Ashley Butler’s designs are inspired by the ergonomics, form and function of the historic working craft of the British Isles; the shape of the hull intrinsically suited to the natural limbs of the English oak trees. The simplicity, seaworthiness and speed follow their classic-yacht splendour of form, canvas under sail, and the quality of the materials and craftsmanship. Authentic joinery recalls the balancing of form with nature by the Arts and Crafts movement.
Ashley Butler’s designs are inspired by the ergonomics, form and function of the historic working craft of the British Isles; the shape of the hull intrinsically suited to the natural limbs of the English oak trees. The simplicity, seaworthiness and speed follow their classic-yacht splendour of form, canvas under sail, and the quality of the materials and craftsmanship. Authentic joinery recalls the balancing of form with nature by the Arts and Crafts movement. Within these guidelines the Mayflower Class presents as a new wooden yacht but hand crafted to the very high standards, generally more prevalent in the early 20th Century than today - except in the hands of a select few. Even on the most basic consideration of size, this hull form seems to hit the perfect spot for family cruising.
Her sister ship MARTHA PRIMROSE has proven herself with cruises to the Med and back; demonstrably fast safe and comfortable – perhaps defining the term Modern Classic with her carvel planking, long keel and effortless charm. BONAVENTURE has all of this and more in that she is more finely – and comfortably fitted out with clever use of space.
Brokers Comments
Ashley Butler’s designs are inspired by the ergonomics, form and function of the historic working craft of the British Isles; the shape of the hull intrinsically suited to the natural limbs of the English oak trees. The simplicity, seaworthiness and speed follow their classic-yacht splendour of form, canvas under sail, and the quality of the materials and craftsmanship. Authentic joinery recalls the balancing of form with nature by the Arts and Crafts movement. Within these guidelines the Mayflower Class presents as a new wooden yacht but hand crafted to the very high standards, generally more prevalent in the early 20th Century than today - except in the hands of a select few. Even on the most basic consideration of size, this hull form seems to hit the perfect spot for family cruising.
Her sister ship MARTHA PRIMROSE has proven herself with cruises to the Med and back; demonstrably fast safe and comfortable – perhaps defining the term Modern Classic with her carvel planking, long keel and effortless charm. BONAVENTURE has all of this and more in that she is more finely – and comfortably fitted out with clever use of space.
Notes on the Mayflower 50
In 2012 Ashley Butler was to be found building two comparable yachts, one for himself and another for a client more or less in parallel, though no surprise that his client’s commission took priority when it came to meeting the completion date. By then Ashley, a versatile boat builder had developed his design and building skills from a variety of sources of inspiration and boat yard experiences.
He wanted to create a semi custom family cruising yacht, drawing particularly on the experience of his earlier LYRA, a beautiful evocation of the traditional Itchen Ferry design, which had won accolades from admirers – and among them the yachting press. On the back of this achievement and inspired also by the success of the Hoek Truly Classic – yet modern yachts, Ashley developed the Mayflower 50 – and in defining the “50” he has also very deliberately opted for what many agree to be the optimum size for a family cruising boat.
The hull design is the common feature – but the rig and interior arrangement can be customised as is already evidenced by the Bermudan cutter rig of BONAVENTURE OF SALCOMBE compared with the gaff yawl that is her sister MARTHA PRIMROSE - also with a different general arrangement down below.
