Few British classic motor yachts this size have enjoyed the level of structural and aesthetic attention lavished on THELMA in recent years. Following a Classic Boat Awards-winning keel-up restoration by Stirling and Son, with interiors in immaculate taste to designs by Paris-based India Mahdavi, this 72 ft Silver - the largest true Ormidale type built - made a triumphant return voyage to the Mediterranean in 2016.
Few British classic motor yachts this size have enjoyed the level of structural and aesthetic attention lavished on THELMA in recent years. Following a Classic Boat Awards-winning keel-up restoration by Stirling and Son, with interiors in immaculate taste to designs by Paris-based India Mahdavi, this 72 ft Silver - the largest true Ormidale type built - made a triumphant return voyage to the Mediterranean in 2016. She has long proved herself as an exceptional sea-boat, including charter work as a steady platform for event filming and viewing with her trusty Gardner diesel engines and Vosper Maxi Fin stabilizers. Now back in her ‘home’ waters of the west of Scotland, with 3 double cabins, a single, and crew accommodation, THELMA is an incredibly exciting and unique option in turn key condition.
Brokers Comments
Few British classic motor yachts this size have enjoyed the level of structural and aesthetic attention lavished on THELMA in recent years. Following a Classic Boat Awards-winning keel-up restoration by Stirling and Son, with interiors in immaculate taste to designs by Paris-based India Mahdavi, this 72 ft Silver - the largest true Ormidale type built - made a triumphant return voyage to the Mediterranean in 2016. She has long proved herself as an exceptional sea-boat, including charter work as a steady platform for event filming and viewing with her trusty Gardner diesel engines and Vosper Maxi Fin stabilizers. Now back in her ‘home’ waters of the west of Scotland, with 3 double cabins, a single, and crew accommodation, THELMA is an incredibly exciting and unique option in turn key condition.
Restoration / Refit
2022
MMS SCOTLAND
- Engines & Generator service
2021
STIRLING & SON PLYMOUTH
- Windlass controls renewed & remote control added
- New bow thruster batteries
- Exterior varnishing
MMS SCOTLAND
- Engines & generator service
STIRLING & SON PLYMOUTH
- New hardtop cover extended aft from deckhouse/cockpit
- Original openings in deckhouse converted to windows
- New anchor chain
- Owner cabin banquette converted to single berth
- Starboard engine removed to Garner Marine for works
- Engines & Generator service
- New engine start batteries
- Water tank capacity increased by 600 L
- Site glasses fitted to water and fuel tanks
- Black & grey water tanks combined
- Topsides painting
- Exterior varnishing
STIRLING & SON PLYMOUTH
Initially the project was deemed a ‘refurbishment’ but it soon became a great deal more than that. There was known to be some rot in the covering boards and surrounding areas and while this was being further investigated, more was found in the beam shelf. It was decided to remove the entire deck, take the boat back to a bare hull and then start to replace some of its component parts.
The teak stem and oak keelson were left intact but below it, the 9 inch square oak false keel and ballast keel were removed and renewed. Almost half the planking was replaced and as this was not possible in the original timber types of reliable quality at a reasonable price, Oregon pine was used instead of pitch pine on the bottom. West African utile replaced the Honduras mahogany on the topsides.
About half of the steamed oak ribs were replaced, repairs carried out locally to the sawn oak frames and all were refastened, with copper rivets and bronze screws respectively. All the galvanised steel strap floors were renewed and five extra ones were added in the engine room where they now span the shaft logs and engine beds, and about half of the timber floors were renewed. A new utile beam shelf and deck beams were fitted and then a plywood sub-deck was laid over them in two half-inch layers with staggered butt joints for extra strength.
The superstructure (anyway not original) was in too poor a state to be saved so this was rebuilt in the 1973 style – and the original windows were refurbished and reused. Two traditional skylights, two hatches and a seat/storage locker were fitted
A half inch thick semi-swept teak deck - thought more attractive than the original straight-laid deck - was then laid with snapes into the king plank and covering boards. In so far as possible, original deck fittings - or at least those on the boat when she arrived in Plymouth - were refurbished and reused. These include the windlass, searchlight, the Kent Clearview screens, engine room ventilation cowls, the cap rail hinges and locks, the flagstaff socket, fairleads, and the cast iron stanchions. Several of these needed weld repairs before being re-galvanised and painted. The original Silver style steel mooring cleats were used as patterns to cast new bronze ones which were then polished and chrome plated.
