Berthon 70 ft Twin Screw Motor Yacht 1975 - Sold

One of the finest and most striking examples of the later days of British wooden motor yacht design and construction, TAMBURA was originally commissioned by a leading scientist who had the hull extensively tank tested for stability and seakindliness by the UK National Physical Laboratory. Great care was also taken with sound proofing, and TAMBURA is one of the quietest motor yachts we have experienced. Always powered by a pair of trusty, economic, slow-revving Gardners, and professionally maintained by her three owners with regular refits, TAMBURA exudes an air of elegance combined with purposefulness that is almost unique in our opinion.

2015 AT COCKWELLS, MYLOR BRIDGE, CORNWALL
- Including new laid teak on plywood substrate by Cockwells and Moody Decking

BERTHON BOAT COMPANY Yard No. 974

TAMBURA's design was commissioned in 1974 by radio, high-definition television and, in particular, gas detection pioneer, Joshua "Joe" Sieger, OBE, of Poole-based J & S Sieger Ltd (now part of Honeywell Analytics). Launched in early 1975 as the research vessel yacht ENVIRONIST, she replaced Sieger's earlier Reg Freeman-designed 52 ft MFV-type research yacht LAELIA. Prior to build commencing, extensive tank testing was undertaken at the National Physical Laboratory Ship Division, Teddington, to ensure she would be an economical and comfortable sea boat - and a stable platform for testing the company's gas detection equipment which had diverse marine applications from the smallest of pleasure yachts to ocean going tankers, oil production platforms and nuclear submarines. Great care was also taken with sound proofing. ENVIRONIST was a guest vessel at the 1977 Silver Jubilee Spithead Royal Navy Fleet Review.

During her second ownership from c1985 as BALANDRA by British-based Australian industrialist and ocean racer Sir Robert Crichton-Brown, she cruised regularly in Northern European and Mediterranean waters, always returning to winter in the UK with regular refits and managed by a professional crew. The flying bridge was added under Crichton-Brown's ownership.

Under her third ownership as TAMBURA since 2003, this striking and practical yacht has continued to be professionally run and maintained, mostly Mediterranean-based, but with refits by Cockwells in Cornwall. TAMBURA has been operated for pleasure, as mother ship to a classic regatta yacht, and for charter.

©2022 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.

- 1½ in Iroko planking on laminated iroko frames
- Laminated iroko floors
- Splined topsides
- Bronze fastenings
- Teak laid deck on plywood substrate (2015)
- Aluminium superstructure

HULL & GENERAL
- White painted surfaces with varnished hardwood railings, doors and trim
- Opening ports in accommodation spaces
- Ports in engine room not opening
- Quarters rubbing strakes port and starboard

AFT DECK
- Dining table space for 4-6
- Stowage for 3.19 m tender on chocks
- Electric tender launching crane at port quarter
- Atlas carbon fibre electric davits
- Spotlight
- Courtesy lights
- Stainless steel ladder down to swim/ boarding platform
- Stainless steel folding swim ladder
- Hydraulic capstan
- Power for the capstan taken from starboard engine
- 3 x Chromed bronze Panama fairleads port and starboard
- Associated bollard cleats

SIDE DECKS
- Wide, bulwarked side decks for safe passage fore and aft
- Courtesy and shelter deckhead lights
- 2 x Chromed bronze Panama fairleads port and starboard
- Associated bollard cleats

UPPER DECK
- Flying bridge with good visuals for docking
- Helm seat
- Searchlight
- Courtesy lighting
- 1 x 2-seater upholstered bench seat with stowage under
- 1 x 1-seater upholstered bench seat with stowage under
- Double sun bed
- Adjustable dock box
- Sailing dinghy/ boards stowage fwd of flybridge
- Atlas carbon fibre electric davits; can be used to port or starboard
- Twin antenna masts with radar/ comms gantry
- 2 x Exhaust funnels

FORWARD DECK
- Windscreen wipers; horizontal chain drive type
- Ship's bell
- Spotlight
- Spacious 3 m long sun bed
- Traditional canvas sun awning
- Chromed bronze Panama fairleads port and starboard
- Associated bollard cleats

GROUND TACKLE
- Hydraulic windlass with horizontal chain gipsy and capstan
- Power for the windlass and capstan taken from starboard engine
- 80 kg Bruce anchor; 85 meters of chain
- Spare/ kedge folding anchor in forward deck locker

