BROKERS COMMENTS 

Fred Shepherd is remembered chiefly for the beauty and ability of his cruising yacht designs. Another particular skill was his mastery of the use of space. Thus his yachts, of whatever size, seemed to provide more space below than might be expected from the constraints of actual dimensions and CORAL is a fine example of his art.

Another “Sleeping Beauty” whose 40 years as a house boat in Cowes and therefore not sailing in the immediate post war years provides a strong clue to CORAL's remarkable condition today. Moreover she was not subjected to the whims and new fashions that developed to spoil the character of many such vessels from the ‘50s onwards. Thus her interior exhibits all the character of her original build and she has been lovingly and generously brought back to life; remaining, outside and in, a magnificent example of her genre - essentially quite unspoilt – and devastatingly beautiful to behold.
 

HISTORY 

CORAL was registered in Cowes and spent the first 36 years of her life racing under the Royal Yacht Squadron burgee, Her real heyday came with some maturity at around 30 years old and her much coveted trophies include Winner of the King’s Cup in 1926 and 1928. She came 3rd in the 1932 Queen Mary’s Cup then going on to win it in 1934.

She had been built by White Brothers of Southampton in 1902 to Lloyds 100 A1 + standards. Not only were the finest materials used but every design detail checked against those stringent requirements at all stages of construction. Her massive construction was indeed unusual for a yacht designed – originally as a yawl - to be raced in the Solent. Nevertheless that very high standard and resultant strength have undoubtedly contributed to her remarkable state of preservation as much that pre war she was routinely dry docked for the winter.

During the 2nd World War she was laid up so that her 25 ton lead keel could be removed for the metal so essential to the war effort. Since then she has been lived on and cared for at Souter’s boatyard in Cowes -and then her owner of the last 18 years
 

CONSTRUCTION 

The original construction was of 2 inch thick Rangoon teak planks laid over 5 inch square English oak frames with bronze fastenings. While still original above the waterline it must be noted that in restoring her lead keel, her timbers below were also renewed, the teak planks replaced with Keroin a Malaysian hardwood, which have been laid over new frames of laminated Iroko and with silicon bronze fastenings. Her new teak decks, laid to the original kingplank, toe rail and original superstructure survive in excellent condition. 

ACCOMMODATION 

The accommodation below is generous; typical of Fred Shepherd. The space is enhanced moreover by excellent lighting from the numerous skylights above and white painted deck head. The original hard furnishings throughout, hand carved mainly of oak and teak, surmounted with brass fiddles, along with the cabin sole also of oak, display a craftsmanship and finish in keeping with her period. Overall there are berths for 11 people in four sleeping cabins in addition to the main saloon and other facilities.

The main access is via double doors to the doghouse and companionway steps down. Immediately aft is the beautifully appointed owner’s cabin with generous single berths outboard up a step on each side, serving as settees by day. Lit by skylight above, and electric light, there is ample stowage in drawers and cupboards including hanging space.

For’ard is a lobby accessing a ladies head and the Navigation station to port with access to the main companionway leading to the saloon forward and single (guest / captain’s) cabin to starboard, that with basin, opening port, window in stairway bulkhead and compass and ample stowage.

Entering the main saloon the principal seating and dining to a drop leaf table is to port with Burgundy leather Chesterfield button back long L shaped settee and bar stools to the table with similar style short settees bracketing a side board to starboard. There is useful cupboard and shelf space surrounding. 2 opening ports and skylight provide both light and ventilation. There are deck head lights with dimmers for night time lighting.

Double doors offset to starboard through the bulkhead for’ard lead to a cabin with double berth, head with bronze Blake WC and basin, large en suite shower to port. With an opening port, drawers under the berth, chest of drawers and hanging locker it is well appointed.

The galley offset to starboard has opening port ventilation, facilities either side then through access to the crews quarters in the foc’sle.

