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Description

Rare opportunity to buy a beautiful classic boat of historic and cultural significance. Kirsty was built as a family cruising yacht in1921 and after 101 years is still used as such. She has been in her current ownership for 25 years. At 37’5” LOD and with gaff ketch rig she is easily managed by two and her warm, welcoming interior is so practical and homely (including a woodburning stove) that she was lived on (and sailed extensively to the US, Norway and around the British Isles) for around 25 years.
Kirsty was built by John and Tom Fyfe (cousins of the Fifes of Fairlie) at Ardmaleish on the Isle of Bute. She has been carefully maintained over the years and has had two major refits, one in 1961 and again in 1975. A new Yanmar engine was installed in 2002 which has been professionally serviced and winterised annually.
Kirsty has been featured in a number of publications including: the cover photo for the flyer which launched Classic Boat, as well as appearing in the second issue of the magazine in the Down Below series; Yachting Monthly in 1936; Hand, Reef and Steer by Tom Cunliffe; Waypoints by Ian Stephen, and the cover picture of Practical Boat Owner in July 1995. She also appeared in the 2001 Hollywood film, To End all Wars. in 2021 Classic boat featured Kirsty in their centenarian page.

Kirsty was surveyed in October 2021 and the report will be made available to prospective buyers. We're sailing her on the west coast of Scotland over the summer, so please contact us to arrange a viewing afloat.

Specifications

Accommodation

The companionway is offset to starboard and leads to the oilskin hanging area, lockers for the two 100Ah batteries and entrance to the heads (with manual WC, basin with chromed brass fresh water pump, mirror and ample storage). Moving forward along the portside there is a timber workbench with tool/paint stowage and a decklight above opposite the chart-table and drawer above the engine and below a large traditional skylight. Next you come to the practical galley which spans the full width of the boat (“a real liveaboard galley” – Kirsty - Down Below, Classic Boat Issue 2). The galley has a two burner, grill and oven gas cooker, s/s sink with brass fresh and saltwater pumps and good stowage. It is lit by a second traditional skylight and several bronze opening portholes which feature throughout the interior of the boat. From here you pass through a sliding door to the inviting saloon. In the entrance to the saloon, cool stowage is available under the sole in the deep and remarkably dry bilge space.
Lit by a third skylight and six bronze portholes and lined in wood the saloon is at once light and bright, warm and comforting. With leather upholstery, oil lamp and woodburning stove (towel rail behind) it has few equals as a place to relax in the evening or to sit out a gale. There are also four warm tone LED wall lights. There is a single berth to starboard of the central folding table while the port berth easily converts to a double. Stowage is plentiful, with a large locker with shelves and a hanging locker, plus stowage behind and under bunks. There are bookshelves on either side.
At the forward end of the saloon a second sliding door leads to the generousl and spacious focsle, brightly lit by a glazed forehatch with two comfortable berths and a pipe cot. There are shelves, bedside table, stowage and an LED light above each berth.
Chain locker with light and fender storage is accessed at the forward end of the focsle.

Construction

Pitch pine planking (mainly original) on oak frames.
Laid teak deck, refurbished 2013/14,
Teak toerail,
Full length cast iron keel (6 tons),
Oak rudder with wrought iron tiller.
The hull is remarkably tight for a boat of this age. Some seepage observed in 2021 (which encouraged the installation of two new 1300gph automatic pumps) has been cured through the refastening and caulking of the garboards.

Maintenance History

1960/61 – major refit including new teak deck, new masts and interior refit
1975 – following an accident which sunk her in shallow water in Cowes, major repair/rebuild and general re-fastening using bronze screws
2013 - decks re-sealed (including lifting and re-bedding the covering board and all deck fittings) and new, larger stainless steel fuel tank installed.
Spring 2022 the garboards were fully re-fastened and caulked.
Kirsty has been well maintained by the owners with professional assistance where required.
While Kirsty is currently sailable, there remains a requirement for work to be done to a deck beam and carlin, bulkhead, two hull planks and beam shelf around the aft end of the coach roof. This work needs to be done in the near future and the asking price reflects this requirement. Other commitments are limiting the time and energy the owners have to spend, hence they are not intending to carry this out ourselves. Work has been carried out, however to stabilise the situation for a period.
Kirsty was surveyed in October 2021 and the report will be made available to prospective buyers.

Equipment

20 kg Spade anchor with approx. 100m 7/16th inch chain
60lb Fisherman anchor
45lb CQR
200ft warp
Simpson Lawrence manual windlass (very efficient and reliable)
Aries windvane – in good working condition and with all fittings. Ready for simple re-installation.
Log, Depth and Wind instruments – Clipper and Navman
Steaming lights and tricolour masthead navigation light
Radar reflector
Shore power
80W solar panel and controller
2 x 100AH batteries
Boarding ladder

Navigation Equipment

Sestrel steering compass
Plastimo handbearing compass

Engine(s)

Yanmar 40hp installed 2002 with Aquadrive coupling - professionally winterised and serviced annually
18” three blade propeller
New engine mounts 2018
Single lever control in cockpit

Sails & Spars

Mainmast – Douglas fir with ash spreaders and galvanised fittings. Top section replaced 2021 by A&R Way Boatbuilders. 8mm galvanised rigging protected with pvc tape. Norselay coated running backstays. S/S inner forestay.
Mizzen mast – pitch pine from 1975, galvanised fittings and rigging.
Bowsprit – Douglas fir with Norselay shrouds and chain bobstay
Main and mizzen gaffs and booms – believed Douglas fir with galvanised fittings. Mizzen gaff saddle re-leathered 2021 with new purple heart parrel beads
Staysail boom
Topsail yard
Spinnaker pole
Squaresail yard
Main and mizzen sails 1998 by Patrick Selman – Clipper Canvas
Working jib on Wyckeham Martin furler
No 1 Jib,
Genoa
Mizzen Staysail
Topsail (masthead)
Topsail (yard)
Storm jib

Safety Equipment

Lifebelt and light
Rescue sling
Emergency boarding ladder
Cobra fixed VHF radio
Two 1300gph automatic electric bilge pumps
Manual bilge/waste water pump
Fire extinguishers

Location Map