William Fife III Gaff Cutter - Sold

William Fife III designed EVA to the requirements of the second Linear Rating Rule. She has the same dimensions as an International 8 metre. Sympathetically restored for her re-launch in 2003; she is well known on the Mediterranean Classic Yacht circuit and adored by lovers of classic yachts. EVA is flawless - an exquisite example of a Vintage Yacht.

Of the same dimensions as an 8 metre international, EVA was designed by William Fife III in accordance with the regulations of the second Linear Rating Rule, the last yacht built by William Fife & Sons under this formula. In 1906, the year of launch, the International Yacht Racing Union - IYRU was founded and the international metric ruling was formulated and adopted permanently in 1907.

In fact, the three yachts sharing these dimensions launched in 1907 by William Fife & Sons, are the 8 metre internationals – LILIAN II, SORAIS and Y A VEREMOS; this last yacht under the charge of Sr. Don Enrique G. Careaga.

EVA is the third yacht built from William Fife III’s initial design. The first was CARMEN (design No 489) build by Jensen in Norway in 1902. The second was NINIA (No 498) also built by Jensen in Norway with a leaden keel, in place of a cast-iron one, as with CARMEN.

In 1903, William Fife III, satisfied with the design, put the finishing touches to it, reducing 1 ton of ballast and increasing the flotation length from 27 ft. 7 in to 28 ft 6 in, virtually anticipating the first 8 metres international.

In the hope of a buyer coming forward, he decided to start construction in 1904. Fife’s great-niece May Fife Mc Callum, keeps a shipyard worker’s manuscript, recording the boats on which he worked; including EVA in 1904.

In 1905, F Glenn Mac Andrew, of Knock Castle Largs; very near the shipyard, whose family were at that time the owners of the then well known company, Mc Andrew Shipping Line, took ownership of EVA.

In 1906 she was launched, starting her life in regattas on the Clyde, under the pennant of the Royal Northern Yacht Club.

Her successive owners were:

1913 – 1938 Mr Robert Graham, resident of Greenock and member of the Royal Clyde Yacht Club, who changed the name from EVA to VALORA.

1939 – 1946 Mr Peter Simpson, resident of Hunter’s Quay and member of the Royal Northern Yacht Club, changed the gaff rigging to Bermudan, removing the bowsprit. He substituted the male mast and topmast for a single mast of greater height and on it, he installed two bronze winches. He kept the name VALORA.

1947 – 1948 Mr Ronald Jay.

1949 – 1952 Mr Robert Urie, resident of Greenock and member of the Royal Northern Yacht Club, kept the name VALORA.

1953 – 1958 Brothers; Robert and John Dunlop-Urie, sons of the previous owner.
John was a pilot in the Battle of Britain and Commodore of the Royal Northern Yacht Club.

1959 – 1968 Mr and Mrs B J Sandeman, residents of Delarne Rhu, members of the Royal Northern Yacht Club, kept the name VALORA.

1969 – 1971 Commanders A J H Goodwin and V M Lake, both members of the Royal Northern Yacht Club, continued with the name VALORA.

1972 – 1975 Mr C P Van der Walt and Mr P J Hendrikse, kept the name VALORA.

Not registered with Lloyd’s.

At this point, EVA finished 69 weekly regatta seasons on the Clyde, in which a Linear Rating Rule, turns out well placed against the 8 metre international cruiser racers, according to the comments of Mr Cargill Sandeman, the 85 year old cousin of the owner from 1959 – 1969 and then the only remaining living crew member.

1977 – 1992 Mr and Mrs Wallace Wade Germany, residents of the Port of Santa Maria, Cadiz, kept the name VALORA.

1993 – 1997 Sr Don Anastasio Perez, resident of Cadiz, continued with the name VADURA.

1998 – 2001 Sr Don Jose Sanches Abril, resident of Malaga, acquired VALORA in a sorry state, with the intention of returning it to its original condition. He transferred it to the shipyard of Don Juan Francisco Sanches Alcaraz, ASTILLEROS MEDITERRANEO, Malaga. Another project, the BARBARA, a Camper Nicholson from 1923 more suited to his needs for family cruising, forced him to put VALORA on the market again.

2001 – date The present owner bought VALORA, being assured of the services of Sr. Don Juan Belliure as director of the project, contracts Astilleros Mediterraneo to carry out the restoration work. With Juan Sanchez Alcaraz heading the team in the shipyard, he carried out this task alongside master carpenter Rafael “Elcano”.

