Classic_Boat_2016-03

/M\QVOIÆWI\

Not so long ago, we were writing about the

glut of S&S inboard yawls on the used market.

In the same ‘mid-sized to large’ bracket, we

are now noticing a similar preponderance of

pilot cutters – original ones and those built as

yachts in a prolific boom over the last two

decades. That boom continues unabated

• John Raymond Barker is approaching the
  end of his restoration of Gleam, as well as a
  new build he has in progress, and Cockwells
  has a new one in build too. The upshot is a
  more mature and competitive used market
  with a number of boats in varying conditions,
  old and new, to consider. It’s a buyers’ market
  now, with prices coming down to more sensible
  levels; if the price still seems high, it’s
  ‘reasonable offer’ time (as always).
  We asked Richard Gregson of Wooden
  Ships and Barney Sandeman of Sandeman
  Yacht Company to talk us through the boats
  on their books. There are some differences,
  but the constants are charm, great looks,
  unparalleled seaworthiness and stable, solid,
  wood-bound comfort below decks. If you
  want one, either for charter or as a yacht,
  you have a great choice now. And you might
  even be in time for the big annual Pilot
  Cutter Review this 26-29 May in Cornwall.

CORNUBIA (EX HIRTA)

Cornubia is one of the better-known of the

original pilot cutters out there, partly

because of her popularisation under the

ownership of sailing writer Tom Cunliffe

and partly due to a recent (2009) and

almost total rebuild by Tommi Nielsen and

Company in Gloucester. At nearly 52ft

she’s also one of the bigger boats here.

LOD 51ft 9in (15.8m), £450,000. Lying UK

:RECENT TOTAL REBUILD

ALEXANDER T (1998)

This is a larger version of the original

Westernman design conceived by Tom

Cunliffe after years of sailing Cornubia

(below). She was designed by Nigel Irens

and Ed Burnett and built in strip-planking

by Covey Island Boatworks in Canada to

MCA zero-coding spec. She’s been owned

by a couple all her life so must be handy.

LOD 51ft 4in (15.6m), £295,000, Lying UK

:HANDY BURNETT DESIGN

MARIAN (1889)

She graced our cover in August 2005

after her big rebuild by David Walkey.

She’s the second oldest of the 18 original

pilot cutters known still to survive, and her

restoration has left her wonderfully clean,

making her deck plan a beautiful thing to

behold (the deck plans are an aesthetic

feature of these boats). LOD 44ft (13.4m),

Asking £385,000, Lying UK

:SUPERB RESTORATION

EDITH GRAY (2011)

Pilot cutter builder John Raymond Barker built this one for himself, and we

loved the concept of a ‘mini’ pilot cutter – a bit more manageable and

affordable, but still beautiful and still solid and husky. We didn’t necessarily

expect her to win every race in sight first thing out of the box, but that’s just

what she did. LOD 38ft 6in (11.7m), Asking £220,000, Lying UK

:RACE WINNER

Buy a pilot

cutter?

Boats on this page from sandemanyachtcompany.co.uk, Tel: +44 (0)1202 330077