Sailing yachts
William Kings & Sons Gaff Sloop
(REF: 32340)£18500
Full specification
Wooden Ships Comments on this William Kings & Sons Gaff Sloop
21’ double ended gaff sloop built by William Kings & Sons of Burnham-on-Crouch in 1932.
Very nicely built and highly interesting yacht, impeccably well maintained in long experienced ownership. This little yacht sails beautifully, is very easily handled and has won many gaffers races.
This special little yacht went through a major renovation in 2002 with a professional shipwright, and since that time has been diligently maintained by her meticulous owners with many recent upgrades and repairs. The boat has been avidly cruised as well with trips north from her Welsh base, exploring the west coast of Scotland, Ireland and south to Brittany and Cornwall.
Far more capable and seaworthy then some would assume from her short length on deck, this is a particularly interesting yacht in superb condition and fully equipped ready to sail away this season.
Length on Deck 21’ / 6.4m
Length Overall 27’9” / 8.46m
Length Waterline 20’7” / 6.27m
Beam 6’9” / 2.06m
Draft 4’ / 1.22m
Displacement 4 tons
Sail Area 300sqft
History
Shearwater has an interesting history. She is based on the 1895 Pengelly & Gore of Teignmouth designed & built 18ft double ender ‘Snipe’. Her designer Abraham Pengelly was said to be one of the best boat builders of the time (and interestingly the young Morgan Giles started his career around this time learning from Pengelly & Gore). Snipe was owned by the well-known yachtsman & author Francis B Cooke for a number of years around 1900. She was described affectionately in virtually all of his books, and he said she was probably the best boat he owned in some seventy years or so of sailing.
The person who purchased Snipe from Francis B Cooke, after almost 30 years of ownership, decided to have a larger version built, and it was essential she should have all of Snipe’s excellent qualities, so her lines were taken off by Kings of Burnham and Shearwater came into being in 1932. Kings did a wonderful job building her out of the finest materials. Shearwater is mentioned in the books as performing equally well, which has been confirmed many times since in the many cruises she has undertaken and classics races she has won.
Another previous owner, an ex pilot for Imperial Airways in the 1930s, lived aboard Shearwater for 16 years, and one one occasion made a trip from Isle of Man back to the mainland with a MV Agusta motorbike and dog aboard! Any information gathered on Shearwater’s history will be passed on to new owner.
The current owners have renovated Shearwater, kept her to a high standard, and have been on many adventures with her around Anglesey and as far as Brittany and the Outer Hebrides. She is now looking for a new owner to love and take care of her and enjoy new adventures of their own.
Recent maintenance
- Interior cabin coachroof deck head, deck beams, galley and under side decks repainted and re-varnished to high professional standard 2023
- Exterior varnish and paintwork always maintained to high standard
- New flexible water tank (Plastimo, 50l) 2024
- Engine oil change/service every year. Last service Oct 2024
- New Yanmar engine water pump 2024
- New Airmar bronze depth transducer 2024
- New fuel lines (Lloyds Register approved Marine fuel hose) and shut off valve 2022
- New Fuel Tank 33l 2022
- New Morse engine controller 2022
- New cutlas bearing, stern gland and packing 2022
- New anchor chain (50 metres of 8mm chain) 2022
- New Rigging (stainless steel) 2022
- New VHF aerial 2022
- New engine start battery (Yuasa 65Ah) 2022
- New domestic batteries (2 x 70Ah = 140Ah total) 2020
- New manual bilge pump (whale gusher urchin) 2022
- New mast June 2013 from professional shipwright
- Renovated 2002 by professional shipwright
– Numerous ribs replaced
– Re-caulking where necessary
– New sampson post
– Whole exterior scraped to bare wood and coatings re-applied after applying 3 coats of wood preservative
– Ballast keel re-bedded and new keel bolts added
– Plank end (hood end) fastenings replaced with Silicone Bronze screws
- Winterised ashore each year under a bespoke winter cover, after servicing all systems, winterising engine, and with all hatches open to ensure good ventilation throughout the boat. Batteries removed and kept indoors fully charged every winter.
