 1970, Tylers developed an all-GRP version that sold in large numbers. The Twister I sailed on regularly was one of these – beautifully finished by Universal Shipyard on the Hamble.

‘It’s hard to quantify the joy of steering the Twister 28’

Her owner James Stock told me: “If you want a Twister, buy an all wood or all GRP example. The wood deck on GRP hull versions can involve a lot of maintenance work.”

It’s hard to quantify the joy of steering this boat. The helm is relatively firm but you don’t need to do a lot with it. A Twister knows where to go and sailing upwind is a finger and thumb job. It naturally follows the wind and if you wrench the helm too much, you just put on the brakes. It’s close-winded and very quick.

The accommodation is equally pleasing. There’s nothing unusual about the layout (which offers standing headroom). There’s a twin berth forepeak, amidships heads and hanging locker, saloon settee berths with trotter boxes, spacious navigation area (standing room only) and galley aft.

The overall ambience is snug and comfortable; mainly because the bilge is deep so you step down into the interior. All in all, it is a pleasant place to be, especially if you are in a well finished example with plenty of woodwork.

Combine the Twister’s comfort with its easy but fast sailing qualities and lovely looks and you have the near perfect small GRP classic yacht. About the only drawback is the price. These yachts are much in demand.

If a similar sized but less pricey GRP long-keeler appeals, the Alan-Hill-designed Cutlass 27 is worth a look. Launched in 1967, it sold in good numbers and has achieved favourable boat test reviews; although it never acquired the Twister’s star status.

The accommodation is conventional for its era, although finish varies because several were home-completed by DIY builders. So check carefully. But if you find a nice one, it will give you classic long keel sailing and a steady motion at sea on a modest budget.

The 60ft Laurent Giles-designed Lutine of Helford , built by Camper & Nicholsons in 1952, looks as good as ever. Photo: Peter Poland

Laurent Giles Vertue

Perhaps the most iconic long keel classic cruiser of this size is the Vertue. Indeed, when I was planning my 1968 Transatlantic jaunt, this little beauty was at the top of my list. I had read epic tales of ocean crossing adventures in books such as Humphrey Barton’s Vertue XXXV .

But there was one problem. Second-hand Vertues cost a lot in those days. However if you now like the idea of joining the classic circuit in one of these tough little Giles-designed masterpieces, you don’t have to buy a wooden one.

Several of the GRP Vertue 2 class were built by Bossoms Boatyard. An extra plank had already been added to earlier wooden models’ topsides to provide more room down below and there were a few small changes to facilitate GRP construction.

But it is quintessentially a Vertue, sharing its legendary sea-keeping qualities. It would not look amiss in a classic fleet.

A Nicholson 32 takes Breton waves in its stride. Photo: Peter Poland

Nicholson 26

After Camper & Nicholson entered the word of GRP production yachts in the early 60s with the successful Nicholson 36 and 32, they decided a smaller sister would complement the range.

The Nicholson 26 (introduced in 1968) is in many ways very similar to the Nicholson-designed SCOD. At 26ft 7in it’s around 8in longer; yet its more rakish bow overhang means its LWL is a foot shorter.

It draws 3in less and is 3in narrower than the SCOD yet, at around 10,000lb, weighs about 800lb more. But despite its weight, the Nicholson 26 is a fine performer.

Its cut-away forefoot helps reduce wetted area, yet its deep and heavily ballasted keel gives stability galore. And its deep transom-hung rudder provides plenty of bite.

I spent a couple of enjoyable seasons racing on a Nicholson 26 on the JOG circuit and we were often among the leaders.

True, the fancy fin keelers had not really appeared on the scene yet, but there was still plenty of keen competition, both English and French. She was fast to windward and no slouch downwind under a large masthead spinnaker.

The 26 not only had a comfortable motion; it also offered living comfort down below. Like its ancestor the SCOD, the Nicholson 26 has a raised doghouse section to the coachroof.

This, combined with a deep bilge, means the headroom is good. There’s also space to put the weight of the water tank amidships, beneath the cabin sole, contributing to stability and a pleasing motion.

The Nicholson 36 is an enjoyable ‘classic’ for cruising or racing. Photo: Peter Poland

The layout is conventional and, in true Nicholson fashion, nicely finished. A galley (to port) and chart table are at the bottom of the companionway steps, the saloon offers two good settee berths and plenty of locker space, and the twin berth forepeak lives ahead of an amidships heads area.

All in all this practical and pleasing layout, combined with Folkboat-style weatherliness and performance, make the Nicholson 26 a delightful all-rounder – provided, that is, you can live without today’s aft double cabin and heads/shower compartment. Over 60 were built, so it’s worth checking one out.

With his popular Hurley 22 design already selling in large numbers, Ian Anderson was asked by West Country-based Normand Boatyard to re-work his earlier wood-built Sirius design for GRP construction.

This became the Bowman 26. Several boats were built by the Normand Boatyard before the rights were sold to Emsworth Marine Sales who commissioned the Emsworth Shipyard to handle the manufacturing.

The Bowman 26 is yet another example of how elegant the transom-sterned and long keeled Folkboat style can look. And – being the true artist that he was – Anderson gave his design an attractive doghouse-style coachroof.

Sparkman & Stephens-designed Cervantes lV won the 1971 Fastnet and more recent ‘classic’ races. Photo: Peter Poland

This, combined with a lovely sheer and deep bilge, enables the Bowman 26 to look attractive yet still fit good headroom and comfortable accommodation into just 26ft.

Her dimensions of 26ft LOA, 19ft 10in LWL, 8ft beam and 4in draught are typical of the type. Her all-up weight of 5,062lb (with around 50% ballast ratio) is moderate rather than heavy for a long-keeler, giving a DLR of 289.

But although the turn of her bilge is relatively firm and high (hence the lighter displacement), there’s room to squeeze one of her tanks under the cabin sole.

The Bowman’s interior layout is almost identical to the Nicholson 26 (galley and chart table aft, heads amidships and V-berth forepeak), but she is almost half the weight.

Little surprise then that Anderson’s elegant creation performs well. His Hurley 27 was a later development and had a longer coachroof, increased freeboard and was 800lb heavier, increasing the DLR from 289 to 324.

The popular Halcyon 27. Picture credit: David Harding/ www.sailingscenes.co.uk

Two other popular Folkboat developments of a similar size came from the pen of Alan Buchanan: the Diamond 27 built by Thames Marine and the Halcyon 27 by Offshore Yachts.

The latter was by far the most popular, and large numbers were built before production ceased in 1975.

The Halcyon 27 has a 20ft 3in LWL, beam of 7ft 8in and draught of 4ft. So she’s very similar in terms of dimensions to many other enlarged Folkboat derivations.

