Harley Mead 35 ft Gaff Cutter 1930 - Vendido

This classic gaff cutter derives from the similarly rigged working boats of former times – when there weren’t really any others. Yachtsmen were content – and familiar with such a rig, which after all carries an impressive sail area and the power for competitive speed. Indeed the 1930s yielded numerous designs from the likes of William Blake and Harley Mead specifically for “yachties”, many of whom frankly were not confident in the lesser Bermudan rig as they saw it. WANDA is a wonderfully characteristic example of the genre and with the resurgent appreciation of the “gaffers” following the post war fashion for the Bermuda, she represents an excellent opportunity for the aficionado.

- Nanni 38 HP Diesel engine via Hurth gearbox and Aquadrive to fixed 3 bladed prop
- 3 x 110 Ah batteries
- Nasa battery monitor
- Inverter
- 85 gal fresh water in two stainless tanks below saloon cabin sole
- 24 gal fuel in 2 x Vetus plastic tanks in lazarette

- Carvel; teak planking on sawn oak frames all bronze fastenings with strap iron floors
- Lead ballast keel – bronze keel bolts
- Teak deck on oak beams
- Teak superstructure

- Total five berths; a double and single in saloon and two in fore cabin
- Double doorway and sliding hatch in doghouse
- Companionway steps down over engine
- All teak joinery
- White painted deck head
- Bronze opening ports in coach roof
- Galley to port
- Sink with hot and cold pressure water and fresh water hand pump
- Gas 2 burner hob grill and oven
- Half bulkhead to saloon forward single settee berth port and double to starboard
- Generous stowage outboard
- Drop leaf table amidships
- Doorway into fore cabin space
- Generous drawer stowage to port
- Head by mast with Jabsco manual WC basin and stowage stbd
- Fore peak with 2 ports, vee berths and generous stowage
- Hanging locker
- Aft through saloon
- Chest of drawers
- Taylor diesel cabin heater, chimney through coach roof
- Large hanging cupboard
- Chart table, seat and Nav / engine instruments aft

- Spruce mast and boom
- Douglas fir gaff and topsail yard
- Spinnaker pole
- Running backstays to bronze Highfield levers
- Main and topsail by Rochester sails 2003
- Large jib
- Working jib and staysail by Jeckell 2008
- No3 jib and storm jib, older

- Bronze fairleads at bow P&S
- Teak mooring cleats P&S
- Raised and varnished teak toe rail
- Foc’sle hatch abaft bowsprit
- Large deck area from fore hatch to coach
- Bronze sockets for stainless steel stanchions
- Main anchor 35lb CQR stowed on fore deck 200 ft chain
- Lofrans manual windlass
- Fishermans anchor additional 200 ft chain
- CQR kedge anchor
- Raised trunk cabin with life raft on teak chocs skylight and doghouse
- 2 x Antal W 44 bronze ST jib sheet winches
- 2 x Antal W 40 bronze ST staysail winches
- Single speed reefing winch main boom
- Mainsheet ash and bronze blocks on stainless steel horse over tiller abaft cockpit
- Large lazarette accessed from cockpit lifting seat aft
- Aries self steering gear

Built in 1930 WANDA was rigged as a gaff yawl similar to a Falmouth Quay punt which most of Harley Mead’s designs followed. Prior to 1937 the mizzen was removed and she was rigged as a stem head gaff sloop. 1938 saw her with the rig similar to today; short bow sprit, mast moved aft about 15 inches, jack yard topsail but slightly larger main. It was during this period that she raced with the RORC - winning the Channel race. Under the ownership of Mr B G C Scott she was one of only two vessels to continue racing with a gaff rig; the other being GRIFFIN. Yachting Monthly in their issue of August 1947 shows her as part of the RORC fleet. Prior to 1954 she returned to Berthons to have the dog house fitted and alterations to the interior. Photos taken at that time show her with a longer bowsprit. Her current owner had her compete in the centenary RORC Cowes - Dinard race coming in 5th in class. In the 2008 RTI race she came 4th in the Gaff Rig Class. Recently cruising she sailed to Scotland via the Caledonian Canal in 2010 and has spent two summers in the Western Isles.

- Seago 4man life raft 2010
- Tinker Tramp with life raft & sailing kit
- 121.5 EPIRB
- SAR Transponder

- Simrad TP30 autopilot
- Sestrel hand bearing compass
- Sestrel steering compass
- Locata Navtex 1
- Garmin GPS Map 5008 touch screen lotter
- Seatrace RS 287 AIS transponder
- MLR FX312 GPS
- Nasa GPS repeater
- Nasa Duet depth / log
- Icom hand held VHF
- Icom IC M 700UK SSB with Ariel tuner
- Icom VHF IC-M411
- CD Player / radio