Construction
Hull
Pitch pine planking all copper rivet fastened to steam bent elm timbers.
Centreline structure of oak and elm.
Grown oak floors across the centreline.
External cast iron ballast keel
Decks and Cockpit
Straight laid T&G decks over pitch pine deck beams. Sheathed externally in traditional canvas and finished with non-slip deck paint.
Deep non self draining cockpit with varnished teak coamings and thwarts.
Storage lockers in cockpit with under thwart storage and a lazarette locker under the aft deck.
Superstructure
Varnished teak coachroof coamings with a T&G coackroof deck on pitch pine deck beams. Coachroof deck sheathed externally in traditional canvas and finished in deck paint.
Rig
Gaff sloop rig on a keel stepped varnished Douglas fir mast. Mast new in 2013.
Varnished wooden boom with Turners roller reefing system.
Standing and Running Rigging
Stainless steel standing rigging all new in 2022. Set up with lanyards to external bronze chain plates.
Traditional 3 strand running rigging with halyards led aft to the cockpit so sails can be easily raised and lowered from the cockpit.
Wykeham Martin roller furling system on the jib.
Sails
Gaff mainsail, No.1 jib and No.2 jib
Machinery
Engine
Yanmar 1GM10 installed new in 2004. Fully serviced.
Stainless steel shaft to a centreline fixed 2 blade bronze propeller. Prop can be locked in vertical position to reduce drag when sailing.
Tanks
33 litre plastic fuel tank with water separator filter.
50 litre Plastimo flexible water tank. New 2024.
Batteries and Electrics
65ah engine start battery, new 2022.
2 x 70ah domestic batteries, new 2020.
All charged from the engine alternator
5 watt solar panel.
Pumps
Rule 500GPH auto electric bilge pump
Whale Gusher Urchin manual bilge pump, new 2022.
Accommodation
Berths and Headroom
2 berths with sitting headroom.
Space for a 3rd sleeping space on the cabin sole with a camping mat as has been used frequently by the current owners.
General Description
Small step down into the cabin from the cockpit. Chart area to starboard and galley space to port.
2 settee berths in the main cabin with lee cloths. Storage space beneath the bunks.
Small table folds out to the centreline when in use.
Forepeak is given over to storage space with room for fenders etc.
Galley
Simple galley space with a single burner Primus paraffin stove on 2 way gimbals. Shelving and drinking water tap.
Equipment
Plastimo steering compass
Raymarine i40 depth sounder (new Airmar bronze transducer 2024)
ICOM IC-M423G DSC VHF
AIS Class B Transponder – Digital Yacht AIT3000 AIS Transponder/Receiver (wifi connection to tablet or similar)
Raymarine ST2000+ tiller pilot
Deck level nav lights and masthead anchor light
Radar reflector
Rule 500GPH auto electric bilge pump
Whale Gusher Urchin manual bilge pump, new 2022.
Fire extinguisher
Fire blanket
First aid kit
20lb CQR anchor + 50m of 8mm chain (2022)
8kg Danforth + 8mm chain + warp
Mooring warps
7 x Fenders
Mainsail
No.1 jib
No.2 jib
Mainsail cover
Wykeham Martin roller furling system
Turners roller furling on the boom
Bunk and berth cushions
Primus paraffin stove
Flexible water tank with manual tap.
Heads bucket
Saloon table
12 volt charging sockets
12 volt cabin lighting
3 x 10l water containers
Winter cover
Cockpit cover
Deck bucket
Boat hook
Seago 230 inflatable dingy with oars
Assorted spares and toolbox
65ah engine start battery, new 2022
2 x 70ah domestic batteries, new 2020
5 watt spectra solar panel
Spare fuel containers
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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.
