Mead 38 ft Gaff Cutter 1926 - Vendido

It is perhaps not surprising this yacht has circled the globe – the influence of the West Country pilot cutter in her design and stout construction cannot be ignored, however on closer inspection her distinctive sheer and flowing lines mark her out as being rather less workaday and incredibly pleasing on the eye.

Despite being just 38 ft 6 on deck, with her 12 ft beam JENNY WREN has a magnificent amount of useable space below decks. Having kept her original feastures, she feels as comfortable and homely as a country cottage or a gentleman’s club. Having spent extended periods of time in some remote and chilly locations, this has had its benefits. Conversely, her wide side decks and low freeboard compared with a modern yacht, make her the perfect yacht for cruising and summering in warmer climes.

Designed by Harley Mead and built by Gilbert & Pascoe in Porthleaven, Cornwall in 1926, JENNY WREN was conceived as a gentleman’s sailing yacht, originally for the owner and one or two guests, plus a paid hand, who would live forward.

In her 85 years, she has circled the globe, spending time also in Cape Town, the Falkland Islands, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Although never conceived as a racing yacht, she has raced in offshore classics such as the Fastnet Race, and the Capetown to Rio Race. She has also raced in classic yacht regattas more recently.

Jenny Wren has had a recent survey and is believed to be in excellent condition throughout.

Carvel constructed of 1 ½ inch pitch pine planking on 4 in x 6 in oak frames, her hull is finished in cream International Toplac, anti fouled below the waterline. She has a cast iron external keel (bolts inspected 2008) and also carries fixed internal ballast. Timber rudder and wrought iron tiller

Decks are solid 1 ½ inch pitch pine, laid over oak deck beams, with paid seams and caulked with black Sikaflex. All joinery above deck is in varnished teak, giving her a very attractive appearance.

Double doors and offset sliding hatch access the doghouse which also provides excellent shelter when needed, with companionway steps down to the accommodation below. This can also be reached by a through deck hatch forward, with steps down into the foc’sle.

Every effort has been made to maintain the original look and feel of her 1926 origins. Navigation equipment is concealed and oil lamps prevail. The deep glow of varnished teak joinery and the white deckhead creates a wonderful sense of history, comfort and security.

Accomodation is for 7 in 5 single berths and one double berth.

Immediately to starboard above and aft of the settee berth is a pilot berth, running under the starboard cockpit deck area. Forward in the the main saloon are single settee berths both sides with provision for lee cloths and stowage space outboard.

Between the settee berths is a gimballed table, with 4 sets of fiddles, enabling comforable eating, whatever the sea conditions.

Forward in the saloon are single berths both sides, each with high lee boards, creating very comfortable and secure sea berths, also with stowage space outboard.

A wood burning stove heats throughout the boat when chilly - in higher latitudes, or for winter cruising. The skylight, with 4 opening leaves and portholes provides excellent light and ventilation.

Beyond the saloon are the galley and the head compartments. The galley, to port, offers a sink and Neptune 2000 2 burner gas hob, grill and oven. There is ample fitted storage for crockery, utensils and provisions. To starboard the head has a Jabsco sea toilet and a unique pull down wash basin believed to have originated from an old minesweeper. There is also a large hanging space for oilskins with drainage into the bilge. As well this large dry storage, it is also houses the cool box. Portholes both sides; here – and in the foc’sle, provide good ventilation. The fo’csle offers a very comfortable double berth, ideal for use when not underway.

Now rigged according to her original design, JENNY WREN had spent some years rigged as a ketch. The mast and boom are believed to date from the conversion back to single masted configuration in the 1980s. The gaff, which dates from 1997 is made of carbon fibre covered in a veneer to match the other spars - and this considerably eases handling. The bowsprit was new by Noble Spars in 2010. She carries a spinnaker pole and a shorter whisker pole.

Standing rigging, with the exception of the mainmast cap shrouds, is of galvanised wire by Spencer Rigging and dates from 2000. The mainmast cap shrouds were replaced in 2008. All standing rigging is either hand spliced or served, with hard eyes.

All running rigging was replaced at the start of 2011 and there are numerous spare sheets, halyards and blocks.

Sail wardrobe by Ratsey & Lapthorne, who incidentally were the makers of her first ever suit of sails in 1926. The sails were new in 1999 and 2001 and comprise:

- Mainsail
- Jibhead topsail
- Jackyard topsail
- Staysail
- Working job
- Large jib
- Genoa staysail
- Flying jb
- Spinnaker
- Storm jib
- Storm trysail

Covers in matching colours are for the mainsail, jib and staysail (when left hanked on), all hatches and a complete cover for the doghouse. In addition, she has an all over winter cover.

At the mast are 2 original galvanised halyard winches to optimise tension on the foresail halyards sailing to windward. There are pin rails at the mast, and at the shrouds both sides.

In the cockpit are 4 x Lewmar 40 bronze sheet winches for the foresails, with lines secured to 2 x custom made bronze cleats on either side of the cockpit. The mainsail is controlled by a double ended sheet secured at either side of the cockpit.

Original Toy No. 2 windlass can lift with ease any of her 4 anchors:
- 30 Kg bruce anchor on the bow roller
- 20 Kg Bruce as a kedge
- 25 Kg CQR
- Original fisherman’s stocked anchor, stowed on deck
- 80m x half inch galvanised chain
- Numerous kedge warps
- Marker buoys
- Various anchor shackles and angel weights

The Aries servo vane self steering gear mounted on the transom can steer her straight in a wide range of wind and sea conditions.

- Yanmar 3HM35 direct sea water cooled diesel main engine up to 6 knots @3,200 rpm
- At cruising rpm consumes approximately 2.8 litres per hour
- Offset shaft to 3 blade SHM Variprop, reducing drag under sail and better power astern
- Cutlass bearing
- Morse lever engine control in cockpit
- Engine driven 80 AH alternator
- 120 AH 12 V engine start battery
- 2 x 120 AH 12 V domestic batteries
- Adverc charge regulator
- Shore power via isolation transformer to custom built 240 V control panel
- Mastervolt 220 V battery charger
- Invertor for 240 V power at sea
- Navigation lights
- Interior lights
- 80 litres fuel one tank in lazarette with in line Racor fuel filter between tank and engine
- Fitted to take a second tank of a similar capacity but not installed
- 120 litres fresh water in a single flexible tank beneath starboard pilot berth
- Gas bottle in wooden barrel abaft the mast

- Furuno F1550 colour chart plotter and F15** radar
- (Displays in doghouse, both easily viewable from cockpit)
- Nasa echo sounder
- Icom DSC VHF radio
- SSB receiver for weather forecasts. And facility to receive weather faxes
- Antenna runs from gunwhale to the topmast starboard

- 1 x 4 man offshore liferaft, hard canister in custom built deck stowage forward of doghouse
- 2 x horseshoe lifebuoys, each with floating stribe lights and drogues, one with a danbuoy
- EPIRB
- Full RORC flare pack
- Integrated lifejackets and safety harnesses for all crew
- Survival suits
- Emergency grab bag
- Comprehensive first aid kit
- 2 x 1 Kg dry powder extinguishers
- Automatic electric bilge pump with manual override
- Manual diaphragm bilge pump

- Avon 2.8m inflatable tender
- Boathooks
- Cleaning equipment
- Spares for all key equipment
- Small portable petrol generator