She weighs 6,720lb and – as is usual with these long-keelers – has a healthy ballast ratio thanks to a 3,000lb keel.

And, like the Bowman 26, the Halcyon boasts a chunky little doghouse on top of a longish coachroof. So there’s plenty of headroom.

The Halcyon was competitively priced and offered a compact masthead rig, practical accommodation, above average performance and an undoubted ability to stand up to a strong wind in a seaway.

So it’s easy to see why she appealed to sea schools as much as to private owners. Several Services sailing clubs bought Halcyons for sail training, and many are still out there – with thousands of miles under their keels – doing the same job today.

So make sure you find out where your prospective purchase has been before signing the cheque. Some Halcyon 27s have had harder lives than others.

Wild Rival (a Rival 34) glides past a dramatic lighthouse during the 2013 classic race from Paimpol. Photo: Peter Poland

Another desirable but often overlooked Folkboat descendant that hit the scene in the 1960s was Fred Parker’s Folkdancer design.

Having started life as the Hamble One Design then the Warsash One Design, this attractive yacht’s name was changed to the more self-explanatory Folkdancer when Russell Marine took over the marketing.

In those days Des Pollard’s firm (famous for numerous Alacrities and Vivacities) held a prominent position in the small production cruiser world, so its involvement gave this successful Parker design a welcome shot in the arm.

‘The Folkdancer is the unsung hero of the Folkboat dynasty – well worth a look’

Like Buchanan with his Wind Elf design, Parker gave his Folkboat derivative a short counter, so the rudder was not transom-hung.

And he came up with an interesting split sheer for the Russell Marine boats, which increased accommodation space in the forward part of the hull yet kept the cockpit at a comfortable lower level.

When it came to the sail plan, he plumped for a masthead rig, to give a better handicap in the RORC rule era into which the boat was born. In its day, Parker’s own boat Norsue picked up a lot of pots. The experience gained from these campaigns was analysed and incorporated into the GRP production design that followed.

This S&S-designed Swan 36, launched in 1969, looks elegant from any angle. Photo: Peter Poland

So I suspect that anyone who buys an old Folkdancer, improves its deck gear and treats it to a suit of modern sails could have some fun in club or classic regattas. Thanks to its counter stern, the 27ft Folkdancer is longer than a Nordic Folkboat, but its waterline of 19ft 8in, beam of 7ft 6in and draught of 4ft are similar.

Its all up weight of 5,040lb and ballast ratio of 55% puts it in the Nordic Folkboat’s moderate displacement camp. Compared to, let’s say, the Nicholson 26 the lighter Folkdancer has sleeker underwater lines.

However, despite its far from plump hull form, the Folkdancer is surprisingly spacious below. The attractive and short roof combined with the forward raised sheer gives reasonable headroom and two accommodation plans were offered.

One is fairly simple with a basic galley, five berths and a loo between the forward V-berths. The other sacrifices one berth but gains an amidships WC compartment and larger galley aft.

Over the years some owners will have added modifications of their own. So a close inspection (and survey) is needed before buying. I reckon that the Folkdancer is the unsung hero of the Folkboat dynasty – well worth a look.

The restored Contessa 32 Bugler of Hor (PBO, December 2018)

Contessa 32

Moving on a few years, the Contessa 32 (designed in 1972) is another superstar.

A moderate beam of 9ft 6in, ballast ratio of 47%, DLR of 306 and comfort ratio of 27.7 make it a well-balanced yacht and its seaworthiness is well proven.

It made me feel my age when the class recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

There were several Contessa 32s in the Classic Channel Regatta’s 2022 race round the Île de Bréhat and we saw rather too much of them from our Mystery 35.

Our excuse was that we were not carrying a broad-shouldered symmetric spinnaker.

Two class winners in the 2022 Classic Channel Regatta are also excellent all-round classic GRP cruiser racers – a Norlin 37 won class C (followed by a Comfort 34) and an Albin Ballad 30 won class D (followed by an Armagnac and a Contessa 32).

The Classic Channel Regatta fleet departs for a race from Paimpol harbour in Brittany. Photo: Roger Allen Photography/Alamy

Which makes the best classic cruiser boats: wood or GRP?

So if you want to enjoy your own classic cruiser boat – whether wood or GRP – firstly, you need to accept that you will not be getting a wide-bodied hull with a spacious aft heads and you won’t be able to enjoy a secluded stern cabin.

If you need these features, look elsewhere. But many people have sailed enough to realise that they don’t spend half their life in the loo and that secure single berths are best for sound sleeping on a yacht at sea.

And maybe you enjoy sailing a fairly heavy long-keeled yacht with a moderate beam and relish the sensation of guiding a well-balanced and stable hull on its way through the waves rather than fighting the helm or recovering from broaches. In which case a modern wide beam lightweight probably won’t be for you.

Classics galore raft up in Paimpol. Photo: Peter Poland

What about maintenance costs? All boats siphon cash from a sailor’s pocket, and by and large the older ones are the greediest. In the field of classic cruiser boats a GRP yacht offers the best of many worlds.

Of course it will still cost money to run and keep up to scratch, but rarely as much as a wooden one. Yet you still have the satisfaction of owning a yacht that sails like a classic and attracts many admiring glances.

And now – thanks to the Classic Channel Regatta and other similar events – you can sample the unique atmosphere and camaraderie of classic yacht gatherings and regattas.

As modern volume production designs continue on their remorseless way towards plumb ends, wide beam (often carried well aft), shallow hulls and slender fin keels, I foresee a rosy future for classic cruiser boats and the lucky sailors who love them.

Why not subscribe today?

This feature appeared in the January 2023 edition of Practical Boat Owner . For more articles like this, including DIY, money-saving advice, great boat projects, expert tips and ways to improve your boat’s performance, take out a magazine subscription to Britain’s best-selling boating magazine.

Subscribe, or make a gift for someone else, and you’ll always save at least 30% compared to newsstand prices.

See the latest PBO subscription deals on magazinesdirect.com

March / April Issue No. 297  Preview Now

July / August 2020

The vertues.

One of the finest Vertues afloat, RAUMATI was built in 1962 by E.F. Elkins Boat Yard in Christchurch, England, the most prolific builder of the type. Her bottom is planked with teak and her topsides of mahogany, over a backbone and framing of English oak, and she has a lead keel, bronze floors, and all-teak deck structures. She represents the final flourish of English classic construction before the first Cheoy Lee–built boats were imported from Hong Kong into the U.K. the following year. She is now owned by Gerry Williams and is based in Cornwall, England.

Most cruising sailors have heard of Vertue yachts. Though small in size—only about 25 ' LOA—they have an outsized reputation as the  most successful design to come from English yacht designer Jack Laurent Giles during his long career. More than 200 of the boats have been built, and many of the exploits that their owners undertook have become legendary among ocean-cruising sailors.