Construction
- Carvel Iroko planking
- Oak frames
- Teak deck planking
- Raw teak capping rail
Accommodation and Domestic Equipment
Accommodation for 7 in 3 cabin areas
- White painted deck head and T&G bulkheads
- Stained oak cabin sole
- Varnished pine trim
- Lift out panels and sliding hatch in dog house roof
- Teak 5 step companionway ladder down
- Doghouse with corner seat against half bulkhead fwd to port and short bench aft to stbd
- Teak joinery large locker to port
- Chart table and nav instruments fwd to stbd
- Electrical panel instruments stbd with lockers under and aft
- Water and fuel gauges
Aft to port steps down and doorway to owner’s cabin
- Double berth to stbd with locker stowage under
- Step up to large single berth to port
- Stowage under and in double door locker aft
- Skylight and deck head light over with opening portlights into cockpit sides
- Bulkhead reading lights fwd over berths
- Cabin heater control
Moving forward through doghouse
- 2 x Steps down to lobby with galley to port
- Armitage Shanks Belfast sink forward with brass water tap and bronze hand pump taps
- Vitrifrigo fridge under
- Joinery worktop to port and shelving, plate racks etc outboard and cupboard stowage under
- Techimpex Top 4 gas hob grill and oven set to aft bulkhead with tiling behind
- Half bulkhead forward
Head compartment opposite to stbd
- Large ceramic basin set in worktop over cupboard fwd
- Varnished joinery bath running fore and aft outboard with shower and tap fittings
- Manual WC against aft bulkhead
Doorway forward to saloon with butterfly skylight in deck head over
- Straight bench Chesterfield button back settee to port
- L shaped Chesterfield button back settee stbd
- 2 x Pilot berths up and outboard
- Fixed drop leaf dining table to stbd
- Large steel cabin heater up step in tiled surround fwd stbd
- Joinery side board forward to port containing the sound system
- 3 x Oil lamps
- 3 x Deck head lights
- 2 x Reading lights
Moving forward port side of mast
- Forward head compartment with WC to stbd
- Wash basin in pine joinery cupboard base
- Stand up shower with teak sole grating
- Deck head light
Large foc’sle cabin forward
- 2 x Large single vee berths with infill at toe end forward
- Lockers for stowage under
- Deck head light
- Raised hatch in deck head to fore deck
- Chain locker and warp stowage forward
Rig Spars and Sails
Bermudian cutter rig (although capable of easy conversion to gaff yawl)
The rig is designed by a long distance sailor used to sailing single handed so it has been built with ergonomics and for ease of working to enable that.
- Hollow Sitka spruce mast with 2 sets of spreaders and spars
- Hand spliced matt stainless steel standing rigging
- Running backstay through varnished ash blocks
- Lazy jacks
- 2 x Bronze Lewmar 40 ST halyard winches
Sails
All by Ratsey and Lapthorn in soft spun Dacron new spring 2013
- Furling jib
- Mainsail
Deck Layout Equipment and Ground Tackle
From aft
- White painted bulwark and cover board
- Varnished mahogany hand rail
- Bronze stanchions
- Bronze fairleads port and stbd on taffrail
- Bronze / teak stern mooring cleats port and stbd
- Bronze main sheet horse just abaft tiller
- All ash and bronze Colin Frake blocks
- Tiller steering
- Varnished mahogany cockpit coamings
- Varnished lazarette hatch under tiller aft end of cockpit
- Kobalt engine throttle controls
- 2 x Bronze Lewmar 46 winches mounted on deck outboard of cockpit; one each side
- 2 x Bronze Lewmar 46 winches on varnished timber pedestals outboard of cockpit
- 2 x Bronze opening ports in foot well
- Beta Marine engine controls in fwd cockpit bulkhead
- B&G repeater
- Bowthruster control
- Brass compass binnacle above
- Raised varnished hatches with glazed side panels on bridge deck
- Bronze jib cleats and teak fairleads on bulwarks
- Varnished teak dog / pilot house
- Brass searchlight on coach roof fwd
- 2 x Butterfly hatches fwd of doghouse; one over galley to port and head to stbd
- Butterfly hatch mid deck over saloon
- Mast with 2 sets of spreaders
- Chimney for cabin heater stbd
- Bronze mushroom vent
- Teak raised hatch with glazed side panels offset to port over for cabin
- Bitts for bowsprit
- Traditional bronze electric anchor windlass with warping drum
- Fishermans 80 lb main anchor on stem head bow roller
- 200 ft x ½ inch chain via Panama fairlead
- Facnor roller furling for working jib and yankee
- Bowsprit
Mechanical Electrical and Tankage
- Beta 50 HP Diesel fresh water cooled main engine
- HT stainless shaft and fixed 3 bladed propeller
- Tiller steering
- 3 x 80 Ah house batteries and one 80 Ah start battery
- Mastervolt Battery Manager shore power charging system
- Inverter
- Webasto cabin heating
- All fuel and water tanks fitted are of stainless steel
- 130 litres fuel
- c 240 litres fresh water
- 2 x 9 kg propane gas bottles
Navigation Communication and Electronics
- B&G T8 Nav system
- Simrad RS12 VHF
Safety
- Life raft
- Life rings
- EPIRB
- Whale Gusher 50 and Rule electric bilge pumps
- Flares
- Fire extinguishers and alarms
Other Equipment
BONAVENTURE OF SALCOMBE
