Wooden Ships Comments on this 25′ Gaff Cutter

This 25’ gaff cutter was designed and built by the present owner's father in 1953.

The builder, a professional shipwright, aimed to create a family yacht for cruising with his young family. Originally flush decked, a doghouse was added in the 1960s to enhance comfort for the family of four children. The doghouse features a removable solid back for security and to enclose the cockpit.

Constructed in Pill and cruised around the Bristol Channel, this boat is designed for drying harbors with a shallow draft, allowing her to take ground easily.

The current owner is one of the builder's sons, and due to advancing years, a new owner is sought to continue the story of this interesting boat.

Length on Deck: 24’6”

Length Overall: 29’6”

Length Waterline: 23’4”

Beam: 8’6”

Draft: 3’6”

Displacement: 4.3 tons

• Carvel planked in 7/8” larch.
• Fastened with copper rivets to steam bent oak timbers of 1.5” x 0.75” at 6” centres.
• All frames were doubled up from new from the waterline to the keel to support the internal ballast.
• Stem down to the waterline and several shifts of planking replaced in 2022.
• Grown oak floors across the centreline with bronze centreline bolts, last drawn in 2012.
• No external ballast keel. Internal lead ballast of 2.3 tons.
• Straight laid T&G deck and coachroof deck, overlaid with plywood and sheathed in GRP.
• Varnished mahogany raised topsides midships where the coachroof is extended out to the hull to increase internal volume.
• Open back doghouse made from varnished mahogany faced marine plywood with aluminium framed windows. Removable side panels and after doors in the doghouse to completely enclose the cockpit.
• Non-self draining cockpit with thwarts either side. Thwarts lift to access lockers below. Plywood cockpit sole lifts to access the stern gland.
• Transom hung rudder.

• Gaff cutter rig on a deck stepped spruce mast in a stainless steel tabernacle. Stainless steel compression post below.
• Varnished spruce slab reefing boom.
• Stainless steel standing rigging to external stainless chain plates. Rigging is 25+ years old. Dead eyes and lanyards.
• Mainsail, staysail, jib, and reaching jib all in fair condition.

• Yanmar 2GM 15hp diesel installed new in 1984.
• Engine overhaul in June 2022 with injectors serviced, injector pump rebuilt, and lift pump replaced.
• Fixed centreline 3 blade bronze propeller gives 5.5 knots cruising speed. Fuel consumption of 0.5 gallons/hour.
• 100 litre stainless steel fuel tank set to starboard of the engine.
• Single 12 volt 105ah battery charged from the engine alternator.
• 1 manual bilge pump and 1 auto electric bilge pump.
• 100 litre stainless steel water tank.

• 4 single berths with headroom of 4’6” in the saloon.
• Full standing headroom in the galley under the doghouse of 6’+
• The cockpit is enclosed by the doghouse with the removable back sections.
• The original sliding companion hatch has been removed to create an easily accessed cabin.
• Step down from the cockpit into the cabin with the galley to port and large lockers to starboard.
• The galley features a Flavel Vanessa gas stove with oven and grill. Single stainless sink with manually pumped fresh water.
• Saloon area has a settee berth on either side. Storage below the berths.
• Saloon table is clamped to the stainless compression post and slides up to the deckhead when not in use.
• Bulkheads separate off the forward area which has a small seat locker on either side. Each side has a pipecot berth that folds up against the hull when not in use.
• At the bows is a Simpson Lawrence manual sea toilet.

• Sestrel steering compass
• Euromarine Stingray sounder
• ICOM IC-M411 DSC VHF
• Furuno GP-31 GPS
• Clock and barometer

• 750GPH auto electric bilge pump
• Manual bilge pump
• 3 x lifejackets

• Mooring warps
• Fenders
• 35lb Fishermans anchor with 10m x 10mm chain + 12m x 20mm warp
• Sand anchor
• Beaching legs

• Bunk and berth cushions
• Flavel Vanessa gas cooker
• Simpson Lawrence manual sea toilet
• 2 x gas bottles

• Mainsail 175sqft Fair condition
• Staysail 68sqft Fair condition Jeckells Sails
• Jib 65sqft Fair condition Tratman & Lowthers
• Reaching Jib 130sqft Fair condition Yoeman Sails
• Mainsail cover from Sabre Sails, 2012