Classic Yacht Brokerage Comments on this 28′ Steel Gaff Cutter
Conceived and designed by the current owner, who employed professional naval architect Dave Marsh (formerly of Dixon Yacht Design) to overview and fair the hull lines.
The owner then built the boat between 1994-1997 in Southampton, taking her to the east coast and now to Cornwall, during which time she has been a live aboard and a cruising home.
The internal volume of this yacht is impossible to portray in photos, she is a true tardis and offers and very comfortable and spacious interior for a yacht of only 28’ LOD. The flush aft deck allows space for an enormous aft cabin giving a large double berth. Headroom throughout is very good with distinct and separate spaces to the interior, the design of which makes excellent use of the space.
With generous beam and freeboard, yet only 4’ draft, her design is very clever indeed.
The boat presents like a much newer yacht, she is seemingly in superb condition with no signs of corrosion and bleeding, proving she was constructed very well and properly coated from the beginning.
A very clean, tidy and impressive yacht, begging to be taken on longer voyages and adventures over the horizon. This is a yacht that would make an excellent cruising home and is very obviously a capable cruising boat.
Autumn 2024 survey available soon.
Construction
Hull
Welded steel plate double chine hull made from 3mm plate in the topsides, 4mm underwater hull
5mm keel side plates and 10mm keel bottom plate.
Longitudinal stringers with frames spaced at 1000mm.
Internal lead ballast inside the keel box of 1.75 tons.
Transom hung steel rudder with tiller steering.
Decks and Cockpit
Decks made from 3mm welded steel plate. Finished in non-sip deck paint.
There is no cockpit well, the aft deck is flush with fixed seating and a substantial pushpit all round.
Robust galvanised stanchions and pushpit welded to the hull.
Superstructure
Small coachroof made from epoxy sheathed plywood with a plywood sliding companion hatch.
Rig
Gaff cutter rig on a deck stepped wooden mast.
Mast is set in a galvanised tabernacle enabling the mast to be lowered very easily.
Wooden slab reefing boom. Boom gallows integrated into the pushpit.
Galvanised wire standing rigging of 15 years old to welded chain plates.
Running back stays on tackles.
Sails
Mainsail, staysail and jib by Ray Blackmore in 2004. All in good condition.
2012 jib in good condition.
Topsail by North Sea Sails, 2014 in excellent condition.
Wyckeham Martin furling system for the jib.
Winches
Single non-self tailing mast winch.
Headsail sheets on tackles.
Machinery
Engine
Beta Marine 20hp 3cyl diesel installed new in 2017.
TMC40 gearbox to a centreline fixed 2 blade bronze propeller gives nearly 6 knots cruising speed at 2 litres/hour.
Fitted with a dry exhaust which exits port side.
Tanks
Integral to the hull, built into the keel box:
Fuel of 21 gallons
Water of 90 gallons
Batteries and Electrics
2 x 12 volt batteries charged from the engine alternator and the solar panel.
Accommodation
Berths and Headroom
4 berths including a large double aft and 2 single settee berths.
General Description
Steps down over the engine box into the main cabin with galley to port and chart desk to starboard.
On the starboard side is a passage going aft into the large aft cabin which has a good size and very comfortable double berth with sitting headroom under the aft deck.
Chart desk is half admiralty size with lots of locker and storage space below.
Perkins diesel fired cabin heater just forward of the chart desk.
Half height bulkheads separate off the main saloon.
Long settee berth either side with backs that hinge up to increase the berth width.
Plenty of storage lockers around the saloon.
Centreline drop leaf table attached to the mast compression post.
Centreline door into the forepeak which has a Portapotti chemical toilet fixed down on the centreline facing aft.
Large lockers either side and a huge storage space in the bows for warps, fenders, sails etc.
Galley
L-shaped galley has an Optimus 2 burner paraffin stove with oven. Varnished hardwood worktops with inset twin wooden sinks.
Manually pumped fresh water.
Lots of storage space in and around the galley.
Heads
Portapotti chemical toilet positioned in the forepeak. Could be substituted for a conventional sea toilet if required.
Equipment
Sestrel steering compass
NASA sounder
Standard Horizon HX890 handheld VHF
Wind pilot
Garmin GPS
Binoculars
Horse shoe lifebuoy
Patay DD120 manual bilge pump
Fire blanket
Fire extinguishers
35lb CQR anchor + 180’ x 5/16” chain
300’ x 12mm warp
15lb Bruce anchor + 3m 5/16” chain and 150’ x 12mm warp
Moyle manual anchor windlass
Spare 35lb anchor with chain
Spare heavy Fishermans anchor with chain
Bunk and berth cushions
Optimus 2 burner paraffin stove with oven
Perkins diesel fired cabin heater
2 x gimballed cabin oil lamps
Portapotti installed in forepeak.
Mainsail Ray Blackmore 270sqft 2004 Good condition
Staysail Ray Blackmore 100sqft 2004 Good condition
No.1 jib Ray Blackmore 144sqft 2004 Good condition
No.2 Jib 70sqft 2012 Good condition
Topsail North Sea Sails 66sqft 2014 Excellent condition
Mainsail cover
Wyckeham martin furling for jib
Ensign and staff
Beaching legs
Mooring warps
Fenders
Anchor ball
8’ GRP pram dinghy