21ft. HARRISON BUTLER Z FOUR-TONNER BERMUDIAN SLOOP – 1939 – Well Maintained – Long Ownership – Lying: Chichester Harbour
Overall Length: 21ft. 9ins
Waterline: 19ft,.
Beam: 7ft 2ins
Draught: 4ft
Displacement: 4 Tons T M
Engine: 13hp Beta Diesel
Berths: Two Berths plus pipecots
Sail: Bermudian Sloop Rig
Designer: Dr. T Harrison Butler
Builder: Alfred Lockhart Marine
Year Built: 1939
21ft HARRISON BUTLER ZYKLON DESIGN BERMUDIAN SLOOP – COBBER
A Harrison Butler Z Four -Tonner with raised topsides.
Built 1939 by Alfred Lockhart Marine, Brentford, in pine on oak frames.
Registered (Part I) at London (originally as Wraith, changed in 1948 to Cobber)
official number 167239.
Harrison Butler Association Certificate of Authentication no. 1, Association Sail no. HB Z435
COBBER is one of the 50 or so Z Four-Tonners built by batch production over 1938-39, to
the Zyklon design of Dr. T. Harrison Butler, in a joint enterprise between Alfred
Lockhart and Captain O.M.Watts. Some half-dozen of these were built from
scratch with, instead of the traditional side-decks and coach-roof, integral raised
topsides and flat deck, full-width coachroof which makes for both easier deck-work and far more
accommodation below. COBBER benefits from being one of these. She is number
Z35 and has been in her current ownership since 1981, now regretfully for sale
following the death of one of the joint owners.
LOA 21ft, beam 7ft 2ins, draught 4ft 6ins.
Long keel with cast-iron exterior ballast. Keelbolts last replaced in 2005, sample
inspected 2018 and 2021, found not to need replacing.
Tiller steered with rudder hung from the small, pretty transom and sternpost
Sloop rigged with 3/4 foresail. Terylene mainsail, working jib and genoa, and nylon
spinnaker.
Varnished wooden hollow mast in Sitka Spruce, replaced in 2008, deck- mounted in
galvanised tabernacle. S/S standing rigging all round, which has been replaced in
pairs over the years.
The mainframe below the mast-step is in angle-iron down to the keel, reinforced
with a pair of vertical steel struts. The galvanised and painted exterior chainplates
are through-bolted to this frame.
The deck-covering was replaced in 2007 with 6mm. marine-ply, fibre-glassed over.
The original deck-planking was found to be in good order and not disturbed.
Deep, varnished cockpit with lockers all round and doors to the saloon. Varnished
main hatch in marine ply, replaced in (est.)1979, varnished forehatch in teak with
decklight, replaced in 2017. Engine is now a Beta Marine 13hp twin-cylinder diesel (fitted 2002 ) . COBBER was
adapted back in 1955 to take the prop-shaft out though the sternpost (instead of
the port quarter), and an additional knee installed to reinforce the stern. S/S fuel
tank under stern-deck. Seacock for water-cooling replaced in 2021. Spare impellers
provided. 12v,100 amp/hr battery replaced in 2020.
Whale Gusher Bilge Pump mounted inside stern-post.
Bower anchor is 25lb. CQR. Kedge, 15lb. CQR. Fisherman anchor also available.
34 m. of 6mm. galvanized anchor-chain, renewed in 2018, stored in bow chain-
locker through a hawse-pipe, and marked off at 3m. intervals.
Hand-operated chain winch (fitted 2018) mounted on the mainmast step (saves
foredeck space).
Running rigging in terylene apart from the main halyard which is wire/terylene
composite. Most of the blocks are varnished wooden reinforced. Various warps
and fenders, mooring-strops and a lifting tackle. Some signal flags and flares
(2016). An electric cable to connect to a marina power socket.
Navigation
Ships compass is a former RAF aero compass mountable on the cockpit stern.
Garmin 451map GPS chartplotter, and Seafarer 5 echo-sounder, these two
mounted on an instrument bar fitted to the main hatch rails on passage. Walker log.
Hand-bearing compass. Sundry charts of Solent and surrounding waters – would
need to be updated. Barometer. Ships clock is a battery-electronic one. Parallel
rulers and brass dividers available if required. 12v. electric tri-colour navigation
light at masthead (fitted 2017) with LED bulb. Standard Horizon HX210 handheld
waterproof VHF radio with adaptor to masthead aerial, in addition to its own
flexible aerial. (Original Captain OM Watts brass compass also available.) Accommodation:
The engine-box forms the steps down into the cabin. Headroom about 5ft;.
Twin saloon berths with sailcloth lee-cloths, foam mattresses replaced in (est.)
2000. Storage below, including 4 x 10litre polythene water breakers. [There is also a
10 litre water-barrel with tap stowed below on passage, but set handy for the galley
when moored]. Pipe cots are included to rig above the berths (which is only
possible because of the raised topsides), and current owners sailed as a family of 4
for many years. To port aft, Galley locker, bookshelf over and chart locker, ahead of wet-locker.
To starboard aft the cooker well, with primus stove. A previous owner had fitted a
gas stove so there would be room for that. Storage for cooking pans behind. The
well is covered with a double lid, which on passage opens out to form a chart-
table. Above, shelves for storage jars etc. and above them for mugs, plates and
cutlery. The current white/blue enamel tinware (for 4 crew) can be included in the
sale.
Two gimballed brass paraffin cabin-lamps and a further hurricane lamp. Some
battery hand-held torches. Small lockers above the berths, against the raised
topsides, for personal gear.
Fore-cabin (lit by deck-light) contains lockers to port and starboard, and the
Simpson-Lawrence bronze and porcelain sea-toilet. The locker doors when open
meet amidships to provide privacy to the heads. Seacocks replaced, inlet 2015,
outlet 2014. Further marine-ply lockers each side, and ahead is the chain-locker
with fender storage above.
Additional equipment and information
COBBER’s tender isn’t included as it is now not in saleable condition. However, its
Outboard Engine can be included: a petrol Mariner 2-stroke 3.5 HP. There is also
a spare pair of oars for a tender, if required.
Also provide if wanted, detailed descriptions of how the rigging should be set
up, which the owner sketched and wrote for the shipwright who made the new mast in
2008. Digital copies of Dr. T Harrison Butler’s original drawings for the Zyklon design
can be obtained, for a suitable donation to its Apprentice Support Scheme, from
the Harrison Butler Association, The current owner wishes to impress upon any purchaser the importance and
value of joining the Harrison Butler Association. It’s an informal club of some 100
owners, or as the members prefer to think of themselves, custodians, from all over the world,
of these remarkable classic yachts. The HBA organises meets and rallies of its
members which have always been really friendly occasions to swap ideas and yarns,
and learn tips on preserving these lovely boats for future generations.
GUIDE: £6,950
LYING: Chichester Harbour
VIEWING: Through the agents:
CLASSIC YACHT BROKERAGE – ISLE OF WIGHT
DISCLAIMER: Classic Yacht Brokerage offer the details and photographs of this vessel in good faith as a guide but cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information or images, or warrant the condition of the vessel, machinery or rig. Buyers should instruct their representative, agents or their surveyors to investigate such details as the buyer requires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice
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