Sailing yachts
W.G. McBryde ‘fifty-fifty’ Motor Sailer
(REF: 33135)£69950
Full specification
Wooden Ships Comments on this W.G. McBryde ‘fifty-fifty’ Motor Sailer
Striking with a distinctive silhouette, the Fifty Fifty cruiser—a phrase coined by the yacht designer W.G. McBryde—has been attracting the admiration of Scottish sailors for over 90 years. McBryde, though not one of the most famous Scottish yacht designers of his era, was well established as a designer of traditional power and sailing craft. Built for the family who owned the Gleniffer Marine Engine Manufacturing Company in Glasgow, the yacht was launched under the name GLENIFFER before reverting to the original intended name, GLENGOUR.
Purchased by the present owners in 2001, both highly experienced with wooden yachts, GLENGOUR has benefited from extensive re-fitting, refinishing, and sympathetic modernisation over the past 25 years. All work has been carried out to the highest standards, with an attention to detail rarely seen in a commercially restored vessel. A comprehensive history file accompanies the boat including the original lines plans. This remarkable piece of Scottish maritime history is now seeking her next custodian.
On file and available by request we hold a collection of additional photographs and a detailed list of the extensive work completed during the current ownership.
In yachting there is always compromise no matter what level you look at and rarely does that compromise yield such great results as with this yacht. Designed for the Scottish climate, her spacious hull of 15 Thames Tons in less then 40’ of length offers plenty of interior space out of the wet weather including a wheelhouse and inside helm, but she also has comfortable decks with outside seating and an outside helm position for the days of sunshine and a stiff breeze. Twin engines for easy manoeuvring and a comfortable 6 knots cruising speed, but also a tall ketch rig giving her very pleasing sailing performance. Shallow draft to get into smaller anchorages, but the hull form to give enough stability to stand up to her canvas. This is a design that very cleverly blends the benefits of motor yachts and sailing yachts accomplishing the best of both in one incredibly elegant yet practical vessel.
Length on Deck 39’3”
Length Waterline 35’
Beam 10’
Draft 4’11”
Displacement 13.6 tons
Thames Tonnage 15TM
DESIGNER’S COMMENTS:
Considering this craft as a sailing yacht, her sail spread is not large, but it is very efficient and one that is exceptionally easy to handle. She is able to go to windward and remarkably fast for a vessel of this type. Her firm bilges give good stability. The hull is a good compromise and excellent accommodation for four persons has been planned. Wheel steering is arranged in the companion deckhouse, and a tiller aft for use when under sail’
W.G. McBryde, ‘Forty Designs of Motor and Sailing Yachts’
A full copy of this book is included within the Glengour historical archive.
OWNERS COMMENT:
Glengour’s own website celebrates the essence of the boat and provides more information on McBryde’s unique design and on the builders, James Adam & Sons. There are insights into the boat’s rich history and snippets about the books, magazine articles, documents and plans that belong with the boat. You can see some interesting photos on the Shed Page from our extensive Restoration. Other webpages give a sense of the luxury of life aboard and how relaxing and fulfilling it feels to go cruising on Glengour. The Sailing and Updates Pages (with short video) give an idea of how well Glengour is performing with her recent feathering props and new sails.
Glengour is on the National Historic Ships Register and a search on their site for Glengour will bring up the boat’s DETAILS page, which has an active link to the boat’s website.
https://yachtglengour.wixsite.com/1934
In excellent condition with an airy wheelhouse, stunning cabins, twin engines and delightful sailing ability, Glengour is a rare gem. A stylish and rewarding boat to be part of. Or, as renowned naval architect and yacht designer, Uffa Fox, put it after some time spent aboard “…there is no doubt that McBryde has produced a wonderful little vessel in Glengour.”
Construction
Hull
Carvel planked in pitch pine. With oak centreline, stem and stern post.
Sawn oak frames are bronze screw fastened. Steamed Rock Elm timbers fastened with copper rivets.
Large grown oak floors across the centreline plus 1 new laminated iroko floor under the mast step. New iroko mast step spread across the floors.
External lead ballast keel fastened with bronze bolts. 2 keel bolts through the mast step are new.
Decks
Yacht laid solid teak screwed to the douglas fir deck beams. Oak deck beams in way of the main mast. Decks completely refitted, re-caulked and re-payed.
Scrubbed teak covering board and toe rail all round. Bronze dorade vent with teak vent box.
The deck is stepped in way of the wheelhouse giving more headroom and volume in the forward accommodation.
Custom made bronze stanchions from Colin Frake. Galvanised and painted pushpit and pulpit.
Aft deck has a pair of scrubbed teak deck lockers which double as thwarts.
Superstructure
Varnished teak wheelhouse and aft coachroof with bronze portlights let into the aft coamings.
Epoxy sheathed wheelhouse and coachroof decks finished in non-slip deck paint with scrubbed teak grab handles. Varnished teak aft hatch on the coachroof deck.
Varnished teak butterfly skylight and forehatch on the foredeck.
Rig
Bermudian masthead ketch rig on keel stepped varnished douglas fir masts. Both masts fitted with a hinge above deck level.
Both slab reefing booms new in varnished douglas fir with stack pack system and lazy jacks.
Varnished douglas fir varnished spinnaker pole.
