35′ International Six Metre

Full specification

Wooden ships comments on this 35′ International six metre

Designed by J.G. Stephens

Built by Alex Stephens and Sons, Govan , Glasgow in 1932.

Alexander Stephens & Sons was a famous Clyde shipyard already 200 years in existence when this yacht was built and Stephens senior had had considerable success with his racing yacht designs.  One of his 6-meter designs, Coila won the coveted Seawanhaka Cup on several occasions

This was his son, J.G “Wee John”. Stephens’ early entry into the world of racing yacht design and the young man incorporated some interesting new ideas.

According to an article in Yachting Monthly at the time of her launch, young Stephens had tank tested his adventurous designs finding some of his ideas proven and others not so.

Amongst other ideas, he is known for putting his mast in the boat “the wrong way round” – a traditional pear-shaped cross section but placed with the fine end forward.

As a reflection of his confidence in his design, he was a part owner along with two others, one the local MP.

The design is rather extreme with an almost straight line from the stemhead to the rudder heel and a vertical stern post. The hull is unusually full forward of the mast with a limited forward overhang and some quite flat sections and the counter runs off to a very fine end finishing in a small archboard.

Maida is famous for having lost the Seawanhaka Cup to Jill in 1932.  “Wee John” Stephen and co-owner Maj. C.G. MacAndrew both had experience of the Seawanhaka Cup and despite high hopes their failure must have been a great disappointment at the time.

In later life a dog house and an engine were added to convert her for cruising. She also spent an extended time onshore in one owner’s garden from 1972.

The rebuild was begun around 1986 by Scottish boat builder David Spy who replaced all her ribs and some planking.

The restoration was completed by Peter Wilson in Aldeburgh using the original plans. Some design changes were made on deck and some modern techniques and materials used but the spirit of the original design has been retained.

Maida has proved to be a good boat to sail in competition since her rebuild and with a practiced crew can still make a good show.

Conventionally planked in what was described on original drawings as African white mahogany on a yellow pine back-bone.  All steam bent oak timbers with a few double thickness for extra strength.  All fastened with copper nails, clenched in the Scottish tradition.

The oak timbers are ring right round the inside in one piece.  Alternate oak floors and galvanised strap floors  right up through the bow.

Galvanised steel floors in the midships area and up into the counter on every second timber. It is believed these strap floors were all replaced new sometime between 1972 and 1986.

Timber rudder with vertical stock through a bronze stock tube.

In the refit in Aldeburgh, the deck was replaced using a ply sub deck with yellow pine overlay yacht laid to a varnished king plank, the coverboards finished varnished, the seams payed with butyl rubber.

New varnished mahogany cock-pit coamings.

The interior of the hull is varnished in way of the cock-pit, painted in the ends.

Sail trays forward under the fore deck.

Foot rests each side in the cock-pit.

Slatted teak cock-pit sole boards

Pair of new stainless steel hanging web knees each side incorporated in the chain plates which in turn are attached to a new deck plate to take the shrouds.

Single centre-line mooring cleat forward and aft.

A small bridge deck across the middle of the cock-pit with a pair of full width deck beams carries the main sheet swivel block.

Stainless steel wrap-round stemhead fitting with stem band takes the anchor cable.
Fractional Bermudian sloop rig on new Collars mast in varnished spruce, stepped through the deck on the keel.

Triple spreaders. The upper spreaders incorporate a pair of jumper struts to give a very well supported mast with diamonds and jumpers above, cap shrouds, intermediates and lowers.

Single standing back-stay to the counter.

Fore-stay through the fore deck aft of the stem set up to a rigging screw to the inside face of the stem.

Shrouds made up to a stainless steel each side, tied in to straps and hanging knees below.

Headsail sheet tracks down the cover boards each side with cars.

2 pairs of Lewmar top action 2-speed sheet winches on the decks alongside the cock-pit, tails lead into the cock-pit through jammers

Halyard led down the mast and through original bronze glands on the deck to turning blocks on the mast step and led aft to cleats in the cock-pit.

A pair of modern stand-up blocks on the deck in way of the mast.

Tufnol bottom action winch on the forward coaming with cleats.

Main sheet made off to an anchor point on the aft deck with the twail led forward and down to a swivelling stand-up block with jammer attached on the mini bridge deck across the middle of the cock-pit.

New varnished spruce boom by Collars. Slab reefing with fittings on the boom.

Tackle kicker.

Sails by Ratsey and Lapthorne, new 2003 and some newer Doyle Sails

2 x loose footed mainsails.

3 x Genoas

Spinnaker

Varnished spinnaker boom.

Compass on each side deck.

Tictac on the mast below the boom.

12v battery

12v bilge pump.

Manual bilge pump

The yacht has been laid up for two seasons and will need some light refitting before she is ready to be campaigned again.

A good opportunity to acquire an historic Six in near race condition for a very reasonable price.