60’ GAFF RIGGED SCHOONER completely restored
The vessel was designed by Dudley Dix for offshore cruising. The design is that of a gaff rigged, double ended schooner, with a curved stem, a canoe stern, rolled chines, a long fin keel, a skeg-hung rudder, a trunk cabin forward, a pilothouse saloon just aft of amidships, and a small trunk cabin aft.
ANCILLA completely restored in 2008 till 2012
DESIGNER'S COMMENTS
"Ancilla" was a 57ft double-ended timber motor yacht, built in the early 1930s. Very elegant for the time, the story is that she served as the ceremonial yacht of the Lord Mayor of London at one time. She had a small rig on her to serve as steadying sails and this was converted to a small gaff rig about 15 years ago. She deteriorated to become atmost derelict and is being replaced by a new steel yacht, the “Ancilla II".
The above-water appearance of the hull of "Ancilla" in profile has been retained because it was particularly pretty as drawn although the hull lost its shape over the years. I also attempted to pick up as much as possible of the image of “Ancilla" because that is what the owner fell in love with. At the same time I turned her into a boat which will sail well.
Although the exterior appearance is very traditional, both inside the deck saloon and down below she is very modern in concept. What this allows is far better use of the available space than when "Ancilla' was built. However, she must be fitted out in a traditional manner with traditional finishes and detailing to make a spectacular boat with good resale value.
The upper part of the accommodation is a deck saloon rather than a pilothouse. It has a social area aft and working area forward. The seating area aft has a hinged table to allow for its use as either a dining or lounging area. With the island seat included, it can seat 9 for dining with a view. To starboard is a wet bar. Forward is the helm position with the nav centre to port and oilskin locker to starboard. The helm has a swivel chair and a swing out stool is used at the nav centre. Completing this area is the staircase down to the accommodation below, a duplication of the one in “"Ancilla”. In the sole and cabin top are access panels for removal of the twin engines from the engine rooms below.
Down below, there is a large and luxurious owners stateroom forward of the lazarette, with settee, dressing table, extensive lockers and its own heads with sitzbath. This is separated from the main accommodation by the engine rooms, one each side of the central corridor.
The engines are twin Gardners of 50 hp each, salvaged from the old boat and rebuilt before fitting into the new one. Other salvaged items are the cast bronze steering pedestal and engine room telegraph as well as the bronze portholes. All of these items are being completely refurbished and, where necessary, adapted to suit new mechanics/hydraulics for the new boat.
Forward of the engine rooms is the main saloon. It includes an eight-seater dinette and fully fitted gatlly. Allowed for in the galley equipment are twin sinks, top loading freezer, under counter fridge, microwave and 3 or 4-plate cooker with oven. There is plenty of counter space for preparing gourmet meals in a charter situation while the U-shape gives security to the cook with the ability to escape quickly in the event of a flare-up or spilt. Over the saloon and galley are two large skylight hatches. Each is in fact half of a traditional gabled skylight hatch, separated by a large deck storage box and oversized Dorade box to ventilate the saloon and forecabins. Forward of the saloon are three double cabins, two with double berths and one with single V-berths. This area is served by two heads compartments, each with basin and shower. For those who do not like a wet-heads the one can be made into a shower and the other into a dry heads. On deck, she has an outside steering position on top of the aft cabintop, with deck storage boxes as seats. Steering from this position is through a Whitlock mechanical system driving the skeg mounted partially balanced rudder. From the inside position she is steered with an hydraulic system. The rig is proportioned to give reasonable performance. Topmasts have been dispensed with in the interest of simplicity. The rig has been made taller to compensate and will have improved light weather performance as a resuit. Working canvas would be the jib and staysail (both roller furled) along with main and foremain. For lighter beating conditions a light genoa, set flying, will replace the two headsails. Reaching will be with a gennaker, main and foremain or the foremain can be replaced by a large gollywobbler. Schooners don't like running but an effective rig would use the gennaker poled out by the foreboom on one side and the gollywobler poled out by the mainboom on the other. The long bowsprit has two anchor rollers each side to give anchoring options. It will be fitted with nets tied to the bowsprit shrouds for safey at sea. Chain lockers are under the V-berths. Construction of the hull is steel, designed in excess cf ABS Rules, with integral tankage for 1600 litres of fuel and 2060 litres of water as well as a bilge sump of 500 litres. The deck and cabintops are plywood with teak coverings, bonded and bolted to a welded perimeter flange on the steel hull and steel deck beams. The deckhouse construction is fully framed timber, where possible using plywood in the construction to ensure watertight integrity. Windows are laminated safety glass, the opening side windows being drop sashes which slide down into pockets within the deckhouse sides. The insides of the pockets are epoxy coated and drain onto the sidedecks. The hull is radiused chine in form, the first time that I have used this method for a double-ender. It has been successful, yielding a hull which will be easily driven for the displacement. Underwater, she has a long fin keel with separate skeg and rudder to improve manoeuvrability and windward performance.
“Ancilla II" is a design for those with tradition in their hearts, but combined with a modern underbody for improved performance and handling. She is a robust cruising boat which will turn heads wherever she goes, particularly when seen in the sunset.
CHARACTERISTICS
LOA 21,80m
LOD 18, 30m
LWL 17,00m
Beam 5,20m
Draft 2,25m
Displacement 36000 kg
Sail Areas Main 78,70 sq.m
Foremain 59,40 sq.m
Foretrtangle 55,36 sq.m
Gollywobler 1071,90 sq.m
Disclaimer The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
