Wooden Ships Comments on this 56′ Ed Burnett Pilot Cutter

56’ Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter designed by Ed Burnett and built by the Bristol Classic Boat Company. Launched in 2008.

Ed Burnett was commissioned to design a new vessel for The Island Trust as a sailing training boat for young people. The design was inspired by the Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters with some alterations to make her more suitable for her role in youth sail training. For example, the beam was increased a little to be able to get the whole crew around the saloon table, an important element for team building and relationships while on the vessel.

Pegasus has operated successfully since her launch in 2008 taking thousands of young people to sea. She has taken part in the Tall Ships Race, sailed to St Petersburg, raced in local classic regattas and events and generally has been a stable fixture of West Country sailing.

The boat has a commercial licence under UK flag to MCA Category 2 for 10 guests and 2 crew. She is fully equipped with the necessary domestic, safety and navigation gear to sail with this licence and will come with all that equipment.

This is a very well built vessel, constructed using top quality materials and has been surveyed regularly throughout her life. She has done a lot of miles with The Island Trust meaning she has been in constant and regular use, well cared for and repaired and upgraded as necessary.

She has a total of 12 berths in 4 cabins with excellent headroom throughout. She can be sailed by 2 experienced people making her a versatile vessel.

Dimensions

• Length on Deck: 56’1” (17.11m)
• Length Overall: 73’3” (22.37m)
• Length Waterline: 46’9” (14.24m)
• Beam: 14’9” (4.5m)
• Draft: 8’6” (2.61m)

Construction

• Carvel planked in 2” (50mm) larch planking.
• Heavy sawn oak frames in futtocks with bronze screw fastenings. Intermediate steamed oak timbers fastened with copper rivets.
• External lead ballast keel of 13.95 tons fastened with bronze keel bolts, new in 2008.
• Internal lead trimming ballast.
• Sawn oak floors across the centreline with bronze throat bolts.
• Heavy oak beam shelf fastened through with bronze bolts.
• Straight laid solid pine deck, screw fastened to the oak beck beams. Deck seams payed with Bostik mastic, new in 2021. Iroko covering boards.
• Cast bronze hanging knees.
• All bronze deck fittings.
• Small coachroof in way of the main hatch with iroko coamings and a sheathed plywood coachroof deck.
• Companion hatches all made from iroko.
• Deep self draining cockpit in the style of the Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters with iroko coamings and capping rails.
• Tiller steering on a varnished iroko tiller with a bronze stock.

Rig

• Gaff cutter rig on a hollow keel stepped pole mast.
• This rig is the same design as the traditional pilot cutters.
• Varnished wooden boom, gaff yard and bowsprit. Bronze Appledore roller reefing system on the boom.
• Galvanised wire standing rigging with dead eyes and lanyards to external bronze chain plates. Rigging all between 5-10 years old with a rolling replacement program. Several chain plate bolts pulled in 2022 and found in excellent condition.
• Running backstays on 3:1 tackles.
• Wyckam Martin roller furling system on the jib to the bowsprit end.
• Staysail hanked on to the inner forestay.
• 2 x Wilmex bronze sheet winches on the deck.
• Running rigging is 3 strand traditional looking rope with varnished wooden blocks.
• Full set of sails including storm sails. Mainsail and topsail new in 2020, staysail 2018. Full sail list in the inventory below.

Machinery

• John Deere 4045TFM 135hp 4cyl diesel installed new in 2008. Complete overhaul 2020.
• PRM gearbox to a centreline 4 blade feathering bronze propeller. Gives 5 knots cruising speed, 7 knots max speed @ 10 litres/hour.
• Stainless steel fuel tanks with total capacity of 760 litres under saloon sole.
• Stainless steel water tanks with 950 litres total capacity in 3 tanks.
• Calorifier connected to the engine for domestic hot water.
• 3 x 210ah domestic batteries plus separate engine start battery.
• Charging from engine alternators. 120amp main alternator.
• 240 volt shore power system with Mastervolt Mass Combi 100amp battery charger. 240 volt inverter as part of the Mastervolt Mass Combi.
• 2 x manual bilge pump, 1 x auto electric bilge pump and 1 x engine driven salvage pump.

