45ft CLASSIC SAUNDER-ROE MOTOR YACHT – 1937 – Rare Opportunity – Lying: Isle of Wight
Overall Length: 45ft 8ins
Waterline: 43ft 8ins
Beam: 11ft
Draught: 4ft 11ins
Displacement: 21 Tons T M
Engine: Pair 85hp DAIMLER BENZ DIESELS
Berths: Six Berths in Three Cabins
Sail: Steadying Rig
Designer: Saunders-Roe
Builder: Saunder-Roe, Isle of Wight
Year Built: 1937
Location: Isle of Wight
'This yacht is equally comfortable as a long distance cruiser, pootling around home waters and rivers or as the most elegant of holiday homes on the water. If you can imagine dining in an art deco oak panelled dining room under a gently swaying oil lamp after a day at sea or lazing on deck this may be the boat for you'.
'It is rare to find a classic boat that is in such good condition and with a tried and tested track record of long-distance cruising at sea and in the European waterways'.
GRALIAN was built in 1937 to the Medina Class Design by Saunders Roe, Cowes, Isle of Wight, a commission for Joyce Sherren as a gift for her husband, First World War flying ace Percy Clark Sherren MC & Bar. GRALIAN originally named JEAKELARD was the fifth 45ft Medina Class to be built by the Cowes yard. Sadly Percy was killed in the King’s Cup Flying Race in 1937 after turbulence caused his plane to crash against the walls of Scarborough Castle. Joyce went on to become Mayor of Felixstowe. In 1939 Arnold Munns, Rear Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club (1956/7) bought JEAKELARD and re-named her GRALIAN the same name as his previous motor yacht a 40ft Powles Cruiser. In the years leading up to the War GRALIAN was cruised to Holland and France. Arnold, who lived in London W1 stationed GRALIAN at Warsash. GRALIAN was requisitioned during World War Two for coastal patrol duties. In June 1944 she took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy. It is believed she acted as a hospital shuttle boat taking the wounded off the beaches to the hospital ships. GRALIAN’s ships bell is inscribed to her ‘War Service Admiralty’ 1940 – 1946.
Arnold Munns retained ownership after the war and as a member of the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk, Royal London and Island Sailing Club was well know in yachting circles. In 1969/70 GRALIAN was in the brief ownership of John Baker, c/o Toughs Boatyard at Teddington. In the early 1970s GRALIAN was acquired by the Bagshaw family of Dulwich Common. She remained London based although five months of the year were spent cruising the waterways of France, The Netherlands, West Germany and Switzerland.
The present owners bought GRALIAN in 2010 and instigated an extensive restoration by Harbour Marine Services in Southwold, specialist in the repair and refitting of traditional motor yachts. In 2011 GRALIAN was nominated by Classic Boat Magazine for their Restoration of the Year. Described as ‘the epitome of the gentleman’s motor yacht … immaculately restored. Gralian is remarkable in being both internally and externally in near original condition, with inlaid panelling and Art Deco fittings, whilst being equipped for modern day cruising.’
Since 2011 the current owners have cruised the Med for two years via the French Canals, visiting Italy, Sicily and Greece. In 2013/14 a full UK circumnavigation. Two years followed in the Baltic visiting Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and France. She crossed Sweden on the Gota Canal, exploring the Gulf of Bothnia and cruised within a few hundred miles of the Arctic Circle. In 2017 a cruise of the Belgium and French Canals, followed in 2018 by The Netherlands, The Waddenzee and The Frisian Islands.
In June 2013 Classic Boat named GRALIAN as ‘one of the 300 Best Boats in the World to mark their 300th issue. She has featured in a number of sailing/boating magazines including twelve articles in Classic Sailor on cruising in a classic.
GRALIAN is of traditional carvel construction, teak planked on steamed rock elm timbers at 8 inch centres, all through copper nail and rove fastened with additional bronze fastenings. Teak laid deck over epoxy ply subdeck. Teak superstructure, wheelhouse, skylights, hatches toe rails and additional brightwork. Iron ballast keel, 19 cwts with bronze keel bolts.
In 2010 all damaged and weakened timber was removed and replaced and replacement floors and most keel bolts renewed. Hanging and lodging knees were refurbished or replaced. New main deck beam at the aft end of the fore deck. Beam shelves, carlins were repaired or replaced as needed. Both sheer breaks were repaired and strengthened. Teak deck replaced over flow coated cloth and ply. Traditionally caulked with Saba. New covering boards, margin boards, cants and beads. Canoe stern re-built. Some steamed planking, new garboards, new stern post and the aft section of the keel and keelson.
ACCOMMODATION:
The interior of GRALIAN is without doubt one of the most original and attractive of a vessel of this type and features many period fittings with the style and ambience of a little ship. Good headroom throughout with 6ft 2ins in the wheelhouse and cabins. Webasto heating fore and aft with aft system renewed in 2013. Diesel cabin heater. New Hot-Pot calorifier fitted 2010. Coal/wood stove fitted 2010.
