Colin Archer type Gaff Cutter

Full specification

Wooden Ships Comments on this Colin Archer type Gaff Cutter

Colin archer type gaff cutter built in 1932 by K. Christensen and Co. of Moen, Norway as a shrimp fishing boat for  a local fisherman, Peder Nielsen.   She worked as a fishing boat until 1978 with a short interlude at the end of WWII when some German soldiers commandeered her to escape home to Germany.  After 1978 she went through several owners when she was used as a house boat and as a sailing base for disadvantaged young people in Denmark.  Purchased by the present owners in 1989, she underwent a major refit in the 1990’s which was carried out very sympathetically with special attention being paid to the use of traditional materials and methods. The hull was stripped back to bare and repaired as necessary and a new interior fitted to suit the cruising home that she would become.  She was relaunched in 2000 and since that time the boat has cruised around Scandinavia and northern Europe before moving to Spain and Portugal in recent years where she is now based.

This is a very traditional and eye catching yacht with a rich and well documented history which has benefited from very diligent owners for the last 25 years.

Layout plans, rig plan and survey available upon request.

Length on Deck                 39’2″

Length Overall                   50′

Length Waterline             37’10”

Beam                                    14’9″

Draft                                      6’2″

 

 

Construction

 

Hull

Planked in 1 ¾” oak planking with some new Iroko replacement.  Heavy sawn pine frames in futtocks at 11″ centres with sawn oak frames in way of the engine and mast .  The hull is all trennel fastened with juniper below the waterline and Black Locust wood above.  Several planks and frames have been renewed since the 1990’s. Below and above the waterline.    Some of the new trennels are made of oak.  The hull planking is caulked and payed in traditional manner.

Heavy oak bilge stringers and beamshelf stretch the full length of the hull.

External steel shoe on the keel for protection with 3 tons of internal ballast in the form of galvanised punchings mixed in concrete between the frames.  The hull was treated with Stockholm tar and felt before concrete was poured.

Galvanised keel bolts through the back bone last drawn in 2000.  Grown pine floors across the centreline.

 

Decks and cockpit

Straight laid bilinga deck fastened to heavy oak or pine deck beams.  caulked seams payed with Jefferey’s Marine Glue, the whole deck is finished in non-slip deck paint.

Slightly raised painted coverboards with a low bulwark all round on stanchions through the coverboard with a varnished capping rail.  The capping rails curve down forward in the traditional Colin Archer manner.

Self draining cockpit well with seating at deck level.

 

Superstructure

 

There are three separate coachroofs, one just forward of the cockpit giving access to the aft cabin, a larger one stretching up to the mast and a forward coachroof over the saloon.

2 1/4″ Pine coachroof coamings bolted to the carlins.  Large bronze portholes, 15 in total of which 7 are opening.  Sliding hatches with washboards in the companionways.

Straight laid  coachroof decks, caulked and payed and finished in non-slip deck paint.

 

Rig 

Gaff cutter rig on a keel stepped solid larch mast.  Varnished Douglas Fir boom and bowsprit, white painted gaff yard and varnished topsail sprit and headsail pole.

Standing rigging in traditional galvanised  wire, parcelled, served and treated.  Forestay in 14mm stainless steel to take the hanks of the staysail.  Running backstays on 4:1 block and tackles.

Galvanised rigging screws to external galvanised chain plates.

The flying jib is on a Wyckham Martin reefing system from bowsprit end to masthead.  There is a double stainless wire in the luff of the flying jib.

 

Winches

A pair of bronze sheet  winches in the cockpit.  The sails are hoisted with block and tackle and a lot of rope (the mainsail is a one person job).

 

Sails

The majority of sails are from 2003 and are in good condition.  Full sail inventory available.

Mainsail

Topsail

Staysail

Jib

Storm jib

2 x spare foresails

 

 

 

Machinery

Engine

Lister Blackstone 60hp 4 cyl diesel from 1963.  A slow revving and very economical engine driving a large diameter  variable pitch propeller with twin lever controls for throttle and pitch.

Electric start with a manual option for emergencies.  Rev counter.

5 knots cruising speed at 2.5 lph, 7 knots max.

The engine has been well maintained over the years with a comprehensive list of this work  available.

 

Tanks

300l steel fuel tank midships

105l steel header tank above the engine.

 

Batteries

2 x domestic batteries and 2 x start batteries.  24 volt ships systems all round.  Batteries renewed in 2011 and 2013.

 

15a Mastervolt charger for use when connected to shore power.

 

 

Accommodation

Layout plan available upon request.

 

Berths

4 berths in 2 cabins plus 2 saloon settee berths.

 

She has a slightly unusual layout with a saloon in the bows, double berth and galley amidships and an aft sleeping cabin.

 

Aft cabin

The aft coachroof has a sliding hatch with companion steps into the aft cabin with the chart desk and navigation area to starboard against the forward bulkhead and twin V berths following the line of the hull.  There is a large amount of storage space around the aft cabin, and a pantry with a gas cooker and sink.

 

Main cabin

Companionway into the main cabin with centreline steps down. The engine room is reached through a separate hatch in the coachroof to port of the sliding hatch.  The engine can also be reached from the 3 other sides  ie: behind the steps, from the bathroom and from the aft cabin. To starboard is the heads compartment.

Forward of the heads is the galley to starboard.  To port is a good size double berth partly under the side decks.

Passageway to the port side of the mast going forward to the saloon with U-shaped seating around a varnished oak saloon table.  Lots of storage shelves behind the seating under the deck head.  Diesel stove to port.

6’6″ headroom in the saloon under the beams, 6’1″ headroom aft.

 

Galley

U-shaped galley to starboard amidships.  Gimballed Taylors paraffin 2 burner stove with oven.  Twin stainless steel galley sinks that gravity drain overboard with manually pumped fresh water. Also a salt water tap with foot pump.  Fridge.  Electric cooker. Ample storage lockers and drawers.

 

Heads

Lavac sea toilet with a 120l waste tank.  Single stainless sink with manually pumped fresh water.  Shower operated by a footpump and a saltwater tap with footpump (a hot shower is possible by filling the basin with hot water and using the footpump.   Full standing headroom in the heads.

 

 

Equipment

 

Navigation

Sestrel  Moore steering compass

NASA sounder

DSC VHF with AIS

Sailor VHF and radio

Autohelm 2000

Wind vane steering

Furuno GPS32

Hand bearing compass

Navtex

Barometer and clock

Wind indicator

Binoculars

 

Safety

6 man Seago life raft valid until 2018

4 life jackets

2 life buoys

MOB rescue system

3 x fire extinguishers

2 x Parachute signal rocket, red.  Expire 7/’17 and 8/’19

1 x orange buoyant smoke signal, expires 9/’16

3 Red handflares, in date.

 

Ground tackle

25kg Delta with 70m of 10mm chain

16kg Kobra – 9m of 10mm chain with 25m of warp

35kg Fisherman’s,  32m of 8mm chain

Manual windlass

 

Other

2.6m inflatable

Tohatsu 3.5hp outboard  (2009)

Several awnings

Sail covers

Mooring warps

Fenders

Manual and electric bilge pumps

 

Disclaimer:

These particulars have been prepared in good faith from information provided by the Vendors and are intended as a guide, Wooden Ships cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. The Purchaser should instruct his agent or surveyor to validate all details as necessary and satisfy himself with the condition of the vessel and its equipment.