Category: wooden boat

For sale: pilot cutter Breeze, and cutter Medusa Bay

Pilot cutter Breeze

I’ve learned that two great but very different boats are for sale.

The 39ft pilot cutter Breeze is up for auction on eBay. She was built in 1887 by Coopers of Pill near Bristol for the pilot Albert Cope.

She started her working life working from Cardiff in 1887 and continued to work primarily in the same family ownership until around 1912. She’s believed to be the second oldest Bristol Channel pilot cutter still around, and the only remaining example of a Coopers of Pill-built cutter.

Also the Conyer-built 37ft cutter Medusa Bay is for sale priced at €90,000 in Belgium. She’s said to be in near perfect condition, and I know she has a number of admirers in North Kent, so if anyone is interested, contact me at gmatkin@gmail.com and I’ll put you in touch with the current owner.

  

 

For sale: the Albert Strange-designed gaff yawl Charmina

Albert Strange Association member Richard Rouse has put the beautiful Albert Strange designed gaff yawl Charmina up for sale after having owned her for 29 years.

She was built in 1923 by Ernest Woods of Cantley in Norfolk, and is of pitch pine on oak frames.

Charmina  has had just six owners, including the prolific writer Keble Chatterton, who is said to have written several books about her, including Charmina on the Riviera.

She’s 28ft LOD, and has 3-4 berths, a Bukh 8hp engine, and her original compass and oil lamps, and is said to be in excellent order.

Charmina has won many races in the Solent area, and her owner says she makes a wonderful cruising boat.

If you’re interested, contact Richard through the ASA website.

The Leila Sailing Trust appeals for a little more financial help

The magnificent restored Victorian gentleman’s sailing yacht Leila has her new transom and new stanchions required by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s requirements for guard rails. The windlass has been fitted, and down below the ballast is secured with a wooden lattice. The electrics are all in conduit and waterproof boxes, a bilge alarm has been fitted and Perkins the engine runs sweetly.

It all sounds good – but the Leila Sailing Trust is running low on cash and desperately needs £2000 to finish their work so that they can move her at the end of the month to Lowestoft, where she will have a new berth close to the International Boatbuilding Training College – which I gather is likely to be providing advice.

Leila’s currently being worked on in Southwold Harbour.

The Leila Sailing Trust is therefore putting out an impassioned appeal: after all their work, can anyone chip in to help them get over the next few weeks, and take the next beg step towards getting this wonderful old lady back to sea? Contact them via the website.