Arthur Robb Lion Class Sloop 1953 - Sold

Designed by Arthur C Robb, MBE the first Lion was built in 1950 and beat most of her contemporaries in that year’s Round the Island Race. This was a fine achievement as the race was mostly to windward and she drew only 4 ft 6. She entered one other race that season and won, but she was primarily a cruiser and indeed an excellent cruising yacht for up to four people. She is admired wherever she goes, especially for her lovely blue hull and flared wineglass transom - unique to this Lion. Her rig and deck equipment have been upgraded every year to enhance performance and she is now in a race winning state, where a fine pedigree (Sydney-Hobart wins in 1959 and 1960 for a sister ship SIANDRA) and ease of handling make her difficult to beat in 12 – 18 knot winds. She is offered for sale with her HGV trailer enabling local storage out of season - She has wintered under cover since 1995.

Lion owners included the John Lewis Partnership SABEEMA and Major Richard Gatehouse’s REFLECTION, aboard which he tested his famously indestructible B&G instruments in the 1970s. Production dwindled in the 1960s although Bristows Book of Yachts claims 140 had been built by 1964 and a last few were made with GRP hulls and timber decks all in teak by Cheoy Lee in Hong Kong.

LEONIE herself has cruised extensively to France and the south coast of the UK, typically sailing two up. Equipped for racing however, the results speak for themselves with a consistent series of wins in two of the major UK classic regattas year after year.

Mahogany planking on steamed oak frames, built by Woodnuts, IOW. The hull was stripped and epoxy splined around 1995. The deck is Coelan coated teak strip planking laid over original sub deck, believed pine. Tiller steering; beautifully balanced and finger light on the helm.

- The saloon was remodelled in 1995; constructed in ash and mahogany
- The galley is now at companionway entrance for better headroom, access and ventilation
- Galley worktop tiled in beige
- Deep stainless steel single bowl sink brass antique taps with pressurized hot and cold water
- Bronze fresh water tap manual pump
- Taylor’s gimballed brass pressurized cooker with oven and paraffin tank below
- Bronze mushroom vent above
- Storage below chart table for tools etc
- Quarter berth space used for bulk storage, fridge etc.
- 4 x dry storage compartments
- 2 x 2m berths with moveable wedge to make double. Cushions to fit
- Overhead lights and paraffin lamp
- Storage spaces at sides of berths
- Fully fitted cushions
- Central table with two drawers and engine beneath
- Medicine cupboard
- Head compartment moved slightly and WC replaced with a new Plastimo 2009
- Wash hand basin pressure hot and cold water
- Pressure hot and cold water shower in limited space
- Wet cupboard space for wet weather gear
- Airing cupboard hot water tank &
- Speed log access
- Dry Storage for clothes
- Floor access to bilges and engine sea-cock

- Original mast; believed spruce with single spreader
- Original boom; believed spruce, fitted with original roller and slab reefing
- Alloy spinnaker boom
- Standing rigging at least 10 years old but checked each year
- Forestay upgraded 2009
- Running rigging all replaced from 2002 onwards
- Main and genoa halyards, outhaul and genoa sheets in Dyneema
- Heavy and light spinnaker sheets / guys c/w Wichard quick release
- Garhauer blocks; main, spinnaker sheets, slab reefing, outhaul, spinnaker downhaul 2008
- Main sail Quantum 2004
- Furling headsail Quantum 2004
- Asymmetric 61.96 sq m spinnaker; Quantum 2004
- Larger symmetric spinnaker; McWilliam late 90s

- Lewmar 40 bronze finish other reefing / outhaul winch on coach roof added 2004
- 2 x Lewmar 40 bronze finish self tailing sheet winches new 1995
- Lewmar mainsheet traveler system new 2009
- Spray hood new 2010
- Lofrans electric anchor windlass new 2005
- CQR main anchor
- CQR kedge anchor stored aft
- 30 m galvanised chain new 2002

- Beta Marine 3 cylinder 17 HP diesel engine new 1995, first used 2002
- Darglow fully feathering 3 bladed prop new 2007
- Engine Oil and Temperature gages, Rev Counter, switch panel
- 90 A alternator new 2007
- 2 x 115 AH large batteries beneath cockpit sole new 2008
- Main battery isolator switch
- 230 V AC charger for windlass battery
- 230 V AC UK 3 pin power socket
- Calorifier and 230 V AC electric immersion for hot water
- Shower sump box; overboard pump
- Main sea cocks
- 60 litre stainless steel fuel tank beneath cockpit sole
- 2 x 100 litre Plastimo water tanks beneath berths new 2006

- Chart Table / drawer with instruments above
- Bronze mushroom vent above
- Raymarine ST60 Depth and Speed gauges 1995
- Raymarine ST 4000 Autohelm with remote control 1995
- Garmin C192 Colour Chart plotter (2003)
- Raymarine Seatalk interface module for a PC connect giving GPS, speed, depth and wind
- Panasonic touch screen FM/AM radio/CD system (2005)
- Storage below chart table for tools etc
- Unused quarter berth used for bulk storage, fridge etc
- Repeater instrumentation new 2005 facing tiller in custom, ventilated mahogany display
- Cetrek WIND (360 degrees, New 2004)
- Cetrek TACK (+/- 90 degrees, New 2004)
- Cetrek MULTI displays x 2 (display up to four feeds each, New 2004)
- Cetrek Windex instrument at mast head (New 2004)

- 6 Person Plastimo offshore life raft in date
- Jackstays fore to aft
- Two orange life buoys, 1 with automatic emergency buoy light.
- 6 safety harnesses
- MT DSC VHF radio new 2008
- Hand held fog horn
- Radar reflector plastic encased
- 2 Dry powder fire extinguishers
- 2 electric automatic bilge pumps
- 1 manual bilge pump

Under previous ownership extensive works were carried out; largely on the hull structure, internal layout and key items of equipment including the calorifier, engine, bronze winches, stove and heater. The hull had been stripped to bare wood and then epoxy splined (caulking removed and replaced with splines of timber epoxied in place with the exterior planks then coated in epoxy and faired). Thus the hull is stiff, strong, watertight and faired. Internally, most of the saloon bulkheads and panel work was removed and replaced. The two aft quarter berths were removed to make space for the galley and chart table. The engine was moved forward to the centre of the saloon for better weight distribution and better headroom by the galley / chart table.

On acquisition by the current owners in 2002, they aimed to return Leonie to a strong seaworthy condition equipped for racing as well as cruising and there was still much to do. A number of frames were cracked (not unusual) and over 30 were sistered with new steamed oak frames. Bearers for the engine shafting were strengthened and the wrought iron strap floors cleaned. The boat was completely rewired and all mechanical and electrical devices were checked and or serviced.

The deck, coach roof and cockpit areas were stripped and coated with multiple coats of the Coelan varnish. All fixed glass port lights in the coach roof were removed and replaced with new glass and newly constructed mahogany frames. All hatches were stripped, re-glued and treated with Cetol varnish / stain as used also on the spars.

The interior layout lost two quarter berths but gained a more comfortable galley and nav station. The engine has been moved forward to below the saloon table for better weight distribution and greater head room by the galley / nav station.

Upgrading has been continued year on year with a set of new blocks including mainsheet and spinnaker, light weight sheets, slab reefing, a new mainsheet track, new running rigging, more recent Furlex and as of 2009 a new WC.

The engine has been fully serviced each year by the owners. The main propeller shaft was reamed and replaced in 2002 along with the bearings for the link shaft to the engine. The engine has recently been serviced again prior to launching.