Giles, who was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1901, was brought up on the country’s North Sea coast in Scarborough, a town best known for its School of Art where for 35 years yacht designer Albert Strange was the kindly and enthusiastic headmaster. Strange is best remembered for his beautifully proportioned canoe-sterned gaff yawls, such as SHEILA II (see WB No. 64). Giles was quoted as having “first got the idea of designing yachts at school,” in Scarborough, where he probably knew Strange. Giles went on to study engineering at Oxford University and then naval architecture at Durham University, which, being only 75 miles from Scarborough, was closer to home. He must have pored over yachting journals to study designs, and the influences of Strange and other designers of his day more than likely informed his thinking.

fter completing his education, Giles first worked as an engineer with Vickers-Armstrongs, a manufacturing conglomerate with a shipbuilding division on the River Tyne. He didn’t stay long; instead, in 1925, at age 24, he moved to Southampton on the south coast of England to follow his dream of designing yachts. There, he started working under the wing of Charles E. Nicholson, the middle son of one of the founders of the Camper & Nicholsons yard.

With his engineering background, Giles must have been fascinated by the yachts designed and built there after World War I. Among the Camper & Nicholsons projects of that era was the conversion of NYRIA, a cutter with a composite hull of steel framing and teak planking, 117 ' LOA, which in 1921 was reconfigured as the first really large European yacht to be given a Bermudan rig.

ACCESS TO EXPERIENCE

Subscribe today.

Subscribe by February 10th and your subscription will start with the March/April 2024 (No. 297) of WoodenBoat .

1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION (6 ISSUES)

Print $39.95, digital $28.00, print+digital $42.95.

To read articles from previous issues, you can purchase the issue at The WoodenBoat Store link below.

Purchase this issue from Woodenboat Store

From this issue.

He’s a man in his early 70s, sturdy-looking like Capt. Irving Johnson in his

Nearly a thousand miles from the European continent and more than twice that

Tim Stevenson had just  nished university when he and his father, Peter,

As a collector and restorer of vintage wooden runabouts and vintage Mercury

From online exclusives, whiskey plank.

My Six Cruising Sailboats—#3 IMAGINE

My Six Cruising Sailboats—#1 FISHERS HORNPIPE

Thicker Than a Coat of Paint

Extended content.

The Strength of Scarf Joints

From the community.

1968 Chris Craft Custom

1968 Chris Craft has been updated and customized for the classic boat lover.

50 years of WB, Sails, more

All original issues of WB, $375; Sails for sloop rig, new condition, luff 29’5” 2 jibs, bagged, $

1941 36' Stephens motor yacht

She's FREE to anyone who can take on the project.

Register of Wooden Boats

I aquired Maverick in November of 2023 for $1.

My adventures in a Laurent Giles Vertue

• About Drumler
• Vital Statistics
• Vertue Owners Association
• V1 Andrillot
• V19 Cardinal Vertue
• V35 Vertue XXXV
• V44 Speedwell of Hong Kong
• V99 Corio Vertue
• V106 Kainui
• V120 Stelda
• V198 Sumara of Weymouth
• Vertues V1 – V50
• Vertues V51 – V100
• Vertues V101 – V150
• Vertues V151 – V218
• Recommended Reading
• Vertue Blogs

About Vertues

The Vertue class yachts have been described as the finest cruising boats of their tonnage ever built.  Yachting Monthly magazine recently rated the Vertue as 3rd out of the Top 100 Best Boats of the 20th Century. .

At least 180 Vertues have now been built all over the world, mostby either E.F. Elkins and Sons of Christchurch, Kent; Newman and Sons of Poole, Dorset or the Cheoy Lee Shipyard in Hong Kong (which is where Drumler was built). The GRP Vertue (ie. fibreglass) is licensed by only one builder: Bossoms Boatyard of Binsey Village, Oxford.

The first Vertue (though it was not yet called a Vertue – the class was not officially named until 1945) was the yacht Andrillot.   Commissioned by Dick Kinnersley of Guernsey in 1936, he asked Jack Laurent Giles to design him a pocket cruiser with ‘a fine entry, turn on a sixpence, sailed single-handed, yet suitable for a couple and had enough sail aloft not to need an engine’.

Built by Moody’s boatyard in Southampton, Andrillot was a 25 foot 3 inch gaff-rigged cutter, of pine on oak, apparently designed as a modernized, miniature Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter.   She had a very short, low coachroof, with sitting headroom and just two berths below. Her rig represented the highest development of the gaff cutter before it was finally replaced by the now more common Marconi Rig or Bermudan Sloop.

Andrillot soon earned herself a reputation as a very seaworthy boat, mainly due to the long passages she began to make, which were quite remarkable for a small yacht by the standards of the day.  By the outbreak of the war, some ten sisters had been built, rigged as Bermudian sloops.  One of these, Epeneta , skippered by Lawrence Biddle, won the Little Ships Club’s Vertue Cup in 1939 and it was from this cup that the class takes it name.

The post-war period brought with it many changes in values.  Yachtsmen wanted better, smaller boats, and the Vertue was ideally suited to their needs.  Giles made some alterations to improve the accommodations: a dog house was added to give standing headroom, the sheer was slightly straightened to create more sitting headroom over the berths, and the general layout was replanned.  The original underwater lines have never been altered. Through all of her changes, her looks are a strange combination of delicacy and ruggedness.

Apocryphally, a sign on  Durban ‘s  seafront forbids any yacht to put to sea in winds over  Force 7 , without the harbour master’s permission, unless she’s a  Vertue.

There was a series of articles on the Vertue published by Classic Boat Magazine in 1996 (Feb, Mar & Apr issues), which give a lot more background history, and which you can download here.

Classic Boat – February 1996

Classic Boat – March 1996

Classic Boat – April 1996

And also a more recent article in Yachting World, in a series they ran in 2004 on ‘Modern Classics’.  The November issue features the Vertue.

Yachting World – November 2004

Share this:

Blog at WordPress.com.

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

Review of Vertue 25

Basic specs., sailing characteristics.

