Laurent Giles Vertue V40

Wooden Ships Comments on this Laurent Giles Vertue V40

The Vertue is one the most iconic British yacht designs of all time, examples of which have voyaged the world and proved themselves as incredible sea boats with capabilities far beyond their size.  This particular boat, Laurent Giles Vertue V40, is a very nice example, that has benefited from a regime of continuous maintenance and light use.

Designed by Laurent Giles and built by Stebbings of Burnham on Crouch in 1951.  She was built for the Festival of Britain exhibition in 1951 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_Britain) as an example of top class British boat building and craftsmanship, there are black and white photos of her being exhibited with her original varnished hull.  She was named ‘Festival Vertue’ when launched.

After this she remained in the same family for over  50 years, based in Essex, where she was very well maintained and had a major professional refit in 2005.  She then moved to Devon where she is now based and has been kept up to a very good standard by her diligent owners with professional help where required.  She has had only 4 fastidious owners since 1951

This is the short doghouse model giving a slightly larger cockpit and a bridge deck, ideal for weekend and day sailing.  The interior offers 2 comfortable berths and 6′ headroom plus a heads and galley, everything you need for local cruising and long weekends aboard.

Annual refits have been carried out each year for the current owner by a professional shipwright keeping her in good overall order. (Schedule is available)

Benefitting from a Nov 2022 Survey, the Surveyor concluded “Virtue Fidelis was generally found to be in very good order, particularly in view of the fact that the vessel is more than 70 years old.” and valued her at the price of £22,000

This is a very smart example of the Vertue in ready to go condition with a nice pedigree and history.

November 2022 survey available.

 

Length on Deck                 25’3″

Length Overall                   27′

Beam                                    7’2″

Draft                                      4’6″

Thames Tonnage             5TM

 

Refit during 2025/6  under cover for 18months as follows:

  1. New Standing Rigging
  2. New Running Rigging
  3. New VHF
  4. Electrical wiring all checked with new deck connections and cable to mast head.
  5. All deck timber work taken back to bare wood with 9 coats of Varnish to finish including mast.
  6. Hull repainted
  7. Repairs to transom as required
  8. Engine winterised.

Approximately £20,000 spent during this period

 

Refit during September to November 2022 as follows:

  1. Unstep mast and all rigging and standing rigging.
  2. Refit anti chafe covers to spreaders
  3. Rig Report carried out by Lee Rogers Rigging – See separate Report
  4. Complete mast refit back to bare wood with 9 coats of protection, re-painted steelwork as required.
  5. New wiring and fixings for mast head light and VHF ariel fitted.
  6. Bumpkin rigging shackles upgraded to load tested SS Shackles.
  7. A total of 11No Keel Bolts drawn and inspected.
  8. 3 No small Bronze false keel bolts checked in perfect condition – refitted in false keel.
  9. 8 No new EN8 (High Tensile strength Medium Carbon) Steel Spun Galvanised Ballast keel bolts machined and re-refitted with Linseed Oil/Red Led powder mix with Caulking and Sika at top and bottom of each keel
  10. Hull refurbished as required with small, localised repairs refit with graving pieces, plugs, red lead putty. Sacrificial timber keel forward of iron ballast keel re-bedded screwed and plugged.
  11. Repair to one area of underside of false keel using elm pieces.
  12. Hull – 2 coats of Sea Jet Primer No 15 and 2 coats of Sea Jet Anitfoul No 33 Applied
  13. Sea Cocks all checked and working.
  14. Mast base timber plate refurbished, primed and painted.
  15. Bumkin timber refurbished 6 coats of Epifanes
  16. New anode fitted plus new aft inboard anode support pad replaced.
  17. Deck repainted with Hempel Grip deck paint.
  18. Bulwark and covering Boards repainted with 2 coats Hempel white satin topcoat.
  19. Coach Roof, Coamings, Hatches, Handrails and Bulwark capping all varnished.
  20. Interior – Underside of T&G decking repainted with 2 coats of Zinsser sealing/priming paint and 2 coats of Antimould Paint topcoat.
  21. Independent professional survey carried out 7th November 2022 – Available on request.