Miller Fifer Ketch

Full specification

Wooden Ships Comments on this Miller Fifer Ketch

Designed and built in 1979 by Millers of St Monance.

The yard built both fishing boats and yachts, mostly to in-house designs by James Miller.  They ranged in size from 26’ upwards, this being one of the largest of the class.  The miller Fifers were built on fishing boat scantlings with heavy frames and planking making them robust and capable boats.

This yacht was one of the last built at the yard and is a fine big volume yacht.  She has a nice looking hull a surprisingly tall rig.  Inside and outside helm positions allow for great flexibility, the crew being able to shelter in the wheelhouse during inclement weather, or enjoy the fresh air and helm from the deck.  She has a large modern Perkins diesel installed new in 2006. This is a very easily handled boat that could be single handed.

The accommodation and interior space of this yacht is quite unusual, she has 3 separate sleeping cabins, each with 2 berths which is hardly ever found in a yacht of this length.  The wheelhouse has a comfortable deck saloon with good visibility and space.

She is a highly versatile yacht, capable of long distance cruising or simply to be used as a country cottage afloat.  Given a major overhaul since 2018 she is now in good shape and ready for the next owners.  Full details of all work done in recent years available.

Survey carried out on October 2021, copy available for potential purchasers.

Length on deck                                 43’

Length Waterline                             40’

Beam                                                    12’3”

Draft                                                      5’9”

Displacement                                    16 tons

Construction

Carvel planked in 1 3/8” mahogany planking above the waterline iroko below.  Sheathed with cascover below the waterline from new.

Fastened with galvanised boat nails to massive sawn oak frames of approximately 6” square in futtocks.  Frames rise to about 9” moulded depth in the bilge.  Approximately 12” centres.

Sawn oak floors across the centreline side fastened through the frames.

External lead ballast keel.  Galvanised keel bolts, 4 drawn in 2020 and inspected, found to be in good order.

Yacht laid teak deck joggled to a mahogany king plank and screwed to a plywood subdeck, seams payed with butyl rubber.  Varnished mahogany cover boards.  Foredeck is raised with a step at the forward end of the wheelhouse.

Varnished mahogany wheelhouse, built new in 2013 with a sheathed plywood roof.

Aft coachroof over the aft cabin with mahogany coamings.  Coachroof deck and deck beams all new in 2019.

Inside and outside helm positions with Mathway rod steering system.

Rig

Bermudan ketch rig on deck stepped varnished spruce masts.  Both masts have been stripped and re-varnished in 2018 and 2020.

Varnished spruce slab reefing booms.

Stainless steel standing rigging, all new in 2018, to internal chain plates.

Schaeffer 2100 roller furling headsail system.

Mainsail, mizzen and headsail in white terylene, recently serviced and cleaned.  Asymmetric spinnaker with snuffer.

Pair of bronze Lewmar 24 2-speed top action winches on the main mast tabernacle.

Pair of bronze Lewmar 2-speed top action winches on the mizzen mast tabernacle.

Pair of bronze Lewmar 44 self tailing winches on the corners of the aft coachroof.

Machinery

Perkins Sabre M130C 115hp 6cyl diesel installed new in 2006.  Professionally serviced and maintained.

Walk in engine room with lots of space and good all round access to the machinery.

Centreline fixed 3 blade bronze propeller.

2 steel fuel tanks in the engine space with a total capacity of 300 gallons (1350 litres).  Recently accessed and cleaned in 2018.  Racor fuel filter.

Steel water tank of 200 gallons in the engine space.

6 x 12 volt 110ah batteries for engine starting and domestics.  The engine start and domestics are on 24 volt systems.  Batteries charged from the 60amp engine alternator.

16amp Victron 240 volt battery charger runs off shore power.  Charger has a Bluetooth app for analysis of battery charging and condition.

Accommodation

6 berths in 3 sleeping cabins.

All new upholstery throughout.

Starboard side steps into the wheelhouse.  Table to port with L-shaped seating around it.

Helm position to port.

Starboard side steps down into the galley.  L-shaped galley to starboard with a single stainless sink with pressurised hot and cold water.  Work surface with varnished teak cupboards below.  Varnished teak locker on the bulkhead.  2 burner gas stove with oven and grill on the port side, set on gimbals.

Port side of the galley is a twin guest cabin with a single berth below and pipecot above.

Moving forward with heads compartment to starboard and centreline door into the fore cabin.

Heads compartment has a Blakes Lavac sea toilet which discharges either overboard or into a new black waste tank under the cabin sole.  Hand basin with hot and cold pressurised water.  Shower with full standing headroom, teak grating below, waste pumped overboard.

Forecabin has twin V-berths with storage below and a hanging locker.  Anchor locker in the bows.

Aft cabin access though a hatch on the aft coachroof with a ladder down.  2 single berths with full standing headroom.  Heads compartment has a Blakes Lavac sea toilet which discharges directly overboard.  Hand basin with hot and cold pressurised water.

Access to engine room through forward bulkhead of aft cabin.

Full specification and details available upon request

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.