Fred Shepherd 67 ft Staysail Schooner 1935/2005

Few classic yachts of ELLA’s size can better the quantity, quality, and ambience of above and below deck accommodation and space that this Fred Shepherd masterpiece offers – while also being a most efficient and easily handled vessel under sail. Painstakingly restored under present ownership to preserve her wonderful authenticity and subtly modernise her comforts, ELLA is famously equally at home gently cruising, or safely and very comfortably passagemaking - with friends or under charter.

2018-2019
Refit: masts to bare wood and re-varnished; also bulwarks and deck structures

2011-2012
Refit: new masts, and all fittings also on deck in Bronze to complete new rig

1999-2005
Restoration: skipper (& planning) Rainer H. Krampitz; at Arnis and Bremerhaven
- Remove and restoration of all interiors
- 25m of new frames (no new planking necessary), restructure bonding deck to hall, new gunwale/ rails
- Crew cabin; 3 bathrooms and new galley new to custom design
- Completely new water and tank systems with all pumps,
- Completely new electrical and electronic systems complete
- All new mechanicals: new reconditioned Mercedes engine; new gearbox and propeller

1985-1986
Refit: skipper Knut Kähler; planning Jan Koberstein; at Hamburg

1975-1976
Refit: skipper Mike McMillan; planning Jan Koberstein; at Isle of Wight

Her name is from Mrs Ella Bond who launched ELLA into the Firth of Forth, Scotland, at J.N. Miller & Sons’s St. Monans yard on Saturday 22nd June 1935. Then rigged as a wishbone ketch, ELLA would be no stranger to North Sea waters in her early years, and again in more recent times.

Commissioned from Fred Shepherd - one of late 19th and early 20th Century Britain’s leading designers of characterful and spacious fast cruising yachts - by Ella’s husband, 30-year-old Surrey textile design firm director and Royal Thames Yacht Club and Royal Ocean Racing Club member William Ronald Somerville Bond during the winter of 1934/35, ELLA’s beautifully appointed mahogany accommodation particularly caught the attention of the press on launching day. Auxiliary power came from a 5 cylinder 47hp Gardner 5LW diesel engine which, as Gardners do, gave sterling service into almost the 21st Century, and her sails were by Ratsey & Lapthorn. Her builders had gained a reputation through the 1920s and 30s for building to a fine standard at very competitive prices; they had been doing that, principally for fishing and other commercial vessels, since the 18th Century. The fact that the much of ELLA’s structure remains as built at St Monans in the 1930s speaks volumes about her builders – and Fred Shepherd’s specifications and concept.

Under the Bonds’ ownership, from a south coast of England base ELLA cruised and raced in the years leading to the Second World War. She won the Cruisers Class of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 1937 Coronation Regatta, and in 1938 participated in the RORC’s Cowes-Ouistreham Race along with such late 1930s ocean racing luminaries as ERIVALE, EVENLODE, IYRUNA and TAI-MO-SHAN – with an 1800-mile summer cruise of Norway, the Baltic and Holland thrown in for good measure.

ELLA’s Second World War service, if she was requisitioned, currently remains a mystery which continued immediately after the war with Lloyd’s Register of Yachts listing her owners as specialist car dealers and bodybuilders Spikins (Twickenham) Ltd, the firm of well-known at the time motor racing driver and aviator Bob Spikins. But that must have been a very brief affair.

From 1947 under the ownership of Clyde Cruising Club Commodore Robert J. Dunlop, whose business interests ranged from ship owning to whisky distilling (Teachers), she moved north to Rhu on the Firth of Clyde under the new name VELEDA - after the semi-mythological Germanic seeress - and her wishbone was removed for perceived safety and practicality.

Dunlop’s previous yacht was the converted 1931 Alfred Mylne 12-Metre (12mR) VERONICA. Replacing her with VELEDA presumably was a lot to do her greater capabilities as a comfortable and spacious family cruiser, mothership to his family’s small boat racing activities, and a most suitable “Commodore ship”.