The interior design was contracted to India Mahdavi, the Paris-based architect and interior designer who has worked on residential projects for the owner. Dubois Naval Architects were also taken on to ‘marinise’ India’s work and to convert it into a CAD format that the boatbuilder Will Stirling could use. Much of the Dubois work was carried out by Adam Scott-Mackie, but Ed Dubois’ enthusiastic personal involvement proved very poignant as this was one of his last projects before his sad and untimely death. Fourteen different general arrangement drawings were produced before the final details were agreed. “It was a question of refining everything,” (Adam Scott-Mackie). But at the insistence of both India and the owner, the final interior layout is not dissimilar to the original.
The interior joinery is all in oak, in a style very similar to the original, stained with Van Dyck walnut crystals and coated with six coats of varnish. The grain has deliberately not been filled, “as we didn’t want a perfect, almost plastic, finish,” (Will Stirling). A few of the original parts of the interior were saved, including the flag stowage locker in the wheelhouse, the mirror in the owner’s cabin, locker door knobs, drawer carcasses, several chairs, the galley sink and a number of taps. The interior was finished off with Tibetan carpets, Normandy handmade tiles in the heads, and upholstery by Sanders Sails of Lymington.
The Gardner engines were sent to Gardner Marine in Kent to be taken back to ‘zero hours’, then reinstalled in a newly laid-out engine room to allow easier access. Details are in the Mechanical and Electrical section below. The rudder stock, propellers and shafts were also renewed. The engineering work was carried out by Joshua Preston Marine and Heavy Engineers, and the plumbing and electrical work by AllBoat Services, both in Plymouth.
And so it was that, after an astonishing amount of work had been carried out in less than two years, LIFE AQUATIC was relaunched on 23rd May 2016. During sea trials, she demonstrated a cruising speed of 8 knots and a maximum of 10 which Jim McIlraith considers impressive for a 60 tonne boat with 300 HP of propulsion. “She slips along nicely with a wee frothy bow wave and a beautiful run-off under that wine glass stern.” Barely a month after the launch, Will Stirling himself delivered LIFE AQUATIC to the Mediterranean.
History
John Bain's post-Second World War 'Ormidale Type' design, eventually offered in a range of sizes from 46 ft/ 14 m to 72 ft/ 22 m, rapidly became the standard bearer of all that was best in 20th Century British motor yacht design. The James A. Silver yard's very effective "Superbly Seaworthy" advertising campaigns majored on their undoubted ability, in particular to run straight and to steer easily in a following sea. That these fine vessels oozed a certain style was never mentioned, but clear for everyone to see. Demand ensured a healthy order book for the Rosneath yard into the early 1970s, with THELMA remaining the largest Ormidale built for almost a decade.
Launched in the early summer of 1952 by her designer's wife, Jean Bain, as THELMA VI she was to be E. Lynton Vicars's final yacht, and his first motor yacht. The senior member of a highly successful north west of England biscuit-making machinery manufacturing family, Vicars lived at Coed-y-Celyn Hall, Bettws-y-Coed, North Wales; inland from the yachting resort of Conwy where he and his family were leading lights. THELMA III was his son Mostyn's William Fife designed Conwy Fife One Design, and from the mid 1930's, Lynton's 1906 William Fife 88ft yawl THELMA VI (ex VIDA IV, ex ROSE) had a been a fixture at the Clyde and Irish Sea regattas.
As built, THELMA VI was triple screw, with twin Gleniffer 72 hp diesels and a short lived central Morris Commodore 47 hp petrol motor, presumably planned for slow running in rivers and canals.
