Loch Fyne skiff gaff cutter

Full specification

Wooden ships comments on this Loch Fyne skiff type gaff cutter

G.L. Watson design, built by Alan Edmunds on the Isle of Skye, Scotland in 1984.

 

A Scottish boat builder had 2 sets of frames sawn to build two fishing boats. He built one and sold the other frame set to Skye boat builder Alan Edmunds who completed the build in 1984.

The plan was to finish her as a yacht and sell her prior to completion so that the fit-out could be done to the new owner’s requirements.

In the event, Alan completed her as a fishing boat and went fishing for two seasons.

The vessel was then sold by Wooden Ships to the present owner in 1989. He based himself on Skye for a couple of seasons and worked with Alan to fit the vessel out as a gaff cutter.

Since leaving Skye, the yacht has sailed in present ownership to Norway in the north and all round the Med to the south on an extended 20 year, live-aboard voyage and finally returned to Dartmouth in 2011.

A massively robust vessel, much bigger than her dimensions indicate, she is perhaps not a show piece but she will take her crew anywhere in the world where there is enough water to float her.

 

Construction

The hull design is inspired by the early Loch Fyne Skiff sailing fishing boats traditional to the West Coast of Scotland a century ago with their generous beam, exaggerated drag to the keel, straight stem, distinctive pointed stern and steeply raked stern post with the rudder hung on the back.

Planked in 1 ¼” larch, all fastened with galvanised boat nails to 5” x 2” sawn oak frames at 14” centres.

Oak back-bone. External iron ballast.

Shallow bilge keels under the bilge spread the loads if allowed to dry out on her side on a beach.

Two port holes in the hull port side, one to stbd in way of the galley.

In the fitting out the topsides were raised by a plank to the level of the original bulwark rail.

The deck was laid in a straight-laid iroko, caulked and payed with white putty.

All deck fittings are massively heavy and strong.

A small coach-roof was built aft leaving plenty wide clear deck space.

Two opening bronze port holes in the coach-roof coamings each side.

Traditional sky-light on the coach-roof with hand rails each side.

Oiled Iroko fore hatch on the fore deck.

Nicely formed galvanised steel guard rails all round the deck edge.

Nicely radiussed cock-pit coamings with seat lockers each side deep in the self-draining cock-pit giving shelter and a great sense of security.

Voluminous lockers each side under the seats.

Step to the cabin entrance with sliding hatch and twin glazed doors.

 

A curious spray-hood built more recently in wood and Perspex looks odd but gives total shelter to the cock-pit and can be easily and quickly removed if unwanted.

 

Rig

Gaff cutter rig on solid pine, keel-stepped pole mast finished with linseed oil.

Heavy oak pin rail round the mast takes the throat and peak falls and topsail rigging.

Solid pine slab-reefing boom with massive jaws.

Painted galvanised steel push-pit incorporating a sheet horse over the rudder-head takes the main sheet.

Solid pine gaff with leathered galvanised steel gaff saddle.

Running bowsprit set through a leathered gammon iron to stbd of the stem post and heeled between twin Sampson post blocks incorporating the chain windlass.

Bob-stay on tackle, twin guys and a net under the bowsprit.

 

Served galvanised rigging wire set up with dead-eyes and lanyards to external galvanised chain plates.

Stemhead fore stay set up with dead-eyes and lanyards.

Jib on roller furling gear set up  to the end of the 10′ running  bowsprit

Traveller on the bowsprit.

Running back-stays on Davey’s bronze levers.

Pair of large bronze LJ self tailing sheet winches at the cock-pit coamings.

Pair of small bronze LJ self tailing sheet winches at the cock-pit coamings.

Deck derrick set up on a mast band round the base of the mast, stows vertically up the face of the mast.

 

All sails in red terylene by William Leitch of Tarbert, Loch Fyne.

Mainsail     1996 .

Staysail     1996

Jib on roller furling gear

 

 

Perkins 4236 75hp 4-cylinder fresh water cooled diesel on the centre-line to conventional centre-line shaft drive with 4-blade prop.

Single lever controls

Twin alternators with Adverc smart charge regulator

3 x 12v batteries.

Fuel Tanks

1 x 15 gallon stainless steel fuel tank in starboard cockpit locker

2 x 22 gallon flexi fuel tanks under saloon settees

Water Tanks

2 x 18 gallon water tank under saloon settees

1 x 25 gallon rigid plastic water tank forward

 

Accommodation.      4 berths (optional 5th on the work bench)

 

Saloon cabin with port and stbd settee berths.

Port saloon berth extends out to make a double berth

Water tanks under the settees.

Good locker space both sides under the side decks behind the settees.

 

Galley in the after stbd corner with smart stainless steel, 2-burner grill and oven gimballed gas cooker, bottles on deck with hi/low pressure regulator.

Stainless steel sink/drainer with drop-in hardwood chopping board lid.

Foot pump cold water supply, hand pump overboard discharge doubles as bilge pump.

Chart desk in the after port corner

 

Wide step surface over the engine between chart desk and galley provides excellent work surface, fiddle rail all round.

The coach-roof covers the whole of the saloon cabin area to give over 6’ head-room.

Oiled hardwood panelled faces to the lockers, white painted deckhead.

Diesel fired Reflex cabin heater against the fwd bulkhead behind the mast with hot water coil.

Passageway forward up the stbd side.

Passageway fold-up pipe cot hinges off the hull side with rigid water tank under.

Heads compartment opposite to port with Blakes Victory sea toilet, porcelain hand basin and tiled bulkheads.

Insulated HW calorifier tank in the fwd corner heated from diesel Reflex cabin heater.

Shower off the basin mixer taps. Waste drains to the bilge.

Pressurised H&C water supply with accumulator tank.

Approx 50 galls fresh water in flexi tanks under the saloon settees.

 

Fore peak with work bench to port, doubles as an extra berth.

Head-room at the bench under the fore hatch.

Bitts and chains forward.

All exposed hull sides show her very strong construction.

Equipment

Sestrel Major compass

Icom VHF DSC

Nasa sounder

100m 3/8th galvanised chain

35lb CQR anchor

Danforth anchor

30m 5/8th chain carried in the bilge for emergency

Warps and fenders

Inflatable dinghy with oars

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.