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Vertue 25 is 1.29, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.2 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Vertue 25 is about 95 kg/cm, alternatively 535 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 95 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 535 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

Maintenance

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section shown boat owner's changes, improvements, etc. Here you might find inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what to look for.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Vertue 25 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

• Sailing Yachts
• Motor Yachts
• Small Craft
• Classic Yachts
• Sell Your Boat

TEL/FAX +44(0)1803 833899 | [email protected]

Sailing yachts

Laurent Giles Vertue II

• Designer: Giles, Laurent
• Location: Sweden
• Length on deck: 25'8"
• Beam: 7'10"
• Draft: 4'5"

Enquire about Laurent Giles Vertue II

Email us: [email protected]

Alternatively please fill in this form and we will contact you about this boat

• Contact number
• By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

Apply for finance

Visit our partner’s website to apply for finance

Full specification

Wooden Ships Comments on this Laurent Giles Vertue II

Based on the famous Vertue design by Laurent Giles, this is the very first example of what was known as the Vertue II, the same lines but built using GRP, completed in 1979 and built to Lloyds 100A1 classification.  Shortly after completion, the boat was exhibited at the London Boat Show in 1979.  This is the first and and possibly the best GRP Vertue II, a superb and immensely capable short handed blue water cruising boat.

The most notable feature of this boat compared to other examples of the Vertue II is her interior.  Because she was due to be exhibited at the boat show, the yard put a lot of time and effort into building her interior using solid teak giving her a cozy and comfortable feeling comparable to some of her earlier wooden sister ships.  Later boats were not fitted out to this high standard due to the extortionate cost.

Sold into Swedish ownership in 2010 where she has been based ever since, cruising the archipelagos and coasts of the Baltic.  Last year she was sold, bought by an Australian for an intended long distance cruise and she had considerable investment with new gear and equipment in readiness for that trip.  Unfortunately plans have changed, the trip cancelled and the boat must be sold once again.

The boat had been totally prepared for this voyage and is a fully equipped, turn key blue water cruising boat in ready to go condition.  Recent updates include:

2021 survey

New Liferaft

New roller furling headsail system

New batteries

New EPIRB and PLB

She has been well maintained and continually upgraded over the years.  She is well set up for single handed sailing, easily handled by one person and capable of offshore cruising in rough weather if required, the Vertue has often been referred to as the ‘greatest offshore cruiser’.

Length on Deck                 25’8″

Length Waterline             21’6″

Beam                                    7’10”

Draft                                      4’5″

Displacement                    4,100kg/9000lbs

Ballast                                   2000kg/4400lbs

Construction

GRP moulded hull, heavily laid and built to Lloyds 100A1.

2 ton external iron ballast keel.

GRP moulded decks and coachroof finished in blue non slip coating.  Scrubbed teak hand rails on the coachroof deck.

Lewmar hatch forward of the mast

Moulded self draining cockpit with a scrubbed teak capping rail and Treadmaster non slip mat on the thwarts.  Sprayhood with a zipped back to shelter the cockpit.

Tiller steering with a transom hung wooden rudder, rebuilt in 2016.  Stainless steel pintles and gudgeons.  Aries wind vane steering fitted.

Masthead bermudan sloop rig on a deck stepped alloy mast.  Mast steps fitted.

New Selden single line slab reefing boom in 2016.  Stack pack system fitted on lazy jacks.

The mast and rigging is over spec for a boat of her size making everything very strong.

Twin lower shrouds and a single cap shroud to internal stainless steel chain plates.

ProFurl C290 roller furling genoa system, new in 2022.  Split standing backstay.  Inner forestay for storm jib.

Fully battened mainsail with lazy jacks and stack pack system.  Genoa by Hood in good condition.  Second genoa, storm jib, working jib and spinnaker.

Lewmar 16 primary cockpit sheet winches and a pair of Lewmar non-self tailing secondary sheet winches.

Lewmar 16 self tailing winch on coachroof for running rigging which is led through jamming clutches.

Yanmar 2GM20 16hp twin cylinder diesel.  Complete and thorough service in 2022.  Full set of spares and tools aboard.

Stainless steel shaft with an Aqua-Drive coupling to a centreline fixed 3 blade bronze propeller.  5 knots cruising speed.

17 gallons of diesel in an incorporated tank under the engine built into the keel.

20 gallons of water in a plastic tank under the saloon sole.

2 x AGM domestic batteries and 1 x engine start battery, all new in 2022.

Small inverter for 240 volt, new in 2022.

Accommodation

3 berths plus an extra berth in the fore peak currently used for storage.  6’2″ headroom throughout the saloon.

The interior of this very first example of the Vertue II was finished in solid teak panelling all done to a very high standard and gives her a cosy comfortable feel in the cabin similar to that of her earlier wooden counterparts.

Steps down from the cockpit with a quarter berth to starboard and galley to port.

Galley has an Origo twin burner meths stove on gimbals.  Stainless sink with manually pumped fresh and salt water.  Various lockers, cubby holes and storage shelves around the galley give plenty of stowage space.

Half height bulkheads with the recognisable curved top found in Vertues separate off the main saloon.  Settee berth either side with trotter box forward.  Lockers behind under the deck head and storage beneath the seats as well.

Teak shelf and storage lockers at the forward end of the saloon either side, each with a brass oil lamp on gimbals.

Custom made stainless steel solid fuel cabin heater mounts on the bulkhead.

Centreline door into the forepeak with a heads to starboard and the 4th berth/storage are to starboard.

Heads is a Blakes manual sea toilet which discharges directly overboard.

Aries Lift up wind vane self steering

Autohelm ST 4000 tiller pilot with fixed mounted display/control unit in cockpit.

Yeoman Navigator Pro

AIS EM-track B400 class B (AIS sender and receiver) with its own chart display

3 anchors plus chain.

Simpson Lawrence anchor windlass type S-L Hyspeed Double Action Lever Windlass.

Lazizas Coastal valise life raft, new 2022

EPIRB, new 2022

Personal locator Beacon, new 2022

Life jacket, new 2022

2 x life line terthers

Fire blanket in the galley

Spare tiller

Manual bilge pump

Auto electric bilge pump

Radar reflector

Bunk and berth cushions

Full galley equipment

Paraffin cabin lamps

2 burner Origo spirit stove

Bimini sun awning

Custom made stainless steel solid fuel stove cabin heater.

Sprayhood with zipped on back

Engine spares

Mainsail, fully battened

Working jib

Mainsail stack pack system with lazy jacks

2 x Lewmar self tailing cockpit sheet winches

2 x non-self tailing cockpit sheet winches

Disclaimer:

These particulars have been prepared in good faith from information provided by the Vendors and are intended as a guide, Wooden Ships cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. The Purchaser should instruct his agent or surveyor to validate all details as necessary and satisfy himself with the condition of the vessel and its equipment.

Wooden Ships classic yachts brokers have an extensive database of boats for sale. With a wide range of sailboats , classic yachts , motor yachts and small classic boats , Wooden Ships has one of the largest selections of traditional wooden boats and yachts for sale in the UK.

