McGruer 8m Cruiser Racer for sale in Oban United Kingdom

Launched in 1963, INISMARA is perhaps the most famous of the 8 metre Cruiser Racer class (8mCR).  For many, she is an icon of the work of James McGruer because of her looks, racing success, quality of construction and commissioning owner.

INISMARA was commissioned by Peter Odlum, a stalwart of Irish sailing but no stranger to Clyde racing or west coast cruising.  She was his second 8mCR, the James McGruer-designed NAMHARA having to make way for INISMARA.  Built to Lloyds A1, in her first season she scored 17 wins from 25 starts and won the Lloyds Register Yacht Trophy.  Peter Odlum continued to enjoy racing success and enjoyable cruising with INISMARA, before commissioning James McGruer to design the yawl, RINAMARA, launched in 1968.

With just her third owner, INISMARA was purchased in 1995 by her current custodian after an extended lay-up of some 10+ years in the sheds at McGruers. Lovingly re-commissioned, great care was taken to maintain the boats original specifications while sympathetically modernising some areas. Lightly used in the by her current owners INISMARA is offered for sale in excellent condition with her original hardware, fittings and finishes very much still intact.

On file we hold the 1965 Yachting Monthly review along with an extensive collection of original photos and press cuttings cataloguing the successes of INISMARA and Peter Odlum. These are available to interested parties upon request.

Lying ashore in the shed at Kilmelford Yacht Haven, INISMARA is available for viewing by prior appointment.

THE 8 METRE CRUISER RACERS:

Distinct from International Rule 8 metres – “straight eights” – the 8 metre Cruiser Racer class came out of an amendment to the Rule, to devise a level-rating cruiser-racer class.   As such, the 8mCRs are often very competitive when racing and commodious enough for family cruising.  

It is obvious that the 8mCR class was resoundingly adopted by Clyde sailors – not just because the majority were actively raced on the Firth but because Clyde naval architect, James McGruer, designed so many of them.  Out of 23 8mCRs, James McGruer designed 15, including the first in 1951 and the last in 1968.  During the 1960s, the 8mCRs were the most actively competed of the Clyde classes and they continued to have a class start on the Clyde until 1975.

OWNER’S COMMENTS:
It has been a pleasure to be custodian of Inismara for some 25 years. We have tried to retain the character and originality, minimising any modernisation of fittings and systems. She is a joy to sail in all weathers, in our 25+ years of ownership we have never had to reef the main, she just digs deeper and thunders on. There is nowhere better in the world to enjoy a fine dram than in the cockpit at the end of a good day's sailing. 

CONSTRUCTION

Hull Construction:
Carvel Teak planking below the waterline
Carvel Mahogany planking on topsides
Laminated hardwood wood keel, stem and sternpost
Laminated frames
Steamed Oak and Elm timbers
Metal strap floors – removed, galvanised, plastic coated and re-fitted with isolating membrane
Topsides finished in single-pack satin green paint
White boot top
Underwater hull finished in red antifouling

Deck & Superstructure Construction:
Hardwood beamshelf
Hardwood carling
Harwood deck beams
Laminated hardwood knees
Marine plywood subdeck
Swept laid teak deck – thickness survey available on request
Mahogany covering boards and toerails finished in varnish
Mahogany coachroof sides finished in varnish
Marine plywood coachroof top, sheathed and finished in off-white non-slip deck paint
Mahogany cockpit and coamings 
Portlights bonded to coachroof sides with decorative chromed bronze frames
Hardwood deck hatches, glazed with polycarbonate and finished externally with brushed stainless steel decorative frame

Keel & Rudder:
Lead ballast keel
Bronze keel bolts – checked in 1995 as part of recommissioning
Laminated hardwood rudder
Bronze rudder stock

MACHINERY

Engine & gearbox:
Bukh DV36 marine diesel engine (1985)
36hp
3 cylinder, naturally aspirated, indirectly cooled
Mechanical reversing marine gearbox
Engine panel with gauges for RPM, oil pressure, temperature, engine hours

Maintenance & Performance:
Recorded engine running hours 1,290hrs
Cruising speed under engine 7kts

Propulsion & Steering:
Stainless steel propshaft
Stuffing type sterngland with remote greaser
Two-blade bronze folding propellor
Laminated hardwood tiller, finished in a gloss varnish

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Voltage systems:
12VDC onboard power system
230VAC shore power/inverter system

Shore Power System:
Extension lead to connect to shore supply
Single 16 amp connection point
3 pin UK sockets, battery charger

Battery Banks:
Engine Battery – 1x 12VDC, 120Ah, lead acid
Domestic Battery – 1x 12VDC, 120Ah, lead acid

Battery Monitor:
Voltmeter on engine dash panel

Charging:
230VAC – 12VDC battery charger

Alternators:
Single engine driven alternator

Other Electrical:
12VDC sockets at switch panel and chart table

PLUMBING SYSTEMS

Fresh Water:
Manually pump cold fresh water system
Taps in galley and heads

Salt Water:
Manually pumped tap in galley

Bilge Pumps:
Manual Bilge Pump
Electric Bilge Pump

TANKAGE

Fuel:
Single diesel tank
Approximate capacity 45ltrs / 10 gallons

Fresh Water:
Single fresh water tank
Approximate capacity 113ltrs / 25 gallons

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

On Deck:
Depth – Raymarine ST60
Speed/Log – Autohelm ST50
Wind – Autohelm ST50

At Chart Table:
GPS – Furuno GP31
Magnetic Compass

Communications Equipment:
VHF – Husun 60 VHF

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

Galley:
Cooker – two burner and grill, gimbal mounted gas cooker
Stainless steel sink
Fresh cold water tap
Extractor fan in galley