AFT STATEROOM:
Good sized single berths to port and double to starboard having hinged lee boards and drawers below. Central chest of drawers, book shelving, pair of glazed hanging lockers, deck hatch, good sized opening widows with fitted slatted blinds. Deco lights and switches radiator, original oak joinery and panelling. Door opening to aft lobby.
GUEST CABIN:
Located to port. Good sized single berth with lee board and drawers below. Book shelving, chest of drawers, deco lights, bulkhead mirror, radiator and oak panelled door hanging locker.
HEADS/SHOWER:
Situated to starboard with sliding door from the aft lobby. Jabsco marine WC new pump fitted 2020. Original Simpson Lawrence 1937 Kentigern Heads available, the subject of various magazine articles. Shower with pressurised water system.
ceramic washbasin with blue and white transfer decoration. Opening side windows and side locker.
WHEELHOUSE/DECK SALOON:
Traditional spoked helm to port with instrumentation and controls. Hatch above and carriage style drop windows. Helm stowage box, shelving, lockers, port and starboard side deck doors and raised seating aft for guests and crew having sliding windows facing aft providing good ventilation. Many original and period fittings.
MAIN SALOON:
Oak panelled joinery, oval chrome port-lights with blinds and lead light glazed cabinet. Fitted book shelving, lockers and drawers. Sideboard to starboard with a pair of upholstered fitted tub chairs. Solid fuel stove set on a marble hearth with ceramic tiled bulkhead panel. Upholstered L shaped settee with return to port. Drop-leaf table. Central skylight. Moonstone Art Deco lights. Access forward to:
FULL WIDTH GALLEY:
Four-burner gas stove to port with adjacent work top have drawers and pantry lockers below. To starboard circular stainless steel sink with mixer tap and circular rinsing sink. Fitted ice box. New Vitrifrigo fridge with small freezer compartment fitted by Penguin in 2010. Attractive curved crockery shelving and fitted lockers. Door opening to:
FORE CABIN:
Two single bunks to port and child’s bunk to starboard. Fitted stowage lockers below. Refrigerator. Fore hatch and access to fore peak with chain spurling pipe and useful shelving.
ON DECK:
Spacious fore deck with a pair of teak louver fronted gas bottle lockers having fitted covers. Anchor davit. Full deck stanchions. Side deck leads to the stern with fitted teak seat, access to stern lazarette. Pair of dinghy davits and large aft coachroof for stowage, tender and additional gear.
Spruce mast with steadying sail.
Pair 85hp DAIMLER BENZ four-cylinder OM314 Diesel Engines fitted in 1969 having Borg-Warner gearboxes.
Port engine removed and upper section rebuilt fitted with new gaskets in 2010. Starboard engine as above in 2017. Three bladed propellers. 6.5 knots cruising speed about 9 knots maximum. 8 litres per hour each engine at average cruising speed. Tank capacity 350 and 225 litres in stainless steel tank to starboard and 1995 steel tank to port. Two starting batteries. Shore-power. Sterling Advanced Digital 30 a battery charger. New shaft couplings, engine mounts, new water locks and anti siphons 2010. Also new bearings on the drive train. A brackets re-fitted and shafts re-aligned. In 2017 both propellers re-pitched. Two keel coolers.
143 litres Tek Tanks with macerator. Electric waste pump and tank. Galvanised water tanks. Hot water via electric heater or engines.
INVENTORY:
Sestral Compass
Raymarine Sounder
Raymarine Log
Raymarine DSC VHF Radio
Raymarine Radar
Raymarine GPS and Garmin
Raymarine Chart Plotter C80
Navtex 6 Plus
Comar AIS Transponder/Receiver
Raymarine ST40 Fluxgate Compass
Sestral Hand-Bearing Compass (as received during WW2)
Seago 8 Person Liferaft (expired)
Deck Mounted Lifebuoys
Oscar Horseshoe life buoy and throwing line
Trilens Radar Reflector
Three Smoke Alarms
Two Fire Blankets
Five powder fire extinguishers
Two CO2 fire extinguishers
On-deck gas lockers to gas safety standards (2 x 4.5kg calor, 1 x camping gaz, 1 x Swedish gas
27kg Mason Supreme Bower Anchor plus 60 metres 9mm chain
22kg CQR Kedge Anchor
9.5kg Fortress Storm Anchor with 5 metres 10mm chain plus 45 metres 16mm three strand nylon warp
Simpson Lawrence 555 Sea Tiger manual windlass with spare handle
Mason Supreme (Lloyds Spec) tipping roller and chain, new 2010
13.6kg Kiwi Anchor Buddy plus line
Snubbing hook and Tipping hook
GUIDE: £245,000
LYING: Isle of Wight
VIEWING: Through CLASSIC YACHT BROKERAGE or WOODEN SHIPS
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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