With external collaboration from:
Duncan Walker, Farlie Restorations, Port Hamble, England: advice
Moray McPhail, Classic Marine, Woodbridge, England:chandlery
Davey & Co, England: chandlery
Bruno arbara, La Rochelle: advice on rigging
Christian Terraux, Dryade, France: Blocks, tackles and precision metalwork on mast, bowsprit and deck
Ron Robinson, Compass Adjusters, Hamble, Southampton, England: Navigational instruments through history
Diego Cuenca and Jean Paul Jaquemin, Maestro velero (master sailmaker), Hood Espana, San Pedro del Pinatar: Sails
Jual Belliure, Marina de Denia, Denia: Overseer of project, interior fittings and equipment, finishing off of interior, fixing rigging and labour, fixing metalwork on deck
Vicente Belliure, Puerto Luis Campomanes, Altea: Servicing and sealing of keel, finishing touches
Jeremy Freeland, Collars, Dorchester on Thames, England: New top mast, Sprit, Gaff spar, Boom, Jack yard and Jenny yard for the season 2004
Christophe Tonerre, Voilerie Tonerre, Lorient, France: New set of sails for the season 2004

- Mahogany planking
- Teak deck
- Mahogany deck beams
- Lead Keel
- Mahogany interior joinery

Summary
- Cutter rig with a single main mast, top mast and bowsprit
- Rigging; main gaff sail, topsail, forestay, jib and top jib
- EVA has two arrangements one extra strong and heavy, from season 2003 and a new one made in 2004 by Collars

Spars

- Oregon pine mast
- Oregon pine top mast
- Spruce hollow top mast; Collars
- Oregon pine boom
- Spruce hollow boom; Collars
- Oregon pine bowsprit
- Spruce hollow bowsprit; Collars
- Oregon pine gaff
- Spruce hollow gaff; Collars
- Oregon pine forestay boom
- Set Oregon pine jackyard and jenny
- Set spruce hollow jackyard and jenny Collars


Sails
EVA has 3 arrangements for strong, medium and light winds, all in perfect conditions. Hood sails made in 2003 and Tonnerre sails in 2004.

Main: 1 Hood sw
1 Tonerre mw
1 Tonerre lw

Forestay: 1 Hood sw
1 Hood self tailing sw
1 Tonerree m & lw

Jib: 1 Hood sw
1 Tonerre m & l.w

Top jib: 1 Hood s.w.
1 Tonerre m & l.w

Jackyard
Topsail: 1 Hood sw
1 Tonerre m & lw
Small
Topsail: 1 Hood sw
1 Tonerre m & lw

Genoa: 1 Tonerre m & lw

Heavy
Spinnaker: 1 Hood sw
1 Tonerre m & lw

Light
Spinnaker: 1 Hood sw
1 Tonerre lw

Gennaker: 1 Hood sw
1 Tonerre mw
1 Tonerre lw

Passage
Main sail 1 Hood Marconi (half of the main gaff)

- Dryade blocks
- All bronze fittings:by Dryade, Davey & Co., Classic Marine
- Baby Blake WC
- Sink with electric water pump
- Galley Taylor stove (not installed)

Covers: 1 winter tent
1 bowsprit cover
1 mainsail cover
1 all around covering board
1 hatch
1 sky lights
1 cockpit tent
Canopy: 1

- Dryade blocks
- All bronze fittings:by Dryade, Davey & Co., Classic Marine
- Baby Blake WC
- Sink with electric water pump
- Galley Taylor stove (not installed)

Covers: 1 winter tent
1 bowsprit cover
1 mainsail cover
1 all around covering board
1 hatch
1 sky lights
1 cockpit tent
Canopy: 1

- Radio
- VHF
- Wind
- Compass
- 2 x electric pumps
- 1 engine by pass for pumping
- 1 manual pump
- 8 interior lights
- 1 Domestic battery
- 1 Engine start battery

EVA is currently in the Mediterranean Classic Yacht Circuit and is well known to lovers of classic yachts. Completely rebuilt in 2002 in Astilleros Mediterraneo (Malaga), Astilleros Belliure (Denia) and Astilleros Belliure (Calpe), Spain. EVA is in flawless and tireless condition.