Heads:
Toilet – Jabsco manual marine toilet
Wash hand basin
Cold water tap

Lighting:
Original overhead and bulkhead mounted lighting fittings throughout
Reading lights over saloon settees to port and starboard

ACCOMMODATION

Summary of Accommodation:
Sail locker forward
Fo’c’sle with two single berths
Heads
Saloon providing two occasional single berths
Nav Station
Galley
Quarter berth 

Accommodation Finish:
As built interior with original finishes in most place
Door furniture and hinges all replaced in 1995 with as-built fittings, ex-stock from McGruers
Mahogany joinery work finished in a gloss varnish
Mahogany soleboards finished in a satin varnish
Aquamarine, natural cotton, woven fabric for upholstery throughout
Deck head and deck beams finished in an eggshell white
Hull sides finished with varnish where visible
Formica topped gallery work surfaces.

Description of Accommodation from Forward:

Forward Cabin:
Chain locker space forward most
Sail locker/storage space between fo’c’sle and chain locker, accessed by crawl through space with deck hatch
Two single berths outboard to port and starboard
Single seat located between berths forward
Pull out shelves below seat for glasses
Standing room between berths aft.
Drawers and storage lockers beneath seat and bunks
Hanging locker aft of port bunk outboard

Heads:
Located to starboard side at aft end of aft cabin
Manual marine toilet located outboard aft.
Pull out stainless steel wash hand basin above toilet outboard with cold water tap
Vanity lockers above outboard

Saloon:
Bench seating to port and starboard sides of saloon
Both settees converting to provide occasional single berths
Centrally mounted, double drop leaf saloon table with central bottle storage compartment
Storage lockers outboard of port settee forward and aft with centrally located bookshelf
‘Ships Bar’ locker forward of port settee
Locker outboard of starboard settee forward with bookshelf running aft, GPS and VHF mounted at aft end of bookshelf
Settee back rests folding down to access storage locker space outboard

Nav Station:
Compact countertop unit aft of starboard settee providing chart working space.
Worktop designed to hold laptop computer, laptop available.
Fold-up section to extend working space forward
Storage drawers beneath countertop
Storage locker outboard
Serial connection for laptop to connect to GPS data

Galley:
To port, aft of saloon
Gimbal-mounted gas cooker forward
Inset stainless steel sink aft
Pull-out section of worktop located beneath cooker providing preparation space
Crockery storage rack outboard of cooker
Locker outboard of sink
Storage drawers and lockers beneath galley unit

Quarter Berth:
Located to port side of companionway aft of galley.
Single seat/storage unit opposite to starboard
Storage locker forward of seat with countertop above.

DECK EQUIPMENT

Rig:
Deck stepped, single spreader, fractionally rigged sloop
Gold anodised alloy mast and spars, manufactured by Proctor Masts
Stainless steel standing rigging
Harken roller reefing system on forestay
On-Boom roller reefing mainsail with kicker strap
Block and tackle kicker
Spinnaker pole

Winches:
Primary Winches – 2x Lewmar, 2-speed winches (original fitment)
Secondary Winches – 2x Gibb, 2-speed winches (original fitment)
Mast Mounted Halyard Winch – 1x Lewmar 40
Mainsail Halyard Winch – Merriman winch by Francis Shaw & Co. Ltd

Sails:
Mainsail – White Dacron, on-boom roller reefing. Nicholson Hughes, 2005 
Genoa – White Dacon, roller reefing, 130%. Nicholson Hughes, 2005
Spinnaker

Canvas Work:
Mainsail cover

Anchoring & Mooring:
Bower Anchor – 35lb CQR anchor on 60m chain rode
Kedge Anchor – Fisherman-type anchor
Electric Anchor Windlass – Lofrans Cayman 88 electric windlass with chain gypsy and warping drum
Fenders – Selection
Mooring Warps – Selection
Boat Hook

Tender:
Zodiac inflatable dinghy, round tail for rolling up to stow in locker

Navigation Lights:
Masthead Tri-colour
Steaming light
Low Level running lights – original fitment SL items

General:
Double stainless steel bow roller
Stainless steel pulpit rail
Deck mounted stainless steel stanchions supporting double tier stainless steel guardwires
Guardwire gate to starboard, immediately forward of cockpit
Stainless steel pulpit rail
Centrally mounted traditional teak and chromed bronze mooring cleat forward
Anchor windlass mounted on foredeck aft of mooring cleat
3 wooden deck hatches re-built in current ownership, glazed in polycarbonate with decorative stainless steel frame to finish
Bronze genoa tracks mounted on toerail with original fitment genoa cars
Mahogany cockpit coaming wrapping around cockpit with primary and secondary winches mounted on plinths outboard of coamins
Locker beneath port forward cockpit seat
Teak grating fitted over original, self-draining cockpit sole
Centrally mounted traditional teak and chromed bronze mooring cleat on aft deck

DISCLAIMER
In this case we are acting as brokers only.
The Owner is not selling in the course of a business. whilst every care has been taken in their preparation , the correctness of these particulars is not guaranteed. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability for such engine on our part.
This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice

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.