14 Ton Gauntlet

Full specification

Wooden ships comments on this 14 Ton Gauntlet

Designed by the Berthon Boat Co, Lymington, 1938. The Gauntlet range was the great early success story in the Berthon history starting with the first 12 tonner in 1934, aptly named Gauntlet, the yacht being built as a challenge in a race which of course she won.

16 12 tonners were built,  5 of the smaller 8 tonners, 10 of the 14 tonners and another 5 or so up to the largest at 26 TM before building ceased with the last 8 tonner Bardu in 1951.

The design was conceived as a cruiser racer and several of these yachts have shown remarkable performances over the years.

The plans for this 14 ton Gauntlet were purchased from Berthons and she was built by Brown Brothers of Picton, New Zealand, in 1947.  She was built as a racing yacht and some success in her early career, the most notable of which was a 1^st place in the Sydney Hobart race of 1953, being the only boat to survive the horrendous weather and cross the finish line.  During the race she took a large wave broadside on which stove in her port coachroof coaming.  The long scarph joint where this was repaired is visible today.

Her underwater shape makes the design a stiff hull and very sea kindly, the current owner has sailed her many miles and through some very rough weather with never a moments worry.  This boat has been in present ownership for 14 years, 10 of which were spent cruising the Mediterranean.
Constructed in 3 layers of  7/8” Kauri pine, with diagonal layers overlaid with a single layer of conventional planking, through fastened with nails and roves.  Longitudinal stringers for strength.

Hardwood floors with bronze floor bolts.  Hardwood keel.

5.25 ton lead external ballast keel with bronze keel bolts.

This type of construction makes for an incredibly strong hull.

Solid hardwood deck, screw fastened to Kauri pine deck beams.  Deck is planked in solid hardwood, tapered at the forward end rather than joggled to king plank.  Finished in cream non-slip deck paint.

Solid hardwood coachroof coamings, finished in cream paint, with 4 bronze portholes.  Slightly raised dog house giving good shelter to the cockpit and plenty of space around the galley area.

Coachroof in sheathed marine plywood, finished in cream deck paint. New in 2007.

Deep self draining cockpit with full length thwarts.  Varnished hardwood capping rail.  Tiller steering with bronze fittings.  Long varnished doors and sliding hatch into the cabin.

Spacious foredeck with stainless steel stem head fitting incorporating bow roller offset to starboard and the forestay mount.  Hardwood sampson post and vertical axis electric windlass.  Bronze rubbing strips over the capping rail .  Galvanised and painted pulpit substantially mounted through the toe rail.

Inner forestay on a stainless steel plate mounted on the deck aft of the Sampson post.

Varnished forehatch with clear Perspex centre

Wide side clear decks giving easy movement around the boat.  Coachroof with varnished hardwood handrails and plenty of space to storing the tender.  Deep toe rail from stem to stern.

Small aft deck sweeping into the pronounced canoe stern.  Varnished hatch immediately aft of the cockpit giving access to the lazarette, large locker for storing ropes and fenders.  Painted galvanised pushpit rail securely fastened.  Bronze fairleads.

Bermudan cutter rig on keel stepped solid wood mast.  Wooden slab reefing boom with stainless steel gooseneck fitting.

Stainless steel standing rigging, replaced 14 years ago and surveyed in 2012.  Stainless steel external chainplates, new in 2010 with new bolts.

Roller furling forestay on new stainless steel rigging screw.

Twin lowers and single cap shroud to galvanised rigging screws.

Single standing backstay to galvanised rigging screw.  Running backstays on tackles.

Pin rail board on the shrouds above the rigging screws.

Full wardrobe of sails in good used condition.  Fully battened mainsail with roller furling genoa.

Main                                        14 years old                 Average

Yankee                                    6 years old                   Good

Genoa                                      14 years old                 Average

No.1                                        Unknown                    Poor

Spinnaker                                Unknown                    Average

Staysail                                    6 years old                   Good

Winches

Pair of bronze Henderson winches on the mast with integrated winch handles.  1 Henderson reefing winch on the boom.

Pair of stainless steel self tailing Anderson sheet winches on the cockpit coamings.  Smaller pair of stainless steel non ST Anderson staysail sheet winches.

Machinery

Volvo 50Hp 4cyl diesel, installed new in 1997.  Volvo gearbox with single lever controls.  Offset stainless steel shaft to 3 blade bonze propeller on the port side, gives 5 knots at 2 L/hr.  Max 7.5 knots.

300L stainless steel diesel tank under the cockpit sole

Dedicated 12 volt engine start battery.  2 x 12 volt domestic batteries, all charged from the engine alternator.  Shore power connection with charger.

Accomodation 5 berths

Galley to port with single stainless steel sink with piped hot and cold water.  Hot water supplied from calorifier.  3 burner ‘Force 10’ gas cooker with gas bottles on deck.  Deep stainless steel chest freezer fwd of the galley, currently not operable.

Forward facing chart desk on starboard side with shelving, switchboard and navigation instruments.

Saloon table on the centre line.  Full length setee to starboard with pilot berth behind.  Large port side setee berth.  Plenty of storage lockers under the berths.  Full headroom throughout the saloon.

Door to port side of the mast going forward. Heads compartment to starboard with Lavac sea toilet.  Full height shower, draining into a sump and pumped out by a 12volt electric bilge pump.  Basin to port under the deck head.

Second varnished hard wood door going through to the fore cabin with a large double berth and deep storage locker.  Lots of stowage space for sails under the berth.

Chain locker forward of the berth.

Equipment

Plastimo cockpit compass

NASA sounder

ICOM DSC VHF

Simrad autopilot

Garmin GPS

4 person liferaft.  In date

3 fire extinguishers

35lb CQR anchor

Danforth kedge anchor

50m chain

50m warp

8’ inflatable dinghy

2hp Tohatsu outboard

Numerous mooring warps

Numerous fenders

This is a big powerful boat constructed in a fashion not common to UK boat building, but a very successful method that was widely used in the southern hemisphere at this time.  The triple skin makes her hull thickness an incredible 2 ½” which means she will stand up to any weather thrown at her.  Her design has been proven again and again over the years by the countless Gauntlets that have been built, and there is no doubt they are fast seaworthy blue water cruising yachts.  She does not have acres of shiny varnish and does not have a solid teak deck, but she is finished in such a way that requires minimal maintenance and is durable for long distance blue water sailing.

Disclaimer:

These particulars have been prepared in good faith from information provided by the Vendors and are intended as a guide, Wooden Ships cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. The Purchaser should instruct his agent or surveyor to validate all details as necessary and satisfy himself with the condition of the vessel and its equipment.