But Vicars's ownership was to be short-lived. He died in his 72nd year in January 1953, and in 1954 THELMA VI was purchased by the former Member of the UK Parliament for Aberdeen Central and Kincardine, Sir Robert Workman Smith of Crowmallie, 1st Bt., from a prominent Glasgow/ Belfast shipbuilding and shipowning dynasty. She would remain in Smith family ownership for a decade, becoming particularly well known when used and then owned from 1957 to 1964 by Sir Robert's son, Sir W. Gordon Smith of Crowmallie, 2nd Bt., at the time one of British yachting’s most successful small boat racing sailors and prominent administrators. Throughout Smith family ownership THELMA VI served as mothership for his International Dragon campaigns. His yachting CV was impressive:
- Winner, Dragon Class Edinburgh Cup, 1952
- Winning crew, Col. ‘Stug’ Perry’s David Boyd-designed 6-Metre ROYAL THAMES
- One Ton Cup 1958
- Winner, Dragon Class Gold Cup 1961 on the Clyde
- Founder Chairman of the International Dragon Class Association, 1961
- Council and multiple committees member, Royal Yachting Association
- Member and Flag Officer of numerous yacht clubs including:
- Royal Yacht Squadron
- Rear Commodore, Royal Thames YC
- Member RTYC America’s Cup Challenge selection Committee 1964 America’s Cup
- Commodore, Royal Burnham YC Commodore in 1956.
- 1966: Member of the IYRU selection committee: Soling as 3-Man Olympic Keelboat
THELMA VI would have been very well known during this period. She was present at Naples, Italy, for the 1960 Olympic Regatta, and it was on board THELMA VI there that the Poole Bay Olympic Sailing Association was founded, which may be said to have been the genesis for the future success of British Olympic sailing from its eventual base at nearby Weymouth.
It is probable that THELMA VI remained in the Mediterranean through the 1960s under the ownership of:
J.E. Bullough, Bolton, (Home Port: Cannes)
H. Strachey-Hawdon, Sheffield & A.S. Denniff, Worksop (Home Port: Malta)
- c.1970 Return to UK
?? Eric Norbury, Redditch, Worcs, & Coombe Trenchard, Lewdown, Devon
- 1972: Gleniffer engines replaced with the present 1962 Gardners.
Gary Newnham (Ports: Chichester/ Cowes)
In 1993 THELMA VI enjoyed a cameo role in the UK TV series Howard's Way, and from the early 2000s became known as the 'floating clubhouse' of the British Classic Yacht Club during her charter years out of Cowes.
Purchased in 2014 and restored by high-end fashion accessories entrepreneur Isabel Ettedgui, THELMA VI emerged from Stirling & Son's historic Plymouth boatsheds in 2016 as LIFE AQUATIC, given a fresh start in life after open heart surgery and a fabulous accommodation makover designed by Paris-based architect and interior designer India Mahdavi, and 'marinised' by Dubois Naval Architects, with overall project management by Sandeman Yacht Company and naval architecture by Jim McIlraith of Survey One. On completion, she returned to the Mediterranean.
In present ownership since 2018 and renamed THELMA, this fine motor yacht with so much personality has graced the waters of her birth, cruising the west coast of Scotland perhaps for the first time in half a century.
©2022 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.
Construction
("New" = 2016)
- Oregon pine lower four planks below waterline
- Original Honduras mahogany and new utile planking in long lengths for the remainder
- Oak timbers and framing
- Teak stem
- New oak wood keel
- New cast iron ballast keel
- Wooden bilge keels
- Steel single plate rudder
- New marine ply and sheathed transom
- New marine ply sub deck in two layers with joints staggered and sheathed
- New quarter sawn Burmese teak deck overlaid and sealed with Teak Decking Systems
- New Utile deck beams
- New Utile beam shelves
- All teak hatches
- Teak capping rail
- New keel bolts and backbone bolts throughout
- New bolts throughout
- New strap floors
- Re-fastened with bronze screws and copper rivets
- Two layers of marine ply and sheathed deck house
Deck Layout, Equipment and Ground Tackle
FROM AFT ON DECK
- Passarelle with teak grating lifted by davits and tackle aft
- Lifting hinged capping rail gateway to aft deck
