Hillyard 12 Ton Cutter for sale in Kent United Kingdom

Wooden Ships Comments on this 12 Ton Hillyard Cutter

This is a 12 ton Hillyard, designed and built by Hillyards of Littlehampton in 1961.

One size up from their most popular 9 tonner, this design features the same standard layout with a centre cockpit, aft cabin, saloon, and forecabin, but offers more space and comfort.

David Hillyard's designs were well received in the UK market, making them one of the most prolific boat building yards in the UK. Their boats are known for excellent value for money, providing spacious cruising yachts. The layout allows families to cruise comfortably, with the parents' cabin aft, youngsters up forward, and a communal saloon that does not need to be converted into sleeping berths unless guests are aboard. The design remains relevant today as a comfortable, safe, and capable cruising yacht.

This yacht is easy to handle under sail, particularly as she has been converted to a cutter rig with the addition of a bowsprit, enhancing the sail plan's flexibility. Features like self-tailing winches and furling headsails contribute to the ease of sailing.

This particular example has received significant investment in recent years, including a major refit between 2018 and 2021 under the current owner. Notable upgrades include a Nanni Diesel 50 hp engine, recent rigging and sails, new systems, substantial hull repairs, and a complete repaint inside and out. Overall, she represents excellent value for money compared to similar vessels. This may be the best 12 ton Hillyard available, given her level of finish and equipment list.

Whether for local cruising or long-distance voyages, this boat is suitable for couples or families, offering capabilities at a fraction of the price of many other yachts.

A full survey was conducted in 2018 prior to the refit, with a second report in 2021 after the work was completed.

Specifications

Length on Deck: 36’

Length Waterline: 31’

Beam: 10’

Draft: 4’6”

Thames Tonnage: 12TM

2018 – 2021 Refit Work List

• Stripped all paint from hull and topsides
• Raked out all seams on topsides (not necessary on hull except garboard seam)
• All primed and re-paid seams with cotton caulking and white lead putty on topsides, red lead putty in garboard seam
• Removed bulwark kicking board and re-fashioned ends to suit fairleads
• Removed chainplates as identified in survey and let in new timber and refastened
• Cut out all soft wood as identified in survey and let in graving pieces
• Hull and topsides faired off and repainted
• Cockpit sole re-designed in accordance with survey recommendation
• Decks and cabin tops re-painted
• Cabin sides and cockpit coaming stripped and re-varnished
• New cabin windows with polished stainless steel frames installed
• Cabins interior repainted and revarnished
• New interior lockers designed and fitted
• New sea toilet and plumbing installed
• Simpson Lawrence porthole rims removed and chromed
• Engine removed from boat and extensively renovated
• New engine panel and wiring loom fitted
• All ships electrics (DC and AC) re-organised and updated
• New s/s wire steering cables fitted with tensioning adaption
• Simpson Lawrence windlass removed and overhauled
• Forestay fitting adapted to take new roller reef staysail
• Mast, boom, bowsprit stripped and re-varnished
• Mast fittings adapted to take new standing rigging
• Boom fittings adapted to facilitate slab reefing system
• New mast and cockpit winches fitted
• Install new standing rigging with new rigging screws and end fittings
• New stackpack and lazyjacks fitted
• New cockpit tent
• All defects identified in 2018 survey report rectified

Construction Hull

Carvel planked in mahogany, all copper rivet fastened to steamed oak frames.

Oak floors across the centreline.

External iron ballast keel fastened with stainless steel bolts. All bolts are recent but age unknown. 2 removed in recent refit and found in excellent condition.

In the recent refit, the hull was stripped to bare wood, plank repairs carried out, and the topsides re-caulked and payed.

Decks and Cockpit

Original T&G laid decks, overlaid with marine plywood and sheathed externally with GRP. Finished with deck paint.

Stainless steel stanchions all round in the style of the original Hillyard type. Varnished mahogany toe rail mounted on the stanchion bases away from the deck.

Large centre cockpit, now self-draining as it drains into a sump tank with an electric auto pump out.

Usual very deep and safe Hillyard cockpit with a thwart either side, topped in new cockpit cushions. Wheel steering against the aft bulkhead.

Superstructure

Usual Hillyard design with centre cockpit covered over with cockpit shelter, and fore and aft coachroofs.

Varnished mahogany coamings with stainless steel framed portlights (all new). Sheathed plywood coachroof decks on oak deck beams.

Cockpit shelter in varnished mahogany with large toughened glass windows and a sheathed plywood roof. Boom gallows and solar panel mounted on the roof. Canvas back completely encloses the cockpit in wet weather.

Rig

Bermudan cutter rig on a deck stepped varnished wooden hollow box section mast. Mast glue joints repaired as necessary.

