Gaff Cutter, ex Mevagissey Lugger

Full specification

Wooden Ships Comments on this Gaff Cutter, Ex Mevagissey lugger

Built in Porthleven in 1920 by local yard Gilbert and Oliver as a fishing vessel, she was commissioned by the Brown Brothers and fished out of Mevagissey until 1965.  She was used as a pilchard driver and had been one of the biggest fishing boats in Mevagissey for a long time.

Bought by the present owner in 1994 who undertook a major rebuild between 1995 – 1997 which included replacement of a lot of planking and some frames, new deck, new doghouse, new engine and systems and a new interior.  Naval Architect Oliver Van Meer was employed to oversee the project and he came up with the plans to add the dog house and also drew the new gaff cutter rig.  This was designed to make light work of short handed sailing with the boat and although not totally traditional it is extremely effective.

The rig was added in 2004 and for the last 10 years she has been cruised extensively around the southern North Sea and UK, being tested on several occasions in severe weather.

The deck and superstructure configuration is not to a traditional design however it does help create a very comfortable and practical yacht giving a lot more space below than is normally found in converted fishing boats of this type and she now has a cockpit rather than standing on the open deck as is normal.  The sheathed plywood construction makes for a low maintenance and totally watertight structure which can only be a positive feature.

 

Construction:

Oak, iroko and larch planking on oak frames.   Watertight bulkheads.  6 tons lead ballast.

 

Deck and cockpit

Marine plywood screwed and glued to solid deck beams and finished with epoxy sheathing.

 

High bulwark all round on stanchions with a scrubbed teak capping rail.  Manual windlass mounted on the deck forward just aft of the heavy bitts holding the heel of the bowsprit.

 

Self draining cockpit with a deep well right at the aft end.  Hydraulic wheel steering to a transom hung oak rudder with emergency tiller steering.  Bronze compass binnacle mounted on the wheel pedestal with deep lockers under the thwarts either side.

 

 

Doghouse

Marine plywood on a hardwood frame, all epoxy sheathed.   Double glazed windows all round.

 

 

Rig

 

Gaff cutter rig designed by Oliver Van Meer.  High aspect gaff with hollow glued spars to make handling of the rig much easier and lighter.

 

Galvanised wire standing rigging, parcelled and served in the traditional manner to dead eyes and lanyards.  External iron chainplates, all removed and refastened.

Pin rails for running rigging.  Self tailing winches and jammer cleats mounted on the capping rail take much of the hard work out of handling the rig with jib and staysail sheets led back to these.  Running backstays on 4:1 block and tackles, with all halyard falls coming to pinrails on the bulwark in way of the shrouds.

 

Roller furling jib and a hanked on boomed staysail making handling the headsails an easy task.

 

Main is set on mast hoops with stretchers on the halyard falls to aid setting the main.

 

 

 

Machinery:

Kubota 62hp 5 cyl diesel.   Max rpm 2800.   1200 hrs running.

ZF Hurth hydraulic gearbox with an Aquadrive coupling to stainless steel centreline shaft.   20” fully feathering Maxprop.   Engine compartment is under the floor of the doghouse which can all be lifted to give good access.

 

Tanks

Fuel – 1 x 650 ltrs,  1 x 450 ltrs with double independent water separator systems.

Waste – 320 litre waste tank.

Water –  600 ltrs in Stainless steel tank.  Pressure pump and foot pump.  Pressure fed engine powered calorifier for hot water to shower and galley.

 

Batteries

12v system and 230v AC through inverter/charger combi unit.

120 amp alternator on engine.

All batteries are Gel type with 1 dedicated engine starter and 2 x 220ah domestic batteries.

 

 

Accommodation

 

Interior has been completely re-designed and rebuilt to make the most of the space offered in the hull.  The addition of the dog house is not particularly traditional but does hugely increase the space in the boat and makes her much lighter and easier to move around in.  The joinery has been finished with white panels and oak trim which helps with the feeling of space and light.

 

6/8 berth accommodation.  Doghouse with 2 sofas, each 1.3m length.   Aft cabin with double berth.

Saloon with U shaped settee and table which converts to a double berth.  Forward cabin  with twin V-berths.

 

Chain locker forward with storage.

 

Galley

Located to starboard as you descend from the dog house in to the main cabin.  Force 10 3 burner gas stove with oven and grill.   Large freezer/fridge cooled by Danforth compressor.   Single S/S sink.  Ample locker storage around the galley.

 

Heads

Baby Blake.   320L waste tank with deck suction outlet.

 

Saloon

Comfortable seating area around the drop leaf table that can be converted to a good double berth.  Dickinson diesel cabin heater.

 

 

Inventory:

 

Ground tackle

20kg Bruce anchor

50mx 13mm chain

Simpson Lawrence anchor winch

 

Navigation

Antenna system: RR Electronic Hawai 3G, configured for GSM and Navtex

Garmin GPS 152 [standby]

Sailor RT144 VHF

Raymarine ST290 speed/depth/watertemp

Raymarine E120 chartplotter/radar/GPS

Raymarine SX-10 core pack with gyro and fluxgate

Raymarine ST7002 Autopilot + S100 wireless remote

Sestrel Compass with internal electric[dimmable] and oil lighting

Wind meter [on sound, no moving parts, integrated in plotter]

Top three color sailing/anchor/strobe light OGM LED [US Coast Guard approved]

Navigation traditional and steam lights brass LED converted

 

Safety

RFD Seasava 6 man liferaft in hard container

 

Gear

Inflatable dinghy

4hp 4 stroke outboard

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.