- Valise stowage for new lightweight aluminium boarding ladder (2021)
- Original galvanised steel stanchions overhauled
- Varnished teak rail over all
- Gates to port and starboard aft
- Stainless steel wire intermediates
- Fairleads each side over transom
- Ensign staff socket
- Mooring cleats each side
- Wide raw teak decks with varnished kingplank
- Chromed mushroom vent on centreline
- Varnished raised lifting hatch with port light
- Varnished deck chests each side
- Bench seating with cushions over large locker fwd on centreline
- Deck shower
- High deckhouse coaming to sides; open aft
- Companionway fwd on deck each side
- Deckhouse with large windows each side
- Varnished butterfly skylight hatch over saloon
- 2 x Dorade vents ducted to bilge
- Davit for dinghy in 316 stainless steel to port
- Dinghy stowage inboard to port
- Forward butterfly skylight
- Mushroom vent
- Raised forehatch with port light over crew cabin
- Mooring cleats each side
GROUND TACKLE
- Simpson-Lawrence Francis 2000 W, 24 V windlass
- Warping drum and chain gipsy
- Windlass controls & remote control (2021)
- New anchor chain (2020)
- Mushroom vent over chain locker
- Stainless bow furniture with integral fairleads and bow rollers each side
DECKHOUSE FROM FORWARD
- Coming aft to trunk cabin
- Large windows into fwd saloon
- Raw teak ladder to coach roof
- Raw teak sunbathing platform with cushions; handrails each side
- Wheelhouse windscreen
- Original Kent Clear View Screens port and starboard (overhauled 2016)
- 2 x Windscreen wipers
- Original navigation sidelights
- Original Simpson-Lawrence searchlight (overhauled 2016)
- Stowage on roof for teak boarding ladder and boathook
OPEN DECKHOUSE SALOON AFT OF WHEELHOUSE
- Extended fixed canopy over
- L-shaped bench seating to port and fwd against aft bulkhead
- Island bench seating aft
- Stowage under all bench seating
- Large drop leaf dining table
- Table extends to double size
- Table accommodates 8 adults for outdoor dining
WHEELHOUSE
- Entrance door (and to all accommodation) to stbd
- Flag locker to stbd
- Bench seat to port aft
- Vertical sliding spring loaded opening window aft
- Fixed helm barber stool
- Clock, barometer and hygrometer to port
- Lift-up chart table at port bulkhead
- Access hatch to engine room to port
- Helm position with engine, navigation instruments and comms fwd
- Kobelt engine controls (2020)
- Traditional ship's wheel
- 4 x Large screen windows
Accommodation and Domestic Equipment
SUMMARY
Forward
- Upper saloon, lower dining dining saloon, galley, twin crew cabin, en suite head
Aft
- Passageway aft with two double cabins with wash basins to port
- One single guest cabin with wash basin to starboard
- Guest head and shower to stbd
- Large master head bathroom to stbd
- Large master cabin with double and single berths
UPPER SALOON
- Large windows to side and forward with bamboo hanging blinds
- L shaped settee stylishly soft furnished to port, stowage under
- Sideboard shelving and lockers forward and to stbd
- 42 L bar fridge
- VFIM Hydro icemaker in saloon
- Additional casual seating
- Deckhead and bulkhead lights
- Companionway steps down forward and aft
DOWN FORWARD TO LOWER/ DINING SALOON
- L-shaped bench seating over stowage fwd to port, additional chairs
- Dining table for 6
- Lockers, cabinets and shelving aft to port and sideboards to starboard
- Butterfly skylight in deckhead
- Opening ports
- Deckhead and bulkhead lights
- Access door aft to engine room
- Doorway fwd to galley
FORWARD TO GALLEY
- Peninsular feature with worktop extending along aft bulkhead
- Cupboards under, secure shelving over
- 4-Plate electric hob with oven, open lockers outboard, shelving
- Cabinet above houses fresh water & waste water tank gauges
- Original ceramic butlers sink with integral draining board
- Grohe galley mixer tap to stbd
- Bosch Silver Freezer 139 L fridge / 64 L freezer
- 42 L chest fridge
- Microwave
- Condensing washer drier
- Mini-dishwasher
- Opening ports
- Deckhead lights
- Door fwd to crew accommodation
EN-SUITE CREW CABIN
- Head shower and basin to port
- 2 x Raised single berths with stowage under
- Shelving outboard
- Hanging locker fwd to stbd
- Deck head and bulkhead lights
