40ft Victorian Gaff Yawl - Sold

The escapades of GULNARE are well documented in the Royal Cruising Club Journals of the 1930s when she proved herself time and again; cruising the West Country and Northern France - having recently undergone an extensive reStoration with a focus on original layouts above and below deck. She is, once again, a very special yacht - stunning detail above; including a solid teak deck, immaculate teak skylights (original), bronze winches and new sails - below she is charming, and apart from the addition of a chart table, the layout is original.

Much thought and quality has gone into the recent work on this boat - GULNARE has seen little use since completion...it is the next owner who will benefit!

GULNARE was one of the last boats to be built by Lymington Shipyards (became Berthon) before they were bought out by the Rev Thomas Berthon. She was launched on the 17 January 1900 and named QUEENIE (the original Lloyds Al certificate still exists). She was sold in 1901 to Mr F A Richards who renamed her GULNARE after a rock in western Scotland.

In 1906 she changed hands and was bought by Charles Cree, a barrister. He sailed her with his family until his death in 1920 when his son Donald Cree took over ownership. Donald, who was also a barrister, was Honorary Secretary of the Royal Cruising Club during the 1930's and beyond. There are many references to GULNARE in the Club’s journals including an interesting account of a cruise to France and the West Country in 1932 (copy available). Donald Cree moored the boat on the Hamble and she was well known in the Solent. The long family association ended in 1962 when she was sold to John Panton.

In 1970 she went to Swansea, where Bryn Fussell owned her. He and GULNARE had quite a reputation and there is a very nice account of her time in South Wales written by surveyor George Reohorn (copy available). He timed her once at 9knts held over a 2 hour period. It was during this time that her counter stem was badly damaged when she broke her mooring. In 1980 Anthony Whitehead bought her.

She was sold again in 1985 to Howard Haynes, an airline pilot, who kept her at Dickies in Bangor. Eventually, in1988 Michael Cartwright bought her back to the Hamble where he lived aboard her with his family. Eventually she was laid up ashore at Deacons Boat Yard for a number of years

The rebuild of GULNARE has been carried out using traditional shipwright techniques and is restored to her original condition.

The existing keel was retained as it was in sound condition and a 4” strong back was added to give extra strength. During work the keel and false keels were removed and then rebedded with new keel bolts. New oak stem, sternpost and deadwoods were also added.

GULNARE has double sawn oak frames – 60% of these were replaced during the rebuild and she was totally replanked in larch, fastened with silicon bronze screws and caulked with oakum.

A solid teak swept deck was also added – again fastened with silicon bronze and its seams caulked with cotton.

Carvel larch on oak

GULNARE’s deck layout is original, but her solid teak swept deck was new in 1998, as are her teak bulwarks and covering boards. At the bow the bowsprit passes through a bronze stemhead fitting. The horizontal anchor capstan is thought to date from the 1930s and is mounted behind the bowsprit heel fitting. There is the original Fishermans anchor, which stows on teak blocks fitted to the foredeck (portside of anchor capstan).

This vessel’s side deck is uncluttered and all coamings, hatches and skylights are teak and are original. Forward of the main mast is a large hatch to access the forward cabin. Aft of the main mast is a sturdy halyard pin rack.

The skylight over the main saloon is large and is joined to a large raised sliding hatch that provides access to the main saloon – instead of washboards there are two beautiful hinged shutters. Between the companionway and the cockpit there is the skylight over the aft cabin – a teak coaming runs around the cockpit area, allowing seating port and starboard (at deck level) and a bridge deck that joins the aft skylight.

GULNARE’s original brass steering compass is mounted on the bridge deck – below the bridge deck and in the cockpit are an Echopilot depth gauge, engine instrumentation and stern gland greaser. There’s also a port for the aft cabin – teak doors, when shut, conceal this bulkhead. Outboard of the cockpit coaming, port and starboard are 2 brass deck winches. There are 4 teak cleats fitted to coamings and pad eyes fitted to the aft deck with wooden check blocks for stretching the main sail. GULNARE is tiller steered and the rudder stock is forward of the mizzen mast on the aft deck – she has a bumpkin with a heel attachment just behind the mizzen.

5 berths in 3 cabins.

Although only 8ft beam, GULNARE does make the most of her interior volume and benefits from an owners/aft cabin, separate saloon and forward cabin. The cabin sole floor boards are teak, the deckheads and tongue and groove style bulkheads are painted white and there is varnished mahogany trim throughout. The traditional skylights, over the aft cabin and main saloon allow plenty of light below and good ventilation.

Entering GULNARE though the main companionway there is a set of 5 steps descending to the main saloon – this stairway forms part of the aft cabin floor and swings to allow access to the aft cabin.

The aft cabin has a quarter berth to port and chart table to starboard. There are varnished mahogany steps/seats port and starboard. On the centreline is the yacht’s distribution panel and battery isolator above the engine box. The engine box has a mahogany top allowing more space for charts. Also to starboard is a heads compartment with an original round seat Baby Blake WC.

Moving forward in the boat into the main saloon there are settee berths port and starboard with blue upholstery, storage lockers in the seat backs and shelving above. At the aft end of the saloon are lockers, port and starboard with elegant tiled counters and at the forward end of the saloon, to starboard, is a Taylor’s paraffin heater mounted on the bulkhead, again with green tiles surrounding the unit. There are brass lanterns fixed to the forward bulkhead port and starboard.

The forward cabin houses a galley area - there is a sink to port with brass hand pumps and a Taylors paraffin cooker (2 burner and warming oven) to starboard. Forward of this area is a double V berth and an entrance into the anchor locker through the most forward bulkhead – teak planking attached to the vessels frames are used to good cosmetic effect in this area. There is also a forward hatch in the deck head and deck prism providing natural light

Beta Marine BD722 marine diesel (flexible mounted) driving a hydraulic pump which in turn drives motors for 2 wing mounted propellers

This arrangement gives good flexibility with exceptional manoeuvrability under power.

Anchors
Pumps
Galley
Heater
45 lb CQR, 601b fishermans with 50metres of chain
Original brass steering compass
Taylor’s paraffin cooker, 2 burner plus warming oven, stainless steel sink with brass hand pumps.
Taylor’s diesel heater
Lighting - Electric plus original Oil lamps
Heads - Original round seat Baby Blake
Electronics - VHF radio, depth sounder
Water tank - 40 gallons
Diesel tank - 20 gallons

New cream sails by Terry Ratsey
Mainsail
Staysail
2 x jibs
Mizzen
Bronze sheet winches
Highfield levers and Wickham Martin jib furling gear