VELEDA’s 1948 season took her south in support of Robert’s brother, Peter, and son (and future Royal Northern Yacht Club Commodore) George, crewing for their close relative Ronald M. Teacher in their eventually unsuccessful campaign to represent Britain in the International Dragon Class at that year’s Olympic Sailing Regatta at Torquay. En-route - along with an impressive Clyde based support flotilla including Ronald Teacher’s Alfred Mylne-designed, William Fife & Son-built yawl MARIELLA, and Britain’s Olympic 6-Metre Class helmsman (in the McGruer 6mR JOHAN) J. Howden Hume’s 92 ft Mylne ketch VADURA – VELEDA took part in an RORC “feeder race” to the Olympics from Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, to Brixham. It is believed that VELEDA undertook race committee duties during the 1948 Olympic Regatta, and that the beautiful brass starting canon in her inventory was used “in anger” there.

VELEDA’s month-long summer cruise of 1950 took the Dunlop family from the Clyde to Norway and back, both ways via the Caledonian Canal: a very pleasant and successful experience. But, sadly, time was running out for Robert Dunlop. He sold VELEDA in August 1952, and was dead at the age of 61 by November.

A long life and many ownerships mostly based on England’s south west to south east coast, but also on the Mediterranean, followed for VELEDA from the 1950s through 1970s

1952-1956 H.J.E. Smith, M.B.E, Piccadilly, London
1956-1960 Dr A. van Hall, Argentina (Royal Netherlands YC)
1960-1964 Raymond C.A. Thompson (a major Sussex mushroom farmer; port: Itchenor)
1964-1965 Edward Davis, Colchester (port: Brighlingsea)
1966-1972 Major Aubrey Earle Pickwoad, DFC, London (port: Yarmouth, I.O.W.)
1972-1974 R.V. Taylor, Bangkok, Thailand (port: Cowes)

A further change of south coast of England ownership took place in 1974, and the start of the ocean roving period in ELLA/ VELEDA’s life that she is known for in living memory. She was purchased in Cowes by Mrs Joan Lacon (later Coventry) of Norris Castle, Isle of Wight, and Captain Mike McMillan whose previous command had been the 96ft Charles Nicholson ketch CYNARA which he had sailed to Japan in 1973 (she is presently undergoing a major rebuild there). Following a major refit at Cowes during which the fore part of the accommodation was refitted with charter in mind - with the beautiful mahogany guest accommodation thankfully unaltered - Lacon and McMillan sailed VELEDA to Antigua, leaving Cowes in January 1975.

They sold her in 1976 to former charter guests Wolfgang Friedrichsen and Alex Barber, with Mike McMillan staying on as captain for a summer cruise to Nova Scotia and Labrador, and participation in the New York Grand Parade of Sailing Ships “Operation Sail” of the US Bicentennial Program. On return to Antigua, Andy Pack took over as skipper and VELEDA embarked on a two-year circumnavigation. By the late 1970s she made her first visit to Hamburg and became part of the maritime museum there which Wolfgang Friedrichsen had been involved with for many years. But her ocean roving continued into the mid-1990s under Captain Knut Kähler.

After a period of lay-up at Hamburg, in 1999 she was lucky to enter the present joint ownership of like-minded friends who fell in love with this striking yacht’s undoubted charms.

Over a period of four years of restoration - firstly shipwright work by Eberhard/ Strüwen at Arnis on the Schlei followed by finishing at Flensburg and later at Fischereihafen, Bremerhaven - VELEDA became ELLA again in July 2005, 70 years after first launching in Scotland.

For the past 15 seasons ELLA’s cruising grounds have been the very pleasant waters of the Baltic Germany and Denmark. She’s had many adventures on the seven seas, and will offer many more in years to come.

©2024 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.