The crew have 4 fixed berths and 2 pipe cot berths, a heated oilskin locker and can access the Captain’s cabin WC. There is also a workshop space where the anchor davit and aluminium emergency tiller is kept
 

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT 

- Solid fuel space heater in main saloon
- 2 x Eberspacher heaters
- 2 x calorifier water heaters
- 1 immersion water heater
- 3 x period paraffin lamps
- CD x 10 disc change feeding speakers in all cabins and woofer in saloon
- DVD player concealed in cabinet
- Top loading fridge / freezer in galley
- Taylor gas oven and 2 burner hob and hot plate
- 2 x stainless sinks
- Microwave oven
- Substantial stowage throughout – outboard and below
 

RIG, SPARS AND SAILS 

- Her Main, fore masts (2004), bowsprit and spars are all of Oregon pine
- Electric cable conduits lead up the interior of both masts
- Standing rigging of galvanised steel (2004) with stainless steel forestay
- Traveller for Main sheet block over main saloon butterfly hatch

All sails by Doyle in cream Dacron from 2002
- Jib topsail
- Working jib
- Staysail
- Fore main
- Main
- Fore main topsail
- Main topsail
 

DECK EQUIPMENT AND GROUND TACKLE 

- Bronze stanchions
- Most winches are LVJ (manufactured by L.V. Jachtechniek)
- 1 x backstay winch
- 2 x runner winches
- 2 x large bronze sheet winches on cockpit coaming
- 2 x large bronze jib sheet winches for’ard of main sheet winches
- 2 x port and 2 x stbd winches by Saloon hatch for fore main sheet and fore main runners
- Galvanised mild steel deck fittings; pad eyes etc
- Main and fore mast pin rails with galvanised mild steel pins both sides
- Stainless steel painted where chafing occurs; e.g boom fittings
- All blocks South African made; ash cheeks, banded, hung and sheaved in bronze with copper rivets
- Numerous skylights and butterfly hatches providing light and ventilation to cabins below
- Wheel through double chain reduction to quadrant steering
- Bronze capped compass binnacle
- Original doghouse and deck stowage boxes on both sides mainly for safety equipment; q.v.
- Gas locker box for’ard of fore butterfly hatch
- 2 x winches either side of gas locker; 1 staysail sheet, 1 staysail traveller
- 7 x Prism decklights of which 2 are lemon squeezer type.
- 4 x large bronze deck cleats; 2 fore, 2 aft.
- Anchor davit starboard fore deck
- 3 x anchors including Danforth and fishermans
- 100 m ¾ inch closed chain30 m chain on 100 m 2 inch warp
- Original windlass by Thomas Reid and Sons
- 2 x vertical bollards
- Covers for all booms and skylights
 

MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL AND TANKAGE  

- 200 HP Volvo turbo diesel 305 hours
- 240 V 10 KW diesel generator
- 12 V (4 x 6 battery cell) domestic power
- 24 V (2 x 12 V) engine start
- 12 V generator start
- Battery charger
- Heart Interface 2000 Link Inverter
- Bilge pump driven from main engine belt
- 2 x Automatic 12 V bilge pumps
- 2 x manual pumps; galley and cockpit
- 2 x 450 Litre diesel tanks which supply both engine and generator through separate and additional 200 Litre header tanks either side of the cockpit
- 2 x 450 Litre fresh water tanks
- Grey water tank
- Black water tank
 

NAVIGATION 

All principal navigation equipment is Autohelm:
- Chart Plotter Navcentre
- GPS
- Compass
- Speed, depth, wind
- ICOM M800 SSB
- ICOM VHF
- Furuno radar
- Original Walker log - fully restored 

SAFETY AND ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT 

Contained in original deck boxes each side
- 2 x 8 man life raft
- Spare blocks
- 12 life jackets and harnesses
- Jackstays
- EPIRB
- 1.5 Kg powder extinguishers all cabins
- Sovereign RIB with Mariner 15 HP O/B
 

DISCLAIMER

These particulars have been prepared from information provided by the vendors and are intended as a general guide. The purchaser should confirm details of concern to them by survey or engineers inspection. The purchaser should also ensure that the purchase contract properly reflects their concerns and specifies details on which they wish to rely.