Accommodation woodwork is a combination of teak, havana cedar and light oak

IN DECK SUPERSTRUCTURE

Wheelhouse Forward
- Entered via sliding doors port and starboard
- Varnished laid teak sole
- Fabric deckhead panels
- 2 x Side windows slide open
- Central helm position with 'barbershop' seat and traditional ship's wheel
- Navigation and engine control/ monotoring instrumentation at 'dashboard' and over windscreens
- Stair down to forward accommodation offset to starboard

Wheelhouse Aft
- Varnished laid teak sole
- Fabric deckhead panels
- To port: fore and aft facing sofas with variable height dining table
- Central: chart table with stowage under; bookshelf over
- Comms, navigation and entertainment systems
- Ship's clock
- Speakers
- Icemaker
- Opening ports aft to port and starboard
- Passage starboard aft with coat hanging area to lobby galley and saloon

Deck Superstructure Aft
- Sliding door access starboard from lobby used mostly for ventilation
- Aft to Saloon
- To port to day head; galley; companionway ladder down to aft accommodation

Galley
- 3 x Neff gas hobs
- Neff Electric oven
- Vitrifrigo Full sized fridge and freezer combo
- Fagor washing and drying machine
- 1.5 Stainless steel sinks
- Mixer tap
- Corian type surfaces
- Stowage lockers below and above

Saloon
- 2 x Port and starboard and 2 x aft non-opening windows
- Carpeted sole
- Fabric deckhead panels
- Deckhead lights
- Bulkhead mounted lights
- Mirror
- Large 'L' sofa port fwd
- 2 x Armchairs
- Nesting tables
- Sideboards aft
- Drinks fridge
- TV and speaker
- Small companionway with steps to aft deck offset to port

LOWER ACCOMMODATION FORWARD
- Wheeled stair to starboard down to small lobby

Forward Cabin
- Port double and starboard single berths
- Stowage under
- Dressing table and mirror; drawers under
- Downlights
- Upholstered 'piano' stool
- Carpeted sole
- 2 x Hanging lockers
- Reading lights
- TV
- Fabric deckhead panels
- Deckhead lights
- En-suite bathroom with wc, wash basin and shower

Aft Cabin
- 2 x single berths
- Stowage under
- Bedside table between berths; stowage under
- Dressing table
- Sofa
- Carpeted sole
- Downlights
- Upholstered 'piano' stool
- 2 x Hangling lockers
- TV
- Fabric deckhead panels
- Deckhead lights
- En-suite bathroom with wc, wash basin and shower

LOWER ACCOMMODATION AFT
- Used as crew accommodation
- 1 x Double berth
- 1 x Single berth
- TV
- Deckhead lights
- Stowage spaces
- Shared bathroom with wc and shower
- Access to engine room

MECHANICAL
2 x Gardner 8LXB 176 hp @1500 rpm
1 x Onan primary generator 25 kW
1 x Kohler secondary generator 20 kW

TANKAGE
- Port fuel tank 1815 L
- Starboard fuel 1815 L
- Forward fuel 750 L
- Port water 1005 L
- Starboard 655 L
- 2 x Black water holding tanks
- 1 x Grey water holding tank

OTHER
- Vosper stabilizers
- Sea Fresh Watermaker - average of 70 L/hour
- Cruiseair aircon/ heating systems throughout whole vessel
- Robertson auto pilot

NAVIGATION/ ELECTRONICS
- Raymarine E 120 chart plotter with repeater screen at fly bridge
- Furuno radar
- Echo plot depth sounder
- Robertson auto pilot

COMMUNICATIONS
- 2 x VHF wired to vessel
- Sailor VHF DSC
- Raymarine Navtex
- TrackVision Satellite TV

- Large beige awning fwd from wheel house brow
- Shades the entire bow sunbed
- Removable shade for the sunbed on upper deck
- Dodger screens at upper deck railing
- Beige bimini over stainless custom frame at aft deck
- Beige bimini over stainless custom frame at flybridge
- Custom covers for all exterior seating and sun beds

- EPIRB class 2
- 2 x 6 persons SOLAS B life rafts
- 15 adult life jackets and 4 child life jackets.
- 11 x Fire extinguishers throughout the vessel,
- 4 - Fixed pyrogen electric release fire extinguishers in engine room
- 3 x additional VHF sets hard wired to vessel
- Grab bag.

- Hauled out image: Cockwells Facebook
- ENVIRONIST images from: 'I Was There', Joshua Sieger's autobiography