- Original 2 in/ 50 mm pitch pine planks on double oak frames copper riveted
- Independent iron floors and hanging knees
- Lead ballast 18 t with bronze keel bolts
- Timber rudder with bronze fittings on steering gear to quadrant
- Teak original deck planking 1.1/4 in/ >32mm - bronze bolted, caulked and Pantera seams
- Doghouse and all deck structures in varnished Teak, all in original condition and bronze fittings

ON DECK FROM AFT
- Back stay chain plate
- Bronze socket for ensign staff
- Bronze fairleads on rail each side
- Bronze Panama fairleads each side
- Teak and bronze mooring cleats on deck each side
- Teak mooring cleats in bulwarks each side
- Ash and bronze main sheet blocks
- Helmsman’s seat over varnished box housing Kobelt engine controls
- Ship’s wheel
- Bronze compass binnacle - Thomas Reid
- Bronze boom gallows
- Simrad wind angle/ speed/ depth/ log
- Silva Autohelm repeaters on gallows
- Raised circular hatch
- 2 x Merriman winches for fisherman’s anchor and mooring lines
- Running backstays to Laurent Giles pattern levers
- Bronze davits to stbd with bronze and ash blocks
- Chocks for clinker dinghy stowage
- Aft trunk cabin with bronze mushroom vent and sliding hatch at fore end
- Half butterfly skylight hatches also at fore end either side
- Butterfly skylight hatch abaft main mast
- Main mast with double spreaders and pin rail at base aft
- 3 x Bronze Barlow halyard winches
- Fore sheet horse fwd of main mast
- Boom with lazy jacks
- 2 x Teak/ bronze cleats to stbd for Yankee sheets
- Bronze Lewmar winches by mainmast base
- Pin rails by shrouds
- 2nd set of Laurent Giles levers by fore mast
- Raised hatch offset to port; access to engine room
- Doghouse with teak hand rails on roof
- Half butterfly skylight hatch aft port side
- Bronze mushroom vents on deck each side
- Bulkhead style lights fitted in bulwarks port and stbd
- Ship’s bell hanging on fore end of doghouse
- Butterfly skylight hatch on centreline
- 2 x Large varnished teak boxes each side of skylight
- Foremast with 2 spreaders
- Pin rail at base
- 3 x Bronze halyard winches; Barient/ Gibb
- Dorade box and bronze ventilator to port
- Pin rails at shroud bases
- Bronze horse for staysail sheet
- 2 x Teak/bronze cleats; one each side
- Bronze mushroom vent to stbd
- Butterfly skylight hatch
- Raised hatch
- Bronze mooring bollards each side
- Thomas Reid and Sons original windlass with 2 x chain gypsies and 2 x warping drums
- Bronze mushroom vent
- Fisherman’s anchor on teak chocks to port
- Bronze fairleads on cap rail each side
- CQR anchor on bow roller
- 100m Galvanised 14mm anchor chain
- Bronze Panama fairleads each side at bow
- Bowsprit with bronze spreaders

ACCESS VIA DOGHOUSE TO MAIN ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation carpentry mainly original mahogany
3 steps down to teak grating sole
- Pilot berth to port
- Chart table to port
- Ship’s isolator panel
- Nav instruments incl ship’s clock and barometer
- Raymarine GPS plotter “hybrid touch”

5 X STEPS COMPANIONWAY LADDER DOWN TO SALOON
- L-shaped dinette to port
- Locker and drawer fwd to port
- Shelving outboard and opening port light
- Gimballed drop leaf dining table
- Banquette seating to stbd
- Devoted bar locker and glass cabinet to stbd
- Shelving and opening port light to stbd
- 2 x Art Deco bulkhead lights
- Butterfly skylight in deck head

DOORWAY ACCESS TO FORWARD ACCOMMODATION

GALLEY
- Fridge freezer to stbd
- Lockers and drawers
- 2 x Barber Wilson stainless steel sinks, H&C mixer tap
- 4 x Burner hob and oven
- Extractor fan with lights
- Lockers for plates, crockery etc
- AEG Dishwasher concealed in locker
- Large wine storage under sole
- Butterfly skylight in deck head
- 3 x deck head lights and bulkhead light

FORE CABIN
- 3 x single berths with lockers under– can convert to double
- Lockers to port
- Raised hatch in deck head
- Opening port
- 2 x Bulkhead lights

HEAD COMPARTMENT
- Manual Lavac WC
- Villeroy & Boch ceramic basin
- Hot and cold Barber Wilson mixer tap
- Opening port and bulkhead light

FOREPEAK
- Chain locker

MOVING AFT THROUGH SALOON

ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO PORT ON RHS
- Full standing room, accessible also from deck