Latest listings

31′ Kim Holman Sloop

9′ McNulty Lugsail Dinghy

Kim Holman Stella

Liverpool Class RNLB

30′ Norfolk Broads Motor Cruiser

Harrison Butler Z4 Sloop

Elkins Centreboard Gaff Cutter

Iain Oughtred Tammie Norrie Rowing Dinghy

Paul Gartside Bermudan Sloop

25′ Gaff Cutter

McBryde Twin Screw Motor Yacht

16′ Bass Boat

Facebook posts.

2 weeks ago

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

3 weeks ago

How to Sell a Yacht

September 5th 2022

How to sell a classic yacht – 10 things to expect from your broker.   Selling a classic yacht can be daunting, but working with a broker can simp…

Boat Search - Enter a boat name in the box below and click the Search button to search the database

An attractive feature of the Vertue class is the degree of individuality in the appearance of the different boats.

Since the conception of the jaunty little gaff cutter Andrillot , which was launched in 1936 and was to become Vertue V1, the fundamental design of the boat has been continuously modified. However, not all the boats built have followed this central path of design development, and there have been a number of alternative options offered by the designers. In particular this has related to the sail plan, coachroof and doghouse design and to the internal accommodation layout. Freeboard, extreme beam and sheerlines have also changed but the fundamental shape of the boat has remained constant.

We are planning to explore the design development of the Vertue class in the future, but to illustrate the variable nature of a ‘genuine’ Vertue, here are seven of the more common sailplan examples that have been used. This selection is by no means comprehensive and we would be grateful for feedback on this aspect of Vertue design. Having seen photographs of ‘junk rigged’ examples of the class, including Speedwell of Hong Kong and one of the GRP Vertue II’s we would be delighted to be able to illustrate these variations in the future.

Design Genesis

Where better to start a consideration of the genesis of the Vertue class than with this ‘Form Draught of the Cutter Yacht Jolie Brise ’. This exquisite drawing by Jack Laurent Giles was made after he lifted the lines from the yacht in 1928. Whatever his motive for doing this, they cannot have failed to influence his thoughts and ideas in later years.

Jolie Brise was conceived in the design office of Monsieur Paumelle in Le Havre and was launched as a working pilot cutter serving that port. By the time Jack Giles was able to measure her hull shape she had achieved a formidable reputation as the boat to beat in the newly emerging sport of ocean racing. Her owner, founding father of Royal Ocean Racing Club, raced her on both sides of the north Atlantic, and she continued to win races even after she changed hands. Jack Giles was clearly intrigued to see where the secret of this success lay and the beauty and perfection of these lines rewarded the quest.

A direct comparison of these lines with those of Andrillot shows no striking similarity, of course, excepting that both display very high levels of fairness, especially in the buttocks and waterlines, slackish bilges, and very fine runs. Jolie Brise has more beam and more draft, proportionately, and all her ballast was inside, and there is the thickened sheer strake which was to become one of the defining details of many future Giles designs. But the outstanding impression in both cases is of a high degree of that illusive quality, of beauty and utility combined, whereby any change would lessen the harmony and perfection of the whole.

No designer operates in a vacuum and there is no doubt that Jack Giles must have been interested in other yacht designs that were being produced during the late 1920’s and 1930’s. We will be identifying some of these in due course, but the slippery Le Havre pilot boat that he studied so carefully in 1928 cannot have failed to influence his thoughts when creating some of his later heavy displacement yachts, including what was to become the first Vertue, Andrillot .

• 56 Scranton Ave
• Falmouth, MA 02540
• 774.228.0454

Laurent Giles – Vertue Class Sloop

Home » Yachts » Laurent Giles – Vertue Class Sloop

The 25’ 4” Virtue Class Sloop designed by Laurent Giles is one of the most capable and well-loved small cruising yachts ever designed, and thus requires no further introduction.  However, stepping aboard FLYING FISH will shatter any pre-conceived notion you may have of what such a craft might look or feel like.    

You may be familiar with the 136’ ALEJANDRA, 155’ SCHEHERAZADE, or the 124’ ANTONISA – some of the most spectacular classic mega-sailing yachts ever built of cold-molded wood construction at the Legendary Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay, Maine. 

Now imagine one of Hodgdon’s finest craftsmen, quietly and diligently building a Virtue Class sloop in his home workshop during evenings and weekends over the course of eight years – utilizing the very same wood/epoxy composite construction, finest imaginable materials, and impeccable craftsmanship employed during his day job.   The resulting mini-yacht is FLYING FISH.  Launched in East Boothbay, Maine in 2010. 

Builder Jack Bassett didn’t stop there.  Within days of launching FLYING FISH in 2010, Jack and his wife Caroline embarked on a 14-month, 12,000-mile adventure across the Atlantic to the Azores, along the South coast of Portugal to the Spanish border and up the Rio Guadiana, to Porto Santo and Madeira, the Canary Islands, and down the West African coast to the Cape Verde Islands.   From there they sailed FLYING FISH back across the Atlantic to Grenada, up through the Caribbean and Eastern Seaboard returning to Maine.

An article (which can be emailed) was published in the January/February 2013 issue of WoodenBoat Magazine, documenting the construction of FLYING FISH and history of the Virtue design. 

Jack and Caroline continue to spend summer cruising aboard FLYING FISH – mostly in Maine, and remarkably, the boat looks as perfect or possibly even better today as she did when launched in 2010.  Her varnish is perfect inside and out, the Yanmar 2YM15 diesel was brand new in 2020 (only 30 hours!), and all of her electronics, safety equipment and other systems are fully up to date.

The next owner of FLYING FISH could pack some clothes, hit the grocery store, and set sail for the horizon – or perhaps be content admiring her stunning interior joinery with a cup of tea on the mooring between leisurely daysails.  Either way, I’ve never seen a more capable and amazingly perfect little yacht of this size. 

Specifications:

Year Built: finished and launched May 2010

Designer: J. Laurent (Jack) Giles, Lymington, UK

Builder: Jack Bassett, Boothbay, ME

Hull Material: cold-molded wood

LOD: 25.5 ft./ 7.8m

LOA: 27 ft./ 8.2m

LWL: 22 ft./ 6.7m

Beam: 7 ft. 3 in/ 2.2m

Draft: 5 ft./ 1.52m

Displacement: 4.2 tons/ 4.3 tonnes

Construction:

HULL: Cold-molded with West System epoxy to 1″ thickness 9/16″ tongue & groove Alaska Yellow Cedar edge glued and Bronze fastened. 2 layers of diagonal 1/8″ Western Red Cedar followed by a final diagonal layer of 1/8″ Spanish Cedar. 2 layers of biaxial fiberglass cloth sheathing

FRAMES & ENGINE BED: Mahogany

FLOORS & BACKBONE: Iroko.

DECK: 1/2″ x 2″ tongue & groove Alaska Yellow Cedar glued to 2 layers of 4 mm Sapele plywood, fiberglass sheathed.

