NERISSA
wooden dinghy. Launched by davits, it was powered by
an Elto outboard engine – another decadent luxury.
There was even a small mainsail and jib, although I’d
imagine a fair blow would be needed to shift her along.
Unusually, there was also an outside helm position
mirroring the one in the wheelhouse. Situated on the aft
deck it featured replicated engine controls so that the
boat could be driven (rather than just steered) from here.
Mr Heap and his wife and family kept Margo III on
the south coast of England. According to his grandson,
Ian Roger, the vessel was used for family cruising the
length of the south coast and, Ian says, his father
courted his mother aboard her.
World War II saw the yacht requisitioned by the
Ministry of Defence. Her war history is sketchy, with
stories about her being used as a barrage balloon tether
off Portland. Ian tells me that after the war his
grandfather was offered the chance to re-purchase the
boat at auction – an offer he declined.
The history of Nerissa (as she’s now known) gets a
little patchy after that. There’s mention of her being in
Gibraltar at some point, but when the current owner,
Gerald Saich, purchased her 10 years ago, she was
berthed in Southampton, had been painted a rather
unappealing duck-egg blue and was basically sound
but in need of some love. Gerald’s main line of business
is as a sculptor, but he is no stranger to carpentry and
Nerissa is a wooden boat so...
After a few years of ownership, work started in
earnest in 2013, and it started underneath. With a little
help from his friends, Gerald recaulked the hull, sanding
and fairing it three times by machine and by hand – a
real labour of love. Rubbing strakes were replaced, and
most of the superstructure dismantled, restored and
rebuilt. New hatches were made, new railings were
added around the outside helm (replacing the rather
utilitarian original galvanised steel piping) and existing
rails reshaped.
With the exterior licked into shape it was time to
start on the interior. Stripped, filled and sanded, new
floors were added in some places, and restored in
others. A new (but period-appropriate) bathroom
suite went in, as did a new galley.
Amid this, much that was original was kept. The
layout has changed only very slightly, the tiny crew
cabin forward has gone in favour of an extended galley
and heads, and the master cabin now sports a far more
cozy double berth rather than the two singles of old. But
other than that she is exactly as she was. Better yet, the
glorious original writing desk still exists, complete with
leaded glass cupboard windows although sadly the
fireplace is long gone. And many of the brass fittings
are also original. It’s the same story outside. The mast
and sails may have gone, but there are still plenty of
original features that link directly back to her heyday
such as the forward davit, wheelhouse-mounted dorade
vents and deck head skylights.
Beneath the wheelhouse sole the original Parsons
40hp petrol engines have long since been usurped by
a pair of far more suitable and more powerful Ford
Bowman diesel engines. And on a glorious early
September day – cold but crisp – we got to see
just what she could do.
Pushing out of Brighton into a brisk westerly breeze,
as Gerald cracked open the throttles Nerissa fair picked
up her skirts and flew. Cleaving the water in a most
inspiring way, we watched in awe as this elegant
80-year-old lady carved the turbulent chop with her fine
vertical bow and pressed urgently on as though delighted
to escape the confines of the marina and run. Against the
white chalk cliffs she looked truly magnificent – a
testimony to the care and sheer man hours poured into
her over the last couple of years.Left: What was a tiny crew cabin has become a galley
and heads; Right: the main cabin now has a double bedLOA
55ft (16.8m)
BEAM
12ft 6in (3.8m)
DRAUGHT
4ft 11in (1.5m)
TONNAGE
30.17tons
BUILT
1933 by James
Taylor and Bates
CONSTRUCTION
Pitch pine on oak
PROPULSION
Ford Bowman
diesel enginesNerissa is for sale
through Henley
Sales and Charter.
Asking price
£149,500NERISSA