WORKSHOP AND TOOL STOWAGE

HEAD COMPARTMENT TO STBD
- Vetus electric WC
- Villeroy & Boch ceramic basin ceramic basin
- Hot and cold Barber Wilson mixer tap
- Walk-in shower with green Guatelama marble tiles
- Lockers
- 3 x Bulkhead lights
- Opening port

OWNER’S CABIN
- Double berth to port with drawers under
- Bureau
- Full height wardrobe
- Banquette to stbd
- Butterfly skylight in deck head
- Half butterfly skylight in deck head
- 2 x Opening ports
- 2 x Bulkhead lights

MOVING AFT TO CAPTAIN’S CABIN PORT SIDE
- Berths with drawers under convert to double
- Hanging locker wardrobe
- Half butterfly skylight in deck head
- Opening port
- 2 x Bulkhead lights

HEAD COMPARTMENT TO STBD
- Vetus electric WC
- Villeroy & Boch ceramic basin ceramic basin
- Hot and cold Barber Wilson mixer tap
- Walk-in shower - white Italian marble tiles
- Lockers
- Half butterfly skylight in deck head
- Opening port
- 2 x Bulkhead lights

AFT CABIN
- 2 x Single berths; one each side
- Hanging locker wardrobe
- Drawers under
- Banquette
- 4 x Opening ports in trunk aft
- Alternative access via companionway into aft trunk cabin

AFT PEAK
- Sail and ropes locker
- Alternative access via deck hatch

STAYSAIL SCHOONER RIG
- All new spars to original plans in Canadian Silver Spruce (2011-2012)
- All new bronze fittings
- All standing rigging new 2012
- Many original fittings re-used

SAILS
Traditional cut and finished by Lee Sails
- Mainsail
- Main staysail
- Fisherman
- Schooner staysail
- Jib
- Asymmetric chute

CAVASWORK
For
- Sails on booms
Skylights, dinghy and steering wheel

MECHANICAL
- Mercedes OM352 6 cylinder 100 hp Diesel (reconditioned 2001)
- Generator ONAN 6 KW 230 V

ELECTRICAL
- 2 x (4) 24V Engine start batteries with 2 separate chargers
- 6 x (8) 1 V House batteries with 6 separate chargers
- New electric installation in 2003, planning and performance by master ship electrician
- Heißwasser Boiler 60 L- hot water boiler

TANKAGE
- Water pressure pumps electronically
- 4 x freshwater tanks - c2000 L
- 3 x Diesel tanks - c100 L - with day tank
- 1 x Black water tank c300 L - with pumps and suction fittings

NAVIGATION
- Cassens & Plath Bremerhaven steering compass – adjusted
- Raymarine GPS plotter “hybrid touch”
- FURUNO GPS-Navigator
- Hydraulic autopilot with Simrad AP26
- Simrad IS15 wind angle, speed/depth/log
- AIS - Shipfinder
- Silva Autohelm repeaters
- Steiner” marine binoculars with bearing compass

COMMUNICATIONS
- VHF DSC “Sailor” 6222
- Hand held ENTEL VHF
- Audio-System + TV Entertainment
- 2 x “Schatz” Royal Marine Clock und Barometer (Saloon)
- 2 x “Wempe” Chronometer + Barometer in deckhouse
- Marine-Fernglas “Steiner” mit Peilkompass

- 8 Person liferaft
- 6x automatic lifejackets
- 10 x Buoyancy aids/ childrens life vests
- EPIRB
- Various fire extinguishers
- Fire blanket
- Smoke detectors in engine room
- 3 x auto bilge pumps for three compartments
- 2 x 230V Submersible, generator-powered reserve pumps
- 2 x Manual bilge pumps
- Emergency remote from engine room fuel tank shut off and engine stop

- 9 ft/ 2.7m Abeking & Rasmussen "masterpiece" 1946 clinker dinghy with sailing rig
- Rubber dingy with 4 hp outboard motor

2: Ben Scheurer
3-7: Nils Bergmann
Main & 8: SMP - Marine Traffic
9: Pingi Eisbar - Marine Traffic
10: Claus Schaef - Marine Traffic