WHISSTOCKS Motor Launch for sale in Henley United Kingdom

Boat Overview

A rare opportunity to purchase a highly coveted Dunkirk Little Ship, Janthea has been a proud member of the ADLS and within the same family for over 40 years. She is a stunning example of a twin screw 45ft motor yacht built in 1938 by Whisstocks, Woodbridge.

The yacht is built out of 1” pitch pine planking on 2” side grown English oak frames with two steamed ribs between each pair. Her original superstructure is varnished teak along with teak skylights, hatches, covering boards, and rubbing strakes, and teak laid decks.

She was powered by two 4.40 Gray engines as many were in those days; today she is powered by twin BMC 4 cyl Diesels.

Her interior is largely original but does boast some modern-day bathroom comforts with an updated shower room and heads installed in 2019.

Historical Background

Originally named 'Reda' and commissioned as a one-off build at a cost of £1,885 and 15 shillings for public house owner Austin Reed. Claude (of boat builders fame Claude Whisstocks) built the yacht entirely without drawings; however, thanks to an article in 'Yachting World' of April 1939, a full specification with plan and sections do exist to show that the original layout has not been changed over the years.

Austin took delivery of her in 1939 when Ron Lenthall, who was Ron Tough's waterman at Teddington, brought her from Suffolk to the Thames on her maiden voyage - but Austin never had a chance to sail in her.

In 1940, it was Ron Lenthall who was given the task of collecting the Little Ships. It had been a busy few days for Ron. For several weeks, boats on nearby moorings had to be kept immobilised without their batteries, for fear that they might be used by enemy agents. Then about ten days before the start of the evacuation, the word was given to make all available boats ready in case they should be needed at short notice, and to collect together others which might be used. "We knew where they were going, and what they would have to do," Ron recalled. "We had to take down the masts as we knew most of the boats would be used for work off the beaches and not actually to bring men back and take unnecessary gear off of them to make more space inside." He remembered taking down Reda's mast and painting the name on its heel. He also remembered how Austin Reed visited his boat at Tough's and remarked on the full drinks locker. "There's plenty of booze; leave it there, the chaps will have a greater need for it than me."

On 29th May 1940, Reda sailed from Ramsgate in company with five other yachts across the English Channel, all manned by willing and eager crews fired by the one common purpose of saving the British Expeditionary Force.

After severe machine-gun attacks from the air off Gravelines, they arrived at La Panne beach at 1500 and at once began towing whalers full of troops to off-lying ships. The Reda then returned to Ramsgate with 21 soldiers aboard. She braved a bombing raid as she left but survived unscathed. On 31st May, she went back for more and after ferrying 50 Frenchmen to a larger transport, brought 23 more direct to Ramsgate.

Commemorative Significance

Janthea is featured individually on a series of stamps called 'Little Ships of Dunkirk'. These were issued in Palau in 2015 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Operation Dynamo. She has taken part in all commemorative returns since 1984 and her owners have reserved their crossing with the fleet for the May 2025 return so a new owner would automatically qualify to participate in the event which arises only every 5 years.

Contact Information

If you are interested in owning not only a beautiful, purposeful, and capable sea-going auxiliary motor-yacht of immense style, but also one that is a little slice of history, please contact our sales team.

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.