Norman Dallimore Gaff Cutter

Full specification

Wooden Ships Comments on this Norman Dallimore Gaff Cutter

Designed by Norman Dallimore and built by W. King and Sons of Burnham -on-Crouch in 1924.

Taken on by the present professional shipwright owner in a poor state in 2015 and given a thorough refit which included a new stem, new keel bolts, new ring frame, new rig, sails and engine.  In 2018 a counter stern was added transforming her into an elegant and eye catching yacht.  It looks as if she has always had a counter and the way in which this has been done is excellent.

She has a most unusual yet original sliding teak dog house which can be pulled back over the cockpit for shelter but pushed right forward out of the way when sailing.  It has of course been completely rebuilt and looks like new but is exactly to the original design and is a very unique and interesting feature.

She has been sailed extensively with cruises around Brittany and the Scillies as well as racing in the 2018 Falmouth Classics where she won her class for 30′-40′ gaffers.

The interior fit out has been finished extremely well, keeping as much of the original pitch pine joinery as possible and complimenting it with new joinery in varnished oak.

This is a very elegant and nicely restored classic yacht with good pedigree in very sound condition.

Length on deck                 33’6″

Length Overall                   42′

Beam                                    8’1″

Draft                                      5’6″

Thames Tonnage             6TM

Construction

Carvel planked in 1″ Pitch Pine fastened with clenched copper nails to steamed Canadian Rock Elm timbers at 5″ centres.  New laminated stem fitted in the rebuild.

Counter stern added during the rebuild using larch planking with 12″ staggered scarphs.

Laminated oak floors across the centreline.  All but 2 replaced in the rebuild.

External iron ballast keel of approximately 3 tons fastened with iron keel bolts.  Bolts all new in 2015.

3/4 ton of internal lead trimming ballast.

Large laminated oak ring frame in way of the mast to spread the loads of the rig.

Straight laid 1.25″ Douglas fir deck on oak deck beams, sheathed externally in epoxy glass cloth.  Varnished teak toe rail and rubbing strake all round.  There is a small step in the deck aft of amidships giving slightly raised topsides forward, increasing the internal volume.

Varnished teak butterfly skylight just aft of the mast.

Very deep cockpit with varnished teak coamings.  She has a most interesting sliding dog house, newly built in varnished teak but to the original design which slides on bronze runners.  This comes aft to cover the majority of the cockpit, but when sailing can be pushed right forward o give on open and more spacious cockpit.  Conventional sliding varnished teak companion hatch.

Rig

Gaff cutter rig on a keel stepped hollow Douglas Fir mast, new in 2015.

Varnished Douglas Fir boom, gaff and bowsprit, all new in 2015.

Stainless steel standing rigging to external bronze chain plates.  Rigging new in 2015.

Running back stays on tackles, split into 3 parts to support the mast in multiple places.

Mainsail, topsail, 2 x jibs, staysail and storm jib.  All in good order.

Pair of Barlow non self tailing bronze cockpit sheet winches. 

Machinery

Bukh DV24 2cyl 24hp marine diesel.

Mechanical gearbox with twin lever bronze controls to a centreline fixed 3 blade bronze propeller gives 4.5 knots cruising speed.

Shaft, prop and stern tube new in 2015.

50 litre plastic Vetus fuel tank in port cockpit locker.

2 x 12 volt batteries under chart desk seat, charged from the engine alternator and a solar panel.

1 manual and 1 auto electric bilge pump

Accommodation

The rebuild kept as much of the original interior as possible, most of it being Pitch Pine that has now been stripped and oiled.  All new joinery is in varnished oak.

2 berths with 5’8″ headroom in the saloon.

Step down over the engine box with chart desk to port and galley to starboard.

Chart desk is new in oak, forward facing with lifting lids fore and aft.  Vertical grab post by the chart desk.

Galley has a mix of old and new joinery all very nicely put together.  Plastimo Neptune 2 burner gimballed gas stove with oven and grill.  Flat work space forward of this with a bronze pattern pump for fresh water.  Numerous storage drawers, lockers and shelves around the galley.

Port and starboard settee berths with skylight over.  Starboard side has all new oak joinery with shelf space and lockers in the seat backs.  All new upholstery in 2020.

Forward bulkhead and joinery all original in pitch pine.  Cast iron solid fuel cabin stove to starboard against the bulkhead.

Doorway to port into the forepeak with the heads and stowage.  Large cargo net to port for stowing sails and equipment.

Jabsco sea toilet discharges directly overboard.  Copper hand basin with manually pumped fresh water.

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.