Wooden Ships Comments on this Laurent Giles Vertue V45
Built to traditional Vertue lines with a few alterations as detailed below. Built by Aeromarine Ltd of Emsworth in 1952. She is number V45.
She was commissioned by Dr Joe Cunningham , a founding member of the Ocean Cruising Club, who had been working as a GP around Newfoundland and Hudson Bay after the War.
Wooden Ships Comments on this Laurent Giles Vertue V45
Built to traditional Vertue lines with a few alterations as detailed below. Built by Aeromarine Ltd of Emsworth in 1952. She is number V45.
She was commissioned by Dr Joe Cunningham , a founding member of the Ocean Cruising Club, who had been working as a GP around Newfoundland and Hudson Bay after the War. He wanted a yacht that was capable of carrying him to remote communities and naturally turned to the Vertue design due to the reputation these boats have as very capable offshore cruising boats.
With the experiences of Humphrey Barton crossing the Atlantic in V35, Cunningham altered the build to include an extra plank in the topsides and a different superstructure design with no dog house and the coachroof extended aft.
The rig was reduced in height and changed from the traditional ‘slutter’ to a cutter.
Joe Cunningham left to cross the Atlantic in 1952 and arrived safely in Newfoundland after travelling through Madeira, Barbados and then north via Bermuda, Newport and Halifax. Here he continued to work as a GP using Ice Bird as his travelling base enabling to do exactly as he had planned, reaching remote communities in need of medical assistance. Ice Bird stayed in the family and was sailed by Cunninghams nephew around Iceland and Biscay, the tale of which was written up in a 1970 Yachting Monthly article.
Kept in tidy condition and updated as necessary with new standing rigging and mainsail this year, this is a yacht with a rich history and all the pedigree of the great Vertue design.
Length on Deck 26’
Length waterline 21’6”
Beam 7’3”
Draft 4’6”
Thames Tonnage 5TM
Construction
Planked in mahogany copper rivet fastened to steam bent oak timbers of 1.5” x 1.5” at 4” centres.
Galvanised strap floors across the centreline with a few sawn oak floors. All straps re-galvanised and replaced with new bolts. Wooden floors re-fastened with large copper rivets, all done in previous ownership.
External iron ballast keel of 2.2 tons with bronze keel bolts. Bolts new in previous ownership.
T&G laid deck, covered with plywood and sheathed externally with epoxy glass cloth finished in non-slip deck paint. High tow rail all round with a scrubbed teak capping rail. Stainless steel pushpit, pulpit and stanchions. Deck and some deck beams replaced new in previous ownership.
Coachroof with a raised doghouse aft. Varnished mahogany coamings with bronze portholes.
Self draining cockpit with tiller steering and a transom hung rudder. Varnished teak thwarts with a bridge deck at the forward end.
Rig
Bermudan cutter rig on a keel stepped alloy mast with alloy slab reefing boom.
Stainless steel standing rigging, new in 2021, to internal stainless chain plates.
2 spreader rig with twin standing back stays to the quarters and running backstays on Highfield levers. Inner and outer forestay take the headsails on hanks.
Mainsail new from Hyde Sails in 2021. Other older sails include 3 x jibs, 3 x staysails and a genoa.
Pair of Anderson self tailing cockpit sheet winches. Pair of mast halyard winches.
Machinery
Volvo Penta MD7A twin cylinder 13hp diesel engine
Centreline fixed 3 blade bronze propeller gives 4 knots cruising speed.
45 litre stainless steel fuel tank in cockpit locker.
50 litre fresh water tank
2 x 12 volt batteries charged from engine alternator. Shore power system fitted but there is no battery charger.
1 manual and 1 auto bilge pump.
Accommodation
2 berths with 6’3” headroom in the saloon
Steps down over the engine with galley to starboard and chart area to port.
Galley has a Taylors paraffin 2 burner stove with oven set on gimbals. Stainless sink with a bronze manual hand pump for fresh water.
The chart desk has lots of storage below and lockers above.
Half height bulkheads with vertical grab rails separate off the main saloon.
Main saloon with a settee berth either side and removable centreline dropleaf table. Taylors paraffin cabin heater mounted on the forward bulkhead. Upholstery new in 2021.
Centreline door going forward. Forepeak has a Baby Blake sea toilet mounted on the centreline facing aft. The rest of the forepeak is used for storage.
Inventory
Plastimo steering compass
Raymarine sounder and log
Silva DSC VHF
Autohelm tiller pilot
Navigation lights including LED masthead light
Life buoy
Orange smoke and a laser flare
Fire extinguisher
24lb CQR anchor
25m of 8mm chain
30m of 14mm warp
Bruce 7.5kg anchor with 5m of 8mm chain and 30m of 14mm warp
Simpson Lawrence manual windlass
Bunk and berth cushions
Taylors Paraffin stove with 2 burners and oven
Taylors paraffin cabin heater
Gimballed cabin oil lamp
Saloon table
Kettle
Warps
Fenders
Ensign and staff
Beaching legs
Cradle
Coachroof cover/boom tent
Mainsail by Hyde Sails, 2021 Excellent condition
No.1 jib Fair condition
No.2 jib Good condition
No.3 jib Good condition
Genoa Fair condition
No.1 staysail Fair condition
No.2 staysail Fair condition
No.3 staysail Fair condition
Mainsail cover
Disclaimer:
These particulars have been prepared in good faith from information provided by the Vendors and are intended as a guide, Wooden Ships cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. The Purchaser should instruct his agent or surveyor to validate all details as necessary and satisfy himself with the condition of the vessel and its equipment.