CABINHOUSE/COCKPIT COAMING: comprised of 5 layers of Iroko, Cherry, and Yellow Cedar planking to 1-1/8″ thickness

TOE RAIL, CAP RAIL, GRAB RAIL, and HATCHES: Teak

List of equipment:

 Accommodation & Domestic Equipment:

• Cherry and Walnut paneled interior – custom built
• Swedish Origo double burner alcohol stove
• Blake marine head – made in Britain
• Port and starboard single berths with passage lee cloths
• Cushion and panel infill to bridge berths for double harbor/anchor sleeping
• premium Sunbrella upholstery
• Stowage below and outboard of berths with book shelves
• Freshwater and Fynspray saltwater pump in galley
• ample stowage in galley
• bronze mushroom vent over stove
• LED lighting below decks
• 3/8″ Lexan port lights with curtains
• hatch screens

Rig, Spars & Sails:

• Sitka spruce mast and boom
• double spreader rig with double and running backstays
• Slab reefing mainsail with custom cover, 2 reefs
• Sails by Nathaniel S. Wilson, Master sailmaker, East Boothbay, ME = main, genoa, working jib, stays’l, storm stays’l with reef points, trysail
• 316 Stainless rigging in 7/32″ and 9/32
• 7/16″ and 1/2″ Bronze turnbuckles and toggles
• Sta-loc fittings
• Sta-set x halyards
• Tuffnol blocks
• short and long spinnaker poles
• Wilcox Crittenden halyard winches
• LVJ Jachttecniek Bronze sheet winches – made in Holland
• custom boom crutch

Navigation & Electronics:

• Fleming stainless steel servo pendulum self-steering gear, customized
• Raymarine A70D chartplotter/depthfinder sounder with spare
• Raymarine AIS Transponder and Sitex splitter
• Furuno 1623 LCD Radar
• Ritchie cockpit compass
• Icom DSC capable VHF radio
• Weems & Plath barometer and clock
• LED decklight
• 2nd set of lights on cabin side
• 50-watt solar panel
• stereo system
• Garmin hand held GPS
• Uniden hand held VHS

Metal Works:

• 4000 lb. lead keel with 3/4″ Silicon Bronze keel bolts
• Bronze fastened throughout
• Silicon Bronze chain plates and port rings
• Silicon Bronze gudgeon, pintle & heel fittings on outboard rudder
• 316 Stainless Steel lifeline stanchions and bow pulpit

Mechanical, Electrical & Tankage:

• 2YM15 Yanmar diesel engine, brand new in 2020, 30 hours on meter
• 2 blade Bronze propeller
• Single lever Vetus engine control (new)
• Starting and deep cycle 12 Volt batteries
• 20-gallon aluminum diesel tank
• 20-gallon Stainless Steel water tank
• 20-gallon additional water stowage for offshore
• Racor fuel filter
• 2 part nesting dinghy, mountable on deck for offshore sailing (new)

Ground Tackle & Deck Equipment:

• Bronze ABI deck windlass
• 29 lb. plow type anchor
• 175 feet 5/16 BBB chain
• 12 lb. high tensile Danforth anchor
• 25 lb. Wilcox Crittenden navy type anchor
• 25 feet 5/16 chain
• 200 feet 1/2″ braided rode
• Various fenders, docklines, shackles, etc.
• ACR Global Fix 406 GPS Satellite EPIRB, new
• Electric bilge pump
• Manual emergency bilge pump
• Ocean Brake series drogue with 108 cones & bridle
• 2 safety harnesses & 2 PFD’s with CO2 inflation
• Stainless lifelines and stanchions
• ATN mast climber
• bosun’s chair

Specifications

Additional info, basic boat info, engines / speed, engine #1 specs:.

• Make : Yanmar
• Model : 2YM15
• Fuel : Diesel
• Engine Power : 15 hp
• Type : Inboard
• Name * First Last
• Phone (Opt.)
• Please specify the boat you’re interested in *
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

56 Scranton Avenue Falmouth, MA 02540

25′ Laurent Giles Vertue Gaff Cutter

Mar 22, 2022

Priced to Sell

Yacht inquiry.

• Name * First Last
• How did you hear about us? * Select One Direct bviyachtsales.com Other listing website Search Engine (Google, Bing) Outdoor Signage Social Media or Web Banner Print Magazine Online Forum (e.g Cruisersforum.com) Other

Engine/Fuel

Single Diesel

Hull Material

Bvi yacht sales overview, 1993 laurent giles vertue gaff cutter ‘tegra’.

Beautiful nicely kept gaff rig cutter..  constructed of Iroko and Epoxy, heavily reinforced with stainless steel floors and knees.  Good sails , good rigging, good condition all around. Dodger, Autopilot, Propane stove and oven, Yanmar diesel, freshly refinished hull and bottom, varnish being done now, comfortable layout with V berth and settees in ultrasuade upholstery,  Vac-u- flush toilet, windlass, boat cover and more!

• Interior Comfort and Amenities
• Electronics and Navigation
• Electrical System
• Mechanical Equipment
• Deck and Cockpit Equipment
• Sails and Rigging
• V-Berth forward, with storage under
• Two main cabin settees, with lee cloths and storage under and outboard
• Galley aft to port 
• Chart table to starboard with chart and navigation tool storage
• Storage bins aft both sides at back of cabin
• Motor box center aft with steps up companionway
• LED interior lighting (new 2022)
• (2) Fans (new 2022)
• Manual fresh water
• Stainless steel sink with corian cover
• Corian countertops
• Vac-U-Flush manual toilet forward under V-berth 
• Propane two burner stove with oven
• Propane tank in vented propane locker, manual shut off valves
• Locking cabinet below electrical panel
• Cushions in excellent condition
• Abundant storage all around
• Cutlery, Flatware and Cookware
• Raymarine Tiller Pilot
• Clipper Depth and Speed Instruments
• Compass with light
• GPS at Nav Station
• VHF radio at Nav Station
• Stereo with (2) speakers
• Nav table drawer with custom holders for dividers, parallel rules, and so on. 
• 12 volt DC system
• 25 watt solar panel on cabin top
• Solar regulator
• Group 31 Deep Cycle House battery (New 2022)
• Group 24 Engine Start Battery (new 2022)
• Electrical panel with circuit breaks and battery monitor, backlighting
• Battery charge combiners
• Parallel battery switch
• Engine alternator
• 15 amp shore power cord
• 30 amp to 15 amp shore power cord
• YANMAR 1GM10 inboard diesel engine (  Rehabbed 2022)
• Fuel Water Separator Filter
• Intake water strainer
• Insulated engine room
• Single lever cockpit engine controls
• 3 blade fixed prop
• Dripless shaft seal
• Manual bilge pump
• Electric bilge pump
• Fire extinguisher
• Fire blanket
• All thru hulls , plumbing and hose clamps in good condition
• 25 lbs CQR primary anchor with 150 ft 1/4″ chain 
• Danforth second anchor with 100 ft rope rode
• 22 lbs  Bruce anchor
• Manual vertical windlass with rope and chain gypsy
• Double bow anchor rollers
• Dodger on stainless frame
• Bow and Stern pulpits, stanchions and wire lifelines
• Fenders and Docklines
• Stainless Steel swim ladder
• Vertue class Pram Tender in fiberglass with oars
• LED navigation lights
• LED masthead anchor light
• LED masthead tri-color light (needs additional wire run up mast) 
• Boom Crutch
• Full deck cover
• Spruce main mast, boom , gaff and bowsprit all in excellent condtion
• Stainless steel standing rigging with staylock, turnbuckles, like new
• Stainless steel chainplates with new silicone bronze bolts
• New bobstay and hardward on bowsprit
• rigid roller furling/ reefing gear on Jib
• Sails –   ALL like NEW   :
• Mainsail with two reef points
• staysail with one reef point
• roller furling jib 
• Main topsail
• Jib Stormsail
• Mainsail cover

