Saunders Roe Ltd Twin Screw Motor Yacht 1937 - Sold

VAGABOND seems to depict the “chin up” attitude of her era – wonderfully handsome and on deck it appears little has changed since her first owner test pilot Captain Hubert Broad headed off to Torbay for King Edward VIII’s Coronation Regatta. A huge wheelhouse encourages cruising come rain or shine and her many updates - and berths below deck make her an extremely usable family yacht.

Wheelhouse
- Upper steering position unusual for such craft but a great feature and handling benefit
- Enclosed wheel house below the upper bridge accessed by doors from lower side decks
- 7 x Fixed, 1x hinged, 2 x drop and 2 x sliding glass windows
- Morse controls and engine instrumentation
- Clear visibility forward through Kent Clear View screens
- Sestrel steering compass in chrome binnacle and other navigation instrumentation
- Teak cabin sole with good access to engine compartment below
- Large drinks cabinet concealed in original joinery to port
- Ship’s bell
- 2 x Deckhead lights
- Companionway steps down to the large saloon

Saloon
- White painted deckhead contrast with varnished deck beams
- New teak and mahogany joinery restored to match existing cupboards and units.
- The new carpet in owner’s family tartan will be retained by him
- All original upholstery replaced by Nauteriors
- All new custom mattresses and bedding by Nauteriors
- 2 x deckhead and reading lights over seating to port and cabinets stbd

Galley forward athwartships
- Flavel Wayfarer 2 hob and oven
- Porcelain sink hot and cold pressure water mixer tap
- Electrolux gas / electric fridge

Forecabin
- 2 x single berths, deckhead and reading light
- Concealed head – Jabsco WC and header tank above to actuate flush

Aft to port
- Head compartment to port - Sanimarin 12 V automatic WC
- New holding tank, level gauge (and dedicated pump out deck fitting )
- Walk in shower
- Wash basin

Opposite to starboard
- Single berth cabin – with 2 x opening ports, deckhead and reading light
- Original joinery; small chest of drawers and large hanging cupboard

Aft cabin with eight brass framed windows with drop top sections
- 2 x single berths
- Hanging locker
- 4 x original opening sliding ports
- 2 x ornate reading lights and deckhead light

- Simrad autopilot (needs new control panel)
- GPSMAP 550 chart plotter / GPS with English Channel chart
- Icom IC-M411 VHF/DSC.
- Navico depth sounder
- Horn
- Olympic 135 steering compass at upper bridge
- Sestrel Compass at Lower helm
- All original navigation lights refurbished and bulbs and wiring replaced

- Twin Beta 90 HP diesel engines with dual station instrumentation new 2014
- New Kobelt brass engine controls with selectable dual stations
- Maximum speed is circa 11 knots with comfortable cruising around 8 knots.
- 2 x 23 x 17 inch 3 bladed bronze props refurbished, balanced and refitted
- Stainless steel tail shafts with forward steel shafts
- Bronze A brackets with integral cutless bearings
- Purpose built ships wheel at lower helm and refurbished solid bronze original for upper
- Complete new Kobelt hydraulic power assisted steering system
- New battery bank 2 start and 4 domestic
- Studer XPC1400-12 inverter upgraded 2014
- 2 x Ctek Multi S2500 automatic battery chargers upgraded 2014
- Morse upper and lower engine controls serviced
- All engine related instrumentation replaced.
- Mastervolt control
- All lighting upgraded
- Shore power
- Mostly new wiring throughout vessel
- All 240 V mains sockets rewired and replaced
- All gas piping new and certificated
- Hot and cold pressurised water
- Rule 12 V automatic shower sump pump
- Shurflo 12 V fresh water pump fitted with Alcathene supply pipes
- Morco multi point water heater
- Eberspacher heating with outlets throughout the boat
- 2 x New 80 gallon stainless steel fuel tanks; 1 each port and starboard
- New fuel filters and pipe work including crossover facility
- 2 x Stainless steel fresh water tanks
- Small plastic fresh water tank in chain locker for fwd head
- Stainless steel wastewater holding tank with wema gauge monitor valve out or to sea
- 2 x 3.9kg propane bottles in the aft deck box