Standing and Running Rigging
7×19 stainless steel wire rigging to internal stainless steel chain plates. Outer and inner forestay new in 2013.
ProFurl roller reefing system for genoa fitted new in 2013.
Sails
Mainsail – White dacron, slab reefing, Owen Sails (2022)
Mizzen – White dacron, slab reefing
Genoa – White dacron, roller reefing, Owen Sails (2024)
Winches
Primary Winches – 2x Gibb 40RC, bronze, two-speed
Main Mast Mounted Winches – 2x Lewmar 40, bronze, two-speed
Machinery
Engines
2 Yanmar 3GMF 22.5hp 3cyl marine diesel engines.
Both engines have indirect freshwater cooling.
Mechanical gearboxes with single lever controls to Aquadrive couplings. Pair of Darglow FeatherStream 3 blade feathering propellers fitted new in 2019. Gives 6 knots cruising speed.
Both engines fully serviced before launch in 2025. Exhaust systems refurbished with new injection elbows, some new hoses new and stainless steel transom outlets.
Port engine drives a hydraulic pump for the windlass.
Tanks
318 litres of diesel in 2 x stainless steel fuel tanks.
318 litres of fresh water in 2 x stainless steel fuel tanks.
Dipsticks to measure tank levels.
Batteries and Electrics
Separate 110ah 12 volt battery dedicated to engine starting.
2 x 110ah 12 volt domestic batteries.
Batteries charged from engine alternators or through the ENAG Switch Mode 12 amp 240 volt battery charger
Steering
Custom designed single-station hydraulic wheel steering fitted in current ownership.
Tiller on the aft deck can be used by isolating the hydraulic system.
Plumbing
Pressurised hot and cold water system with a calorifier connected to one engine.
Pumps
Henderson Mark V manual bilge pump
Rule-Mate 750gph automatic electric bilge pump.
Flojet Saltwater deck wash pump
Heating
Wallis 40DT diesel fired hot air cabin heating system. Thermostatic cabin controller with outlets in the saloon, heads and aft cabin.
Accommodation
Berths and Headroom
4 berths including a double in the aft cabin and 2 saloon settee berths.
General Description
Sliding doors either side of the wheelhouse for access. Helm to port with adjustable helmsmans seat, full length bench seat on the starboard side. Compact folding table for occasional dining in the wheelhouse stows in the aft cabin.
Steps down into the cabin from the wheelhouse going forward with chart desk to starboard and heads compartment to port.
Chart desk faces forward with an inlaid mahogany top and storage drawers below plus a navigators seat.
Panelled mahogany bulkheads separate off the main saloon which has been restored to the original layout with as much original joinery as possible.
Large saloon settee berth either side with buttoned burgundy velvet upholstery.
Centreline dropleaf varnished mahogany table.
Lockers and storage space at the forward end of the saloon all in stunning panelled mahogany.
The interior of the hull is panelled in original mahogany joinery giving a sumptuous feel to this saloon cabin.
Mahogany centreline door going forward into the galley which is located in the forepeak.
Aft cabin access via companionway on port side of the wheelhouse. Starboard side double berth runs full length of the cabin. Elegant varnished teak joinery to starboard under the side deck gives a dressing table with storage space below.
Galley
V-shaped galley built into the forepeak cabin. Taylors 030 paraffin stove on gimbals on the starboard side.
Mahogany work tops with a single stainless sink and hot and cold pressurised water.
85lt Isotherm 12 volt fridge on the port side. Lockers below the worktops
Heads
Blakes Victory sea toilet discharges directly overboard.
Counter top outboard with ceramic hand basin set in it with hot and cold pressurised water.
Equipment
Sestrel Moore steering compass
Garmin GPS Map556 chart plotter
NASA Clipper Duet sounder/log
ICOM IC-M441 DSC VHF
Lifebuoy with Danbuoy and light
Throwing line
Fire Blanket
Canister fog horn
Rule-mate 750gph auto electric bilge pump
Henderson Mk V manual bilge pump
Bower Anchor – 60lbs CQR anchor on 87m chain rode
PNP Duerr Tork Master hydraulic anchor windlass with gypsy and warping drum.
Mooring Warps – Selection
Fenders – Selection
Mainsail – White dacron, slab reefing, Owen Sails (2022)
Mizzen – White dacron, slab reefing
Genoa – White dacron, roller reefing, Owen Sails (2024)
Mainsail Cover – Stackpack type cover with lazyjacks and mast boot (2022)
Mizzen Cover – Stackpack type cover with lazyjacks and mast boot (2022)
Primary Winches – 2x Gibb 40RC, bronze, two-speed
Main Mast Mounted Winches – 2x Lewmar 40, bronze, two-speed
ProFurl roller furling genoa system
Varnished spinnaker pole
Fitted foredeck hatch cover
Fitted skylight cover with clear window panels and roll-down black out covers
Fitted covers for sliding wheelhouse hatches
Fitted aft deck hatch cover
Fitted cushions for aft deck storage boxes
Fitted cushion for aft bench seat
Bunk and berth cushions
Blakes Victory seas toilet
Taylors 030 paraffin galley stove
85lt Isotherm fridge
Calorifier tank for hot water
Wallas 40DT diesel fired hot air cabin heating system
Led internal lighting
Avon Rover 280 inflatable dinghy with oars, pump repair kit and carry bag
Stainless steel boarding ladder
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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.
