HISTORY and DESCRIPTION:
BLUE GEM was built in 1959 by Hampers of Fareham to a stylish J A Knowler motor-cruiser design for Mr L W G Marsh of Orchard House, Emsworth and registered in Portsmouth, official number 186833.
J A Knowler was a well known naval architect during the 1950s with Yachting World featuring many of his designs. R A Hamper Ltd, established in 1926, have an established reputation as builders of the famous Victory Class, with a Hamper Racing Trophy still awarded annually in the Victory Association. Hampers mostly built vessels up to 15 tons Thames Measurement from their Fareham based boatyard.
BLUE GEM was sold to her second owner in the mid-1960s, H R Heaver of Shopwyke Farm, Chichester, he continued to keep the vessel at Bosham where she has remained in various ownerships over the subsequent decades. The current owner has maintained BLUE GEM to an extremely high standard and she is undoubtedly a fine traditional motor-cruiser offering fore and aft sleeping cabins and central open-backed wheel-shelter. The aft cabin additionally has a removable canvas tonneau cabin top which converts this area into a large open cockpit, ideal for socialising, open-air dining and a safe area for younger crew members.
BLUE GEM has proven to be a successful sea-going and coastal cruiser having made a good few channel crossings to France. Equally, with her low air-draft, she would be ideal on inland waterways particularly the upper reaches of the River Thames around Marlow and Henley.
Carvel Teak planked hull, through copper nail and rove fastened to steam-bent Canadian Rock-Elm timbers. Varnished Teak cabin coamings and wheel-shelter. Straight-laid Teak decks replaced about twenty years ago. Straight, raked high, Scoresby style bow, transom stern with pronounced tumble-home, full sweeping sheer, long iron ballast keel and round bilges. July 2018 exterior re-paint and varnish.
Traditionally fitted interior with Teak joinery throughout.
From Foreward:
HEADS COMPARTMENT with original Baby Blake marine heads, wash basin, anchor locker and pair half-obscure glazed doors in athwartships bulkhead opening to:
SALOON with full six-foot headroom, two full-length upholstered settee berths to port and starboard, central, drop-leaf table, shelves beneath side-decks cutaway style bulkhead opening to:
GALLEY with gas cooker with oven and grill, sink unit, 20-gallon fresh-water tank, high-level pantry lockers and work-top with crockery lockers below. Hanging locker and starboard side door opening to:
WHEELSHELTER with port helm position, engine instrumentation, morse control, fold-down helmsman seat and central engine casing housing.
65hp PERKINS SABRE M65 DIESEL ENGINE, installed new 2011, about 500 hours recorded.
Fully serviced February 2018. 6 knots cruising @approx one gallon per hour consumption, 8 knots maximum speed. 20-gallon fuel tank. Automatic steering fittings already installed. 12-volt battery and charger. 240-volt shore-power and 12-volt electrics.
Locker seats, glazed side and front windows and removable canvas screens aft. Double doors opening to:
AFT CABIN with full-length upholstered settee berths to port and starboard and across the stern, central drop-leaf cabin table, cave lockers under side decks, access to stern lazarette. Removable canvas tonneau converts the cabin to an open-cockpit. Should a permanent fixed cabin roof be prefered this would be a straightforward job.
INVENTORY:
- Anchor windlass, two CQR anchors
- Garmin GPS
- Sounder
- IC M411 VHF
- Compass
- Navigation Lights
- Life Jackets
- Search Light
- Fog-Horn
- Fire Extinguishers
- Bilge Pumps
- Bathing Ladder
- Boat Hooks
- Warps and Fenders
- Beaching Legs
LYING: Chichester Harbour
GUIDE: £35,000
VIEWING: Through CLASSIC YACHT BROKERAGE