Accommodations

Subscribe for updates on the latest bvi yacht sales price reductions, offers, and new listings., contact bvi yacht sales, nanny cay, tortola, british virgin islands, [email protected], +1 941 900 4510, monday to friday | 9:00am - 5:00pm ast.

3 dead as Ohio tornadoes prompt mass casualty response in Logan County

Indian lake in logan county about 70 miles from downtown columbus.

At least three people are dead as a result of a series of severe storms ravaged Ohio on Thursday night, spawning a series of 20 tornado warnings across the state and knocking out power to thousands.For the second time in as many weeks , storms and likely tornadoes tore through Ohio.

Authorities in Logan County are dealing with a mass casualty incident where at least three people died in tornado that struck a trailer park near Indian Lake , located about 70 miles northwest of Columbus. The National Weather Service confirmed as of 2 p.m. Friday that at least four tornadoes touched down across Ohio.

Logan County Sheriff Randy Dodds said the number of deaths could increase as rescue efforts continue.

"It's one hell of a mess up there," Dodds said. "It looks like a war zone." 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine expected to tour Logan County after tornadoes damage area

Dodds said there were areas where first responders could not search overnight because of debris and downed power lines that made it unsafe. He said there is anticipation that there may be more people found dead during searches that will continue Friday morning.

Dodds said there are areas where a single home may have remained untouched while everything around it has been leveled.

"The power of this thing is just amazing. It hopped around but when you look at it, it's just amazing." 

He said officials are hoping to hold a news conference later Friday after more information can be gathered. State officials, including Gov. Mike DeWine's office have also been in contact.

A DeWine spokesperson said the governor is expected to tour the tornado damaged area Friday afternoon, likely focusing on Logan County. Ohio's emergency operations center activated Thursday night during the severe weather and continues to coordinate damage assessment and clean-up efforts with local, state and federal agencies.

“Fran and I are deeply saddened by those impacted by the tornadoes and severe storms,” DeWine said in a statement issued shortly before noon. “We share the grief of the families who lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.  Ohioans will come together as they always do with resilience and compassion as we support and rebuild our communities.”

The governor and several other public officials are expected to speak at Indian Lake High School at 2:45 p.m.

Indian Lake residents assess Ohio tornado damage

Indian Lake resident Blaine Schmitt was working outside his home last night when his wife called him.

She warned him about the tornado and told him to get into the bathtub. He gathered his dog and friend, Greg McDougle, and hunkered down in the bathroom.

Over the next few minutes, the tornado swept through Schmitt's home, shredding the front wall and scattering debris in his yard.

"It sounded like a freight train literally went through the living room," Schmitt said.

Luckily, Schmitt and McDougle managed to get through the storm unscathed.

"I thank God that I'm alive and that my kids weren't here. It was very emotional when I first got here, and it's been emotional ever since then. But I pray every day and it paid off," Schmitt said.

McDougle used to live next door with his father. He sold the home two years ago, and it was being renovated when the storm hit. Now, all that remains is scattered debris, a single flattened wall, and the foundation.

"This is what's left. No one was living here, and thank God for that," McDougle said.

Logan County resident describes tornadoes: 'It's a noise you'll never forget'

As storms approached Logan County late Thursday, Loretta Kinney told her goddaughter Lucy there was nothing to be afraid of.

Kinney and her brother walked Lucy home and by the time they returned to their own house, Kinney said she realized just how wrong she was. The two headed down to the basement and waited out a storm and likely tornadoes that rolled across the Midwest and the Indian Lake region about 70 miles northwest of Columbus.

By the time they'd emerge, Kinney would come to find out that at least three people had died and homes and businesses around the county had been ripped apart.

"Just the noise. When they say you hear a train, it's a noise you'll never forget," Kinney said. "Then to come up and see it, it is so surreal. Even though I'm standing here and looking at everything it doesn't seem real."

Shelter opens for Indian Lake storm victims

The Logan County Emergency Management Agency said it's opened a shelter for victims of Thursday night's storm at the Church of God located at 1000 E Brown Ave.

The United Way of Logan County also established a relief fund where monetary donations can be made to assist residents who have been impacted by the storms.

Donations can be made online to the Indian Lake Tornado Relief Fund at  www.uwlogan.org  and 100% of donations will go to help community members recover in both the short and long-term from the storms.

Possible tornado strikes Lakeview, Indian Lake: 'People's homes are destroyed'

Columbus Dispatch Photographer Doral Chenoweth arrived in the area before midnight and reported finding extensive damage, including a destroyed trailer park with tractor trailers and RVs overturned and large trees uprooted. In Lakeview, the library and a government building were damaged.

"Every building in Lakeview and every building here has some form of damage," he said, from a spot near Lakeview. "People's homes are destroyed."

The Logan EMA confirmed for The Dispatch that a trailer park in the Indian Lake area just north of Lakeview was struck by a tornado or at least very high winds that have caused extensive damage. The community also reported having a shortage of ambulances.

An NWS spokesman said he couldn't confirm that a tornado struck the community but said there was "reports of a lot of damage there." The NWS will send investigators out Friday to confirm the tornadoes as it did last month when nine were confirmed across Ohio .

Thursday's Ohio storms were part of a larger system that pushed through the Midwest beginning in the afternoon and into the evening.

The Indiana State Police said there are “many significant injuries” after a tornado tore through the community of Winchester, AP reported.

“There have been many, many significant injuries, but I don’t know the number. I don’t know where they are. I don’t know what those injuries are,” Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas Carter told reporters just before midnight Thursday. “There’s a lot that we don’t know yet.”