Accommodation

• The accommodation comprises 12 single berths in 4 cabins.
• Headroom of 6’6” in the saloon and 6’4” forward.
• The interior was designed for charter work with all single berths, plenty of storage space, a large saloon and saloon table and a very good galley. The professional crew have their own private aft cabin.
• There are 3 separate companion hatches into the yacht, the forehatch, main saloon hatch and aft cabin hatch.
• The aft hatch is directly from the cockpit with companion steps into the aft crew cabin. Single quarter berth each side under the side decks. Large chart desk and navigation area.
• Starboard side door going forward into a 2 berth cabin.
• Continue forward into the main cabin with the heads compartment to starboard and galley to port. This is the base of the main companionway.
• The heads has a manual Jabsco sea toilet which discharges into a waste tank. Single stainless hand basin with pressurised hot and cold water. Shower with a tray that drains into a grey water waste tank, emptied by an automatic pump.
• Galley is set up for commercial use and is fully equipped to feed a full ship. U-shaped galley with stainless steel worktops. Force 10 4 burner gas stove with oven and grill. Twin stainless steel sinks with pressurised hot and cold water. Also manual taps for fresh and seawater. FrigoBoat 12 volt stainless steel fridge.
• Main saloon has a large centreline dropleaf table made from varnished mahogany. The table can easily seat 12 people. Saloon settee berth either side plus a large pilot berth each side outboard under the side decks.
• Starboard side door going forward into the forecabin with 4 single berths and storage lockers.
• Forward again into an open space at the bottom of the forward companionway. Storage bins outboard each side for rigging gear, fenders etc. In the forepeak is a second heads compartment with a Jabsco manual sea toilet that discharges directly overboard and a hand basin with hot and cold pressurised water.
• Right in the bows is a bosuns store with work bench, tools etc.

Equipment

• Steering compass
• Raymarine log and sounder (2023)
• Standard Horizon Explorer DSC VHF
• Raymarine Quantum radar (2019)
• Raymarine Axium pro 12” chart plotter (2019)
• Raymarine AIS
• Hand held compass
• ICOM handheld VHF

• Ocean Safety 12 person canister life raft, service due 03/2024
• 14 x lifejackets
• 2 x lifebuoys
• EPIRB
• Flare pack to coding requirements
• MOB rescue sail and ladder
• Throwing line
• Fire extinguishers
• Fire blanket
• Smoke and CO detectors
• Gas alarm/detector
• 2 x manual bilge pump
• 1 x auto electric bilge pump
• 1 x engine driven salvage pump
• Bilge level alarms
• SeaMe radar detector built into the mast
• Emergency VHF aerial
• First aid kit
• Jackstays
• 12 x thermal Protective Aids
• Life lines
• Emergency seacock bungs

• Vetus Maxwell electric anchor windlass
• 48kg CQR anchor with 120m x 10mm chain (2019)
• 30kg Bruce anchor with 10m x 10mm chain and 40m x 32mm warp
• Mooring warps
• Fenders
• Remote anchor light

• Bunk and berth cushions
• Force 10 galley cooker with 4 burners, oven and grill
• 3 x gas bottles
• Frigo stainless steel fridge
• Galley equipment suitable for the vessel to work commercially
• 2 Jabsco manual sea toilets
• Waste tank on aft heads

• Mainsail Gaff Sails 78.7m² 2020 Good condition
• Topsail Gaff Sails 23.7 m² 2020 Excellent condition
• Staysail Gaff Sails 31.8 m² 2018 Good condition
• No.1 jib Gaff Sails 33.8 m² 2008 Good condition
• No.2 jib Gaff Sails 17.12 m² 2008 Excellent condition
• Jib Topsail Gaff Sails 30.2 m² 2008 Excellent condition
• Reaching Staysail Gaff Sails 46.8 m² 2008 Excellent Condition
• Storm Jib Gaff Sails 15.4 m² 2008 Excellent Condition
• Trysail Gaff Sails 26.5 m² 2008 Excellent Condition
• No.1 and No.2 Jibs both re-stitched in 2018. All sails serviced each year.
• 2 x Wilmex bronze sheet winches
• Mainsail cover
• Wyckham Martin furling system for the jib

• Ensign and staff
• Hatch covers for fore, main and aft hatches
• Shore power cable
• Fresh water hose
• Salt water hose
• SeaGo Spirit 290 inflatable, (2021)
• Yamaha 15hp 2 stroke outboard (2018)
• Boat hook
• 2 x deck brushes

• 3 x 210ah domestic batteries
• 1 x engine start battery
• Mastervolt Mass Combi 100 amp 240 volt battery charger
• 2 x alternators
• Calorifier tank connected to engine for hot water
• Salt water deck pump with hose attachment
• Various mechanical spares