Varnished wooden slab reefing boom with a stack pack system. Spinlock double reefing system.

Removeable bowsprit carries the jib.

Stainless steel standing rigging to external galvanised chain plates. Rigging new in 2021 with Sta-Lok terminals. Chain plates removed, galvanised, and re-fastened.

Sailspar continuous line furling systems on jib and staysail for easy handling.

All new running rigging 2021 with Liros multiplait.

Selden telescopic spinnaker pole, new 2024.

Sails

All sails by Dolphin Sails and in excellent condition.

Mainsail: 2021

Jib:

Staysail:

Winches

4 x Antal self-tailing cockpit sheet winches

4 x mast winches for halyards and reefing.

Machinery Engine

Nanni Diesel 4.220 50hp 4cyl diesel. Engine removed and overhauled in recent refit. New control panel and wiring loom.

Technodrive 60 gearbox to a centreline fixed 3 blade 20” bronze propeller gives 6.5 knots cruising speed at 2.5 litres/hour.

Tanks

300 litre stainless steel fuel tank

300 litre stainless steel water tank.

Batteries and Electrics

3 x 110 ah batteries for engine start and domestic use. All new in 2024.

Charged from engine alternator, or through 2 x Victron Blue smart battery chargers when connected to shore power.

130W solar panel with Victron MPPT smart regulator.

Victron Phoenix 12/1200 Watt inverter.

All wiring and electrical systems new in recent refit.

Systems

Isotemp calorifier connected to engine and with 240 volt immersion for domestic hot water.

Eberspacher Airtronic diesel fired cabin heater, new 2024.

Accommodation

Smart interior with original layout that offers ample space in a boat of this length. Complete refit of cosmetic finish with all new upholstery and systems.

Berths and Headroom

6 berths in 3 cabins including a ft cabin with 2 single berths that form a large double, 2 saloon settee berths, and 2 single berths in the forepeak.

General Description

Starboard side companionway into the aft cabin from the cockpit with heads compartment to port.

2 large single berths with an infill to create a large double that spans the full breadth of the boat. Storage drawers beneath the berths plus a large locker in original mahogany joinery.

Centreline companionway from the cockpit into the main cabin with galley to starboard and an original mahogany locker to port.

Centreline dropleaf mahogany saloon table with a settee berth either side.

Spacious storage lockers beneath the berths and behind the seat backs.

Centreline passageway into the forecabin which has 2 large single berths with forehatch above. Spacious storage lockers under the berths with chain locker right in the bows.

Galley

AquaChef 2 burner stove with oven and grill, new in 2023. Stainless steel sink with pressurised hot and cold water. Work tops fold down over both sink and stove when not in use.

Frigomatic Milano 12 volt keel cooled fridge on port side opposite galley.

Heads

Jabsco manual sea toilet discharges directly overboard. Hand basin with hot and cold pressurised water.

Equipment

Sestrel Major steering compass

Raymarine Element chartplotter

Autohelm belt driven autopilot

Cobra DSC VHF

Sailor RT144b VHF

NASA Target 2 depth sounder

Clipper wireless wind indicator

KUS GPS

Shakespeare AS-2 aerial splitter

Rule 2000 auto electric bilge pump

Henderson manual bilge pump

Flare pack

RFD Beaufort 4 person life raft

2×110 amp 12v service batteries (new 2024)

1×110 amp 12v engine battery (new 2024)

130watt Poly Solar Panel with Victron MPPT regulator

Victron Phoenix 12 1200watt inverter

2 Victron Blue Smart battery chargers for separate battery bank charging

Simpson Lawrence manual anchor windlass

35lb CQR anchor with 50m chain

5 x fenders

Mooring warps

Mainsail by Dolphin sails new 2021 with Spinlock double reef system

Jib by Dolphin sails (vgc) with Sailspar continuous line furling

Staysail by Dolphin Sails (vgc) with Sailspar continuous line furling (new 2021)

Packaway sail cover and lazyjacks by Wilkinson Sails

Standing rigging replaced 2021 with 7mm 1×19 wire rope and Sta-Lok terminals

Running rigging replaced 2021 with Liros multiplait 8mm – 12mm halyards and sheets

4 mast halyard and reefing winches

4 Antal cockpit winches

4 winch handles and holders

Selden telescopic spinnaker pole

Eberspacher Airtronic diesel cabin heater ducted to saloon

New Aqua Chef gas cooker- 2 burners/oven/grill

New Frigomatic Milano fridge with compressor and sintered keel cooler

Jabsco sea toilet

Isotemp calorifier with 240 volt immersion coil

Cockpit shower with hot water

2 x boat hooks

Telescopic yacht legs by Yacht Leg Company

Cockpit cover on stainless frame

Forehatch cover

Life raft cover