From bow
- Original bronze stem head fitting with galvanised side roller
- Raised forward decks with mid section breaks and lower side and aft decks
- Original fairleads and mooring bollards
- Varnished teak handrails on painted steel stanchions
- Intermediate stainless steel guard wires from bow to stern with gates both sides amidships
- Danforth and Fishermans anchors stowed on foredeck chocks
- Danforth kedge anchor
- Original ‘Easy Veer’ anchor windlass and anchor davit by FW Brackett & Co Colchester
- Teak fore hatch
- Teak butterfly skylight hatch over saloon
- Wide side decks
- Original bronze midships mooring bollards
- Pine Varnished teak rail mounted on painted stanchions
- 2 x Original hand driven dinghy davits on starboard side
- Short spruce signal mast is deck stepped in a timber tabernacle
- Raised bridge deck upper helm position
- Destroyer pattern chromed searchlight
- Original bronze wheel
- Morse controls
- Engine instruments
- Steering compass
- Teak deck over cabin roof at helm
- Bronze mushroom vents
- Teak deck box
- Aft deck original mushroom vents, bronze bollards and fairleads
- Hatch over lazarette accesses steering gear
- New Sunbrella covers for all hatches
- Overall boat cover
- Warps and fenders

Saunders Roe’s principal business, for which they are most famous, was in aircraft – in particular flying boats - and later as pioneers of the hovercraft. They did however apply their expertise to the building of yachts – usually for the wealthy and the relatively famous. The yachts were designed and built to order with this particular ship bearing the number 1798, having been commissioned by one Capt Hubert Broad of Schneider Trophy (2nd twice) and Gypsy Moth test pilot fame. VAGABOND’s first cruise was to Torbay for Edward VIII’s Coronation Regatta. VAGABOND is No 1560 on the Register of ‘National Historic Ships’ and is currently in the hands of her 4th - possibly 5th owner.

- Indian teak carvel planking clench copper fastened on steam bent elm timbers and frames
- English elm keel for extra strength
- Oak stem capped with steel from head to ballast keel
- Long cast iron ballast keel
- New shallow iroko bilge keels
- Oak sternpost
- Semi balanced steel rudder
- Oak and steel strap floors
- Topsides fitted with brass capped timber bands
- 10 x Opening bronze framed ports
- Davit brackets on the starboard quarter
- Teak decks over sub deck
- Mast stay and shrouds to stainless steel deck loops and plates fixed to the wheelhouse sides
- Mixed timber superstructure
- Panelled teak and teak trim with some mahogany and oak interior joinery
- Bronze skin fittings

- Cosalt 6 person life raft and valise
- 2 x Life rings and a throw line
- Henderson double action manual bilge pump
- Whale and Rule 12 V bilge pumps fitted with an automatic \ manual switches
- 3 x 1 Kg Fire extinguishers and a fire blanket
- Ship’s bell

Major work was carried out in 1995 - 96. Keel bolts were drawn and resealed. Her teak decks, beam shelves, deck beams were all replaced and new stainless steel water tanks installed by the Bosham boatyard. Photographs detailing condition and work are available.

The present owner acquired her in late 2007. Afloat at Michael Dennett’s Boatyard at Chertsey on the Thames, she was put her through a mini refit there. This included
- Repainting the hull and interior
- Main boom rebuilt
- Oak stem rebuilt
- Complete rewiring of the main systems
- New heads; one electric and one manual plus a new holding tank
- Most of the plumbing was replaced
- Galley was refitted with a new sink and taps
- Main shower installed with tray and custom made folding glass doors and period shower
- Vanity unit fitted with new copper sink and taps
- Calorifier fitted
- Upper steering position area upgraded and fitted with new teak decks
- All cabin soles throughout replaced with grooved teak faced 18 mm marine ply
- Pilot house sole fitted with new sound proofing
- Interior upholstery replaced
- New lead light doors fitted to the drinks cabinet and storage cupboard
- New Eberspacher 6 outlet diesel fired heating system installed

Interim refit
- Hull repainted
- Decks re caulked and resealed in some areas
- Most of the port lights taken out refurbished and re-sealed
- All deck fittings (mainly bronze / brass) lifted, polished and re-fitted
- 2 coats of International anti fouling applied
- New anodes fitted in all areas

Refit 2013 14 works done; some of which already referred to in details above
2 x Beta 90 HP diesel engines and gearboxes with dual station instrumentation installed
2 x Newly fabricated 80 gallon port and starboard stainless steel fuel tanks
Fuel tankage complete with replacement filters and pipe work including crossover facility
New Kobelt brass engine controls with selectable dual stations
Complete new Kobelt hydraulic power assisted steering replacing cable driven original
Purpose built ship’s wheel at lower helm and refurbished solid bronze original for upper
Mostly new wiring throughout vessel
Upgraded charging and inverter system
Refurbished galley with purpose built solid wood cabinetry

Works 2015
Hull re-painted and polished in any areas where wear and tear apparent
From bare wood full re-varnish up to 6 coats in most areas
All anodes changed
2 x Coats anti-fouling applied
All stern gear serviced and polished
All items listed - even as advisory - in recent survey effected (copy available)