Itchen Ferry Gaff Cutter

Full specification

Wooden Ships Comments on this Itchen Ferry Gaff Cutter

Built in 1898 by Hayles on the Isle of Wight on lines of the Itchen Ferry but as a gentlemans yacht.

Discovered as a derelict wreck in the late 1980’s, a complete professional rebuild commenced that eventually saw the boat re-launched in 2003.  The hull and decks were rebuilt from the bottom and she is now in superb structural condition.  Purchased a few years ago by the current professional shipwright owner who has improved the boat immensely and brought her up to a very high standard of finish inside and out.

The rig required attention and she has had a new set of sails, new running and standing rigging plus various alterations to improve the overall condition and performance of the rig.

There is little to do apart from continued work on the cosmetics as would be expected on any boat of this type.

The interior offers a surprising amount of space for a boat of only 22′ in length with 3 good sized berths, heads and a galley.  The cockpit has space for 3 comfortably while sailing and is deep enough to feel safe and secure.

A beautifully presented and very pretty gaff cutter with a well documented history in superb condition inside and out. 2020 survey report available.  Lots of history and documentation going back to 1914 with logs from various cruises.

Back on the market after only 1 season due to family circumstances.

Length on Deck                 22’6″

Length Overall                   30′

Length Waterline             21′

Beam                                    8’6″

Draft                                      4’6″

Construction

Carvel planked in Larch above and Elm below the waterline, all bronze screw fastened to sawn oak frames.

Topsides are splined for a fair finish.

Grown oak floors across the centreline on every other frame, fastened with bronze screws and bronze throat bolts.

External lead ballast keel held with bronze keel bolts, new when launched in 2003.  Internal ballast in the form of lead ingots, recently re-cast so it stows more neatly and securely.

Semi-swept laid Douglas Fir deck glued with epoxy over a marine plywood subdeck and seams paid with Sikalfex.  Varnished Teak coverboards and toe rail with varnished Iroko rubbing strakes.

New bronze fairleads bow and stern with a bronze mushroom vent on the foredeck.

Nicely proportioned coachroof with curved forward corners.  Varnished teak coamings with a sheathed plywood coachroof deck.  New varnished teak sliding entrance hatch and delightful varnished teak butterfly skylight and new varnished teak grab rails.

Cockpit with varnished teak coamings and curved aft corners.  Thwarts either side that hinge up to access lockers below.

Transom hung rudder, recently overhauled with a new stainless cap.  Varnished wooden tiller.

Rig

Gaff cutter rig on a solid varnished wooden keel stepped mast.

Varnished wooden boom, gaff and bowsprit .

Satin finish stainless steel standing rigging, new in 2018 by Lee Rogers of Dartmouth with hand spliced and leathered eyes.  Pair of shrouds each side to the hounds onto external galvanised chain plates.  Newly fitted cap shrouds over a set of galvanised spreaders to external bronze chain plates.  All bronze bottle screws.

Running backstays in Dyneema on 3:1 tackles.

Running rigging all new in 2018.

New suit of sails in white terylene by Paul Martin of Faversham including mainsail, main topsail, staysail and jib. Topsail in a green terylene.  Older and larger white main topsail.

Second mainsail and staysail, as new condition, by James Lawrence.

Mainsail fastened to the mast with new wooden mast hoops.

Jib and staysail on Wickham Martin bronze furling gear.

New teak boom crutch with bronze deck cleats fitted.  Mainsail sheets to a galvanised horse on the aft deck.

Machinery

Beta Marine 13.5hp 2 cylinder diesel installed and first commissioned in 2003.

Located under the cockpit sole with good access.

Single lever controls and centreline shaft to a fixed 3 blade bronze propeller.

45 litre plastic fuel tank under aft deck with filters.

Single 12 volt battery for engine starting and domestics, charged from the engine alternator.  Battery new in 2018.

Accommodation

Surprisingly spacious accommodation for a boat of this length due to the generous beam.  Hull recently painted throughout the saloon and forepeak.

3 berths including 2 settee berths and a single in the forepeak.

Steps down into the main cabin.  Galley area either side with a Plastimo 2 burner gas stove with grill to port and a stainless sink to starboard.  Manual bronze water pump from a nylon water tank under the starboard berth.  Good storage lockers.

Main saloon with a settee berth either side and plenty of light from the skylight above.

New scrubbed teak cabin sole boards.

Port side door into the forepeak with a single berth to port and heads to starboard.

Heads is  a Jabsco manual sea toilet which discharges directly overboard.  Sitting headroom here under the foredeck.

Equipment

Sestrel bulkhead steering compass

Echo sounder

VHF radio

Clock and barometer

Manual bilge pump

Auto electric bilge pump

CQR anchor

Fishermans anchor

38m of galvanised chain

Warps

Fenders

New cockpit cover

New skylight and forehatch cover.

Plastimo gas stove

Stainless sink with bronze manual pump

Bunk and berth cushions

Jabsco manual sea toilet

2 x mainsails, 2 x staysails, 1 jib, 1 small topsail and 1 large topsail

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.