Fairey Huntsman 28 1963/2018 - Sold

Fresh out from arguably the most thorough restoration of a Fairey powerboat yet undertaken - by the new Fairey Marine company, Hampshire, England - SANTA MARIA is a superb example of this best of British iconic marque that gained fame for its good looks in the 1963 James Bond movie 'From Russia with Love', and a well deserved and proven reputation in powerboat races like Cowes-Torquay. Subtle upgrading to 21st Century standards of comfort married to the original iconic styling - all done with minute attention to detail - makes SANTA MARIA a very enticing package - possibly even as tender to a larger yacht.

Restoration by Fairey Marine 2016-2018

Hull
Areas of previous repairs in plywood and degradation were replaced with the same material and method as original - moisture content-controlled veneers of Agba applied in the same direction as original. After repairs and fairing the entire topsides were laminated with two coats of epoxy glass.
- New transom
- New rudder shelf
- New keel bolts

Deck
- New teak laid deck on epoxy glass sheathed plywood sub-deck
- New teak covering boards, toerails and rub rails

Coachroof
- Repairs to plywood sides then glass sheathed
- New laminated hardwood roof beams; new plywood roof glass sheathed
- New chrome plated window frames
- New GRP helm console
- New screen frame with teak capping
- New teak companionway

Cockpit
- New sole and drain system
- Repairs to coamings
- Extensive cockpit rebuild
- New teak veneered dash area

Galley
- Fully restored

Toilet compartment
- Fully restored

Saloon
- Fully restored

Mechanical
- Engines overhauled

Electrical
- Fully rewired; all new installation

Plumbing
- All new

Spray paint finish
- AwlCraft 2000

Based on the deep V hull pioneered by Ray Hunt and developed by Fairey Marine's Alan Burnard, the Huntsman 28 is the classic British powerboat of its time: an express cruiser and moreover famous for its racing achievements. These boats took part in every Cowes to Torquay race, from the first in 1961 – in which DIESEL HUNTSMAN came 3rd – and in the 1969 Round Britain Race, in which they finished 3rd, 5th, 6th and 12th. Between 1960 and 1972, it is believed that 144 of these boats were built.

In the memorable James Bond 'From Russia with Love' boat chase scene filmed at Crinan and Loch Craignish on the west coast of Scotland, the Huntsman 28s are the black painted SPECTRE boats chasing 007 (Sean Connery) and Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) in a white Fairey Huntress 23.

The Fairey Owners Club Archive records SANTA MARIA as Huntsman 28 Hull Number 41, factory fitted with a laid teak deck, powered by twin 90hp Parsons Barracuda engines and completed on 23 July 1963. Lloyd's Register of Yachts lists the commissioning owner as Major R.P. Wills of Southampton, a member of the Royal Southern Yacht Club, and intriguingly shows the full name as SANTA MARIA D.M. There apparently being no handed-down reason for the suffix, it's been the subject of much speculation over the years. 'Doctor of Medicine' has been suggested, but why? We believe Major Wills was in the British Army Ordnance Corps. more likely to be a specialist in blowing you up rather than fixing you. Perhaps he had some connection with the Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat (Santa Maria DM) in Catalonia, Spain... It's sometimes nice that Google can't solve all the mysteries; that some might remain for future owners.

The D.M. suffix stayed with her under subsequent ownership until being dropped in the 1980s. The F.O.C. shows that after Major Wills, SANTA MARIA has remained a south coast of England boat:

1966: A. Webster, Chichester
19??: Mr. Watton, Woolston
1971: Jackson Bros, Poole
1978-84: Mr. Hodges, Ramsgate
19??: J. Pearce (Mermaid Engines) - re-powered with 160hp Mermaid engines
19??: Mr. Jackson, Yarmouth
1999: J. Napier, Brighton - re-powered with Cummins engines
2002: M. Mitchell, Burseldon - re-powered with current engines
2005: Ian Perkes & Martin Pomeroy, Brixham
2016: Client of Fairey Marine - restoration

Extensive recent restoration work by Fairey specialists Fairey Marine of Hampshire has given SANTA MARIA such a new lease of life that she feels like new yet is unmistakably the real thing.

- Hot moulded in Agba hull
- Epoxy glass sheathed
- Plywood epoxy sheathed superstructure
- Raw teak laid deck on ply epoxy sub-deck
- Teak soles

Overview
- Raw teak laid deck
- Deck fittings stainless steel or chrome plated
- Varnished teak gunwale and toerail
- White painted superstructure; stainless steel window surrounds; teak capping trim
- Coamings extension tapers aft while offering backrest to aft cockpit seating area
- Vinyl exterior upholstery

From aft
- Aft deck with ensign socket
- Chromed bronze mooring cleats port and starboard
- Chafe protection strips
- Step over low coaming to aft cockpit seating area
- Waterproof cockpit seat cushions
- Mizar deck shower

Forward over laid teak engine cover
- Helm position with seat to port
- Leathered stainless steel wheel
- Engine instruments and controls
- Matching seat to starboard
- Seats easily removable for engine access
- Gas bottle locker outboard

Forward along side decks
- White painted coachhouse top
- Stainless steel grabrails
- Chromed Huntsman logo and air intakes
- Port and starboard nav lights
- Stainless steel fender deck pad-eyes; associated anti-chafe strips at toerail and gunwale

Foredeck
- Chromed bronze mooring bollard
- Chromed bronze mooring fairleads port and starboard
- Chromed bronze stemhead fitting with bow roller

Fortress anchor, shackle, and 40 m weighted rode

Enter via teak companionway and hinged hatch doors to cabin
- Grabrails at inside of companionway
- Hinged step with access to bilge pump strum boxes
- Open plan layout

Galley to port
- Stainless steel sink with bulkhead mounted hot and cold mixer tap
- Top loading Vitrifrigo refrigerator
- CAN 2 x Burner gas hob
- Lockers under side deck and under sink/ hob
- Ship's isolator panel on bulkhead
- Screw type chromed bronze mushroom ventilator in deckhead

Toilet Compartment to starboard
- Teak entrance door with mirror
- Johnson fresh water flush electric WC
- Lockers
- Hooks
- Screw type chromed bronze mushroom ventilator in deckhead

Saloon area
- Leather upholstered port and starboard settees meeting forward in "v" berth
- Stowage under; in lockers above; outboard of seatbacks
- Shelf units forward port and starboard

- Bulkhead and deckhead mounted LED cabin lighting
- Low level LED courtesy lighting

Mechanical
- 2 x 1979 / 2002 Perkins Sabre 180hp 6cy Turbo Diesel (reconditioned 2018)
- Hydraulic gearboxes
- New exhaust outlets and hose
- VDO instruments
- Hour meter
- Tachometer
- Thermometer

- Hydraulic steering

Electrical - whole new system
- 16 A Shore power socket
- Victron charger/ inverter
- 12 V Sockets
- 6 x Exide marine batteries

- Par Max 2.9 pressure water system with in-line strainer
- Hot water system - Sigmar calotifier

Tankage
- 2 x 45 Gallon Diesel tanks with fuel gauges
- 22 Litre Polypropylene fresh water tank with gauge

Nav lights
- Masthead all round white
- Coachroof mounted port and starboard

Electronic navigation
- None fitted leaving preference to future owner

- 3 x Whale automatic Electric bilge pumps
- Electric horn
- Toilet anti vacuum loop

- Stainless steel and teak transom swim ladder
- Cover
- Deck shower
- 6 x Fenders with socks
- 14mm Braided and spliced mooring lines

The 1980s image is from the fabulous Fairey Owners Club Fairey Production Archive website