- Fore and aft berth privacy curtain rails
- Opening fore/ escape hatch in deck head
- Access forward to chain locker and stowage
RETURN AFT AND UP TO UPPER SALOON
- Companionway steps down and corridor aft
SINGLE GUEST CABIN TO STARBOARD
- Single enclosed berth with stowage under
- Ceramic wash basin
- Hanging cupboard
- Opening port
- Electric lighting
DOUBLE GUEST CABIN FORWARD TO PORT
- Double berth with stowage under
- Ceramic wash basin
- Hanging locker
- Opening port
- Electric lighting
GUEST BATHROOM OPPOSITE TO PORT
- Electric WC
- Ceramic washbasin in cabinet, locker under
- Shower with seating and teak grating sole
- Opening port
- Electric lighting
DOUBLE GUEST CABIN AFT TO PORT
- Double berth with stowage under
- Ceramic wash basin
- Hanging locker
- Opening port
- Electric lighting
OWNER CABIN AFT
- Large double berth to port
- Single berth to starboard
- Bureau/ dressing table to starboard fwd
- Locker aft and open shelving beyond
- Opening ports
- Electric lighting
- Doorway to corridor fwd
- Opening/ escape hatch in deck head
OWNER BATHROOM TO STARBOARD IN CORRIDOR
- Bath and shower
- Electric WC
- Ceramic washbasin in cabinet, locker under
- Opening ports
- Electric lighting
OTHER DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT
- Dometic cruise air conditioning for cooling and heating
- Fusion home entertainment
- Television
- Hand made Tibetan 100 knots nettle rug
- Fauvel handmade tiles by Normandy Ceramics
- Linen
- Crockery
- Cutlery
- Table mats
- Pillows
- Cushions
- Blinds
- Curtains
- Chairs
- Stools
Mechanical, Electrical and Tankage
- 2 x 6LXB 6-Cylinder 150 hp each diesel main engines (1972/ 2016)
- Full workshop overhaul at Gardner Marine to zero hours (2016)
- 2 x Twin Disk MG5050 marine gear with SAE B 4 bolt power take off
- Sigma 150 drives on the intermediate shaft
- Handed pair of 32 x 21 4 blade NAB propellers by Michigan Wheels
- 2 x 2.5 inch tail shafts, stern tubes and glands, rudder tube and glands, rudder shaft all new
- Cruising range c.800 miles at 1250 rpm with a 10% reserve
- Fuel usage c.18 L/hour; gen running & 2 x engines @1200 rpm 8 knots & 10% reserve
- Range would likely increase 10 – 15% with intermittent generator use
- Sleipner SP 285 TC1 Side-Power bow thruster with 8950G Sleipner joystick panel
- Naiad Multisea MSII and Vosper maxi-fin stabilisers
- MDKDU 27kW @50Hz Cummins Onan generator (2016)
- 24 V electrical system with master panel and safety features
- All batteries maintenance free
- 2 x Banks of 2 x 12 V engine start batteries (2020)
- 2 x 12 V Genset start batteries
- 4 x 12 V Bow thruster batteries (2021)
- 2 x 12 V Domestic batteries each side; total 4
- Shore power 230 V domestic allowing all galley equipment to use shore power
- Shore power 230 V air conditioning
- 115 litre calorifier
- Stainless steel fuel tanks total 2,000 L (2016)
- Stainless steel water tanks total 2,000 L (2016)
- Combined black & grey water tanks - total 500 L (2020)
- Pumps and piping (2020)
Navigation and Communications
- B&G Zeus 2, 9 in multi-function display chart plotter
- H 5000 analogue depth
- H 5000 analogue speed
- DST 800 active d/s/t plastic transducer (2021)
- RC42 rate compass
- Triton Pilot add-on system low current
- RF25 N Rudder reference unit
- HLD -350 mk 2 short split linear drive
- Broadband 4G radar c/w 20 m radar cable
- V90 Black Box VHF
- NAIS 400 class B-AIS c/w GPS
- NMEA2000 connections
- 2.4m VHF whip antenna
- Stainless steel ratchet mount
Safety
- Life Saving Aparatus complying with MCA Category C (service due 2023)
- Lifejackets next service 2023
- Manual and electric bilge pumping systems with bilge alarms
- NFD900M Sea Fire engine room fire fighting system
- Horn
Other Equipment
- LUX300 Tender
- Mercury 9.9 HP 4 stroke outboard motor (serviced Nov. 2021)
Image Credits
Main image: Neil White/ Saltire Marine
Disclaimer
These particulars have been prepared from information provided by the vendors and are intended as general guide. The purchaser should confirm details of concern to them by survey or engineers inspection. The purchaser should also ensure that the purchase contract properly reflects their concerns and specifies details on which they wish to rely.