The National Weather Service in Wilmington and Cleveland issued 20 tornado warnings based on a review of social media posts. That does not include multiple thunderstorms and other alerts.

Indian Lake volunteers continue search for people impacted by storms

Emergency personnel conducted "grid searches" Friday morning in the impacted areas where the storm struck, the sheriff said.

Grid searches are methodical searches using a grid pattern to ensure that all areas can be checked without duplicating efforts and minimizing the risk of missing an area.

The sheriff said there are areas that first responders are able to access during the daylight that were not accessible Thursday night because of downed power lines and concerns about gas leaks. Those areas are now being searched. Crews are also researching areas that were searched Thursday night to ensure that no one who needed medical assistance was missed.

While there has been a "plethora" of volunteers who have arrived on the scene, Dodds said volunteers are more likely to be necessary as the searches conclude and the clean-up effort begins. 

The Central Ohio Strike Team mobilized Friday morning to go to the Indian Lake area to help with the ongoing emergency response. The strike team, one of five regional teams across the state that are specially trained to respond when there are large-scale disasters, includes firefighters from every agency in Franklin County.

The members of the strike team receive special training on how to do search and rescue operations in the event of structure collapses, as well as how to do rescue operations in confined spaces and machinery extractions. 

AEP transmission towers toppled in Delaware County

AEP Ohio confirmed that the storms toppled six transmission towers near Olentangy Berlin High School. As of 9:15 a.m. Friday, the number of customers without power had risen to more than 13,000. 

Photos posted by the utility company on social media show the tower on its side. The tower fell into other power lines in the area. 

AEP issued a statement Friday afternoon saying more than 30 power lines came down in the storm, as well as six transmission towers in Delaware County.

The utility company said the goal is to have power restored to as many customers as possible on Friday, however, some customers who get their power from the high-voltage transmission towers could face a potential multi-day outage. AEP said as more information is gathered throughout Friday afternoon, those affected customers will receive an automated phone call. 

Specks and tatters of insulation lined sidewalks and the sides of houses at the Pine of Berlin Station, a subdivision near Berlin Middle School. Debris from inside houses — books, crayons, a broken pair of child’s glasses — were scattered in the grass.

“Someone else’s roof is in my kitchen,” said Katie Sprinkle, who weathered the storm with her husband and two kids, ages 9 and 11. The storm terrified her 9-year-old daughter.

“Pray loud, mom,” she said her daughter told her.

The kids wore bike helmets to protect themselves from falling debris, and her husband placed an overturned canoe over them. The family could hear windows breaking in the wind. It sounded like an explosion, Sprinkle said.

Delaware County road closures due to Thursday's storms

Several major traffic routes in Delaware County remained closed as of 7 a.m. Friday because of debris in the roadway. Ohio 315, closed between Hyatts Road and U.S. 23, is expected to remain closed at least through morning rush hour.

The Delaware County Sheriff's office is asking that people avoid the area where the aftermath of the storms are and avoid sightseeing. There are continued concerns about live wires and large trees in the roads.

In a post on Facebook Friday morning, the Delaware County Sheriff's office said crews have been working throughout the night to try and clear roadways but there are areas where debris continues to block roads. 

The sheriff's office asked for additional travel time and patience from drivers, as well as willingness to take alternate routes. 

The sheriff's office said that as of 5 a.m. Friday, a number of roads remained impassable. Those roads included: 

• Portions of Berlin Station Road near Glenn Parkway, between Kingsbury and Braumiller, between Piatt and Dale Ford
• Portions of Bunty Station east of Liberty Road
• Africa Road north of Cheshire
• Portions of Rome Corners
• Portions of Walnut Road and Piatt Road
• Portions of Ohio 3

Tornado warnings from National Weather Service, Wilmington

The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued 13 tornado warnings Thursday evening, according to a review of posts on X, the former Twitter.

• Tornado Warning including Celina, Coldwater and Rockford until 7:15 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Wapakoneta, Saint Marys and Cridersville until 7:30 p.m.
• Tornado Warning continues for Wapakoneta, Saint Marys and Cridersville until 7:30 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Wapakoneta, Jackson Center and Russells Point until 8 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Bellefontaine, Russells Point and Belle Center OH until 8:30 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Greenville, Union City IN and Union City until 8:30 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Delaware, Richwood and West Mansfield until 9 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Greenville, Versailles and Covington until 9 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Troy, Piqua and Covington until 9:15 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Delaware, Sunbury and Galena until 9:45 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Newark, Granville and Johnstown until 10:15 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Urbana, Saint Paris and Fletcher until 10 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Mechanicsburg, Woodstock and Mutual until 10:15 p.m.

Tornado warnings from National Weather Service, Cleveland

The National Weather Service in Cleveland issued 7 tornado warnings Thursday evening, according to a review of posts on X, the former Twitter.

• Tornado Warning including Wadsworth, Orrville and Rittman until 9:30 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Bucyrus, Crestline and New Washington until 9:15 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Ashland, Willard and Plymouth until 9 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Upper Sandusky, Carey and Arlington until 8:30 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Willard, Plymouth and Greenwich until 8:15 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Tiffin, Carey and New Washington until 7:45 p.m.
• Tornado Warning including Findlay, McComb and Arcadia until 7:15 p.m.

Storms hit Indiana, Kentucky and northern, central and southern Ohio

At least three confirmed tornadoes touched down Thursday afternoon in southern Indiana and north-central Kentucky Thursday, leaving dozens of structures damaged or destroyed,  The Louisville Courier-Journal reported .

Tornadoes were confirmed near Hanover and Marion in Indiana and near Milton in Kentucky. As for Ohio, officials have said it's too early to say just how widespread the storms were, or whether any confirmed tornadoes touched down.

Meteorologist Steve Harbenach of the National Weather Service in Wilmington said there have been several radar confirmations of possible tornadoes across Ohio, but added "we really have no idea right now how many tornadoes we had."

"There have been numerous areas where we've had reports of damage," he added. "It's going to take a while for us to sort through that. it's going to take multiple days for us to sort through this to see what happened."

An X user who was driving from Lima and passing through Logan took pictures of the extensive damage. In the post on X, he said authorities told him that he had missed a tornado "by about 2 minutes." He could not confirm if there were any casualties but said that a large section of U.S. Route 33 northwest of Marysville would remain closed as authorities assessed the damage.

Tornado watches remained in effect until midnight in dozens of Ohio counties, including Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Hocking, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, Union, Ross, Butler, Clinton, Hamilton, Warren, Champaign, Clark, Drake, Greene, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby.

Severe thunderstorm warnings remained in effect for Franklin and Madison counties until 11 p.m. Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.