Arthur Robb 45 ft Bermudan Yawl 1970

CATHAY CLIPPER was built of teak - during the final era of wood construction as something normal - to a very high specification under Lloyd's supervision, achieving ✠100A1 classification. Wing on Shing Shipyard was used to building for European and American designers, and UK-based New Zealander Arthur Robb had been very well experienced in working with the best Hong Kong yards and the sometimes unique materials at their disposal. After 5 years in far eastern waters, for the past almost fifty years - in only her second ownership - CATHY CLIPPER has been enjoyed and sensibly upgraded as the fast, uncomplicated, comfortable and very capable family cruiser that she is, while her incredible build specification has offered little work for boatbuilders.

2013
- Rudder removed
- Steering gear replaced/ overhauled
2007
- Yanmar engine installed
1995
- Rewired
1994
- New deck by John Perry, Portsmouth

CATHAY CLIPPER's commissioning owner, Thomas H.L. Arrowsmith, was Singapore agent for instrumentation and valve specialists Bestobell. He wanted a yacht like the Sparkman & Stephens designed 48 ft sloop CHINA CLIPPER, built by Wing on Shing in 1963 for Bestobell global director, seasoned Scottish offshore sailor, and then Rear Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Alan Miller.

Wing on Shing Shipyard was used to building for European and American designers, and UK-based New Zealander Arthur Robb, who sadly died at just 61 during the year before her launch, had been very well experienced in working with the best Hong Kong yards.

Arrowsmith kept CATHAY CLIPPER for five years until she was sold to her present, yachting industry professional owner in 1976. She was then sailed slowly to Europe, spending a decade cruising the then blissfully uncrowded Mediterranean before arriving on the south coast of England in 1985.

Since then CATHAY CLIPPER has cruised Britain and Ireland extensively by summer, and been carefully wintered, more often than not indoors.

©2024 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.

- Originally built under Lloyd's supervision to ✠100A1 classification
- Substantial teak and bronze construction
- Teak carvel planking
- Laminated teak and/ or yakal timbers
- Grown teak and/ or ipol longitudinal structure, stringers and floors
- Bronze strap floors
- Bronze hanging and lodging knees
- Bronze and copper fastened
- Lead ballast keel, bronze bolted
- Plywood teak lined bulkheads
- Teak laid deck on plywood substrate (1994)
- Teak superstructure

FROM AFT
- Teak laid deck on plywood (1994)
- Varnished teak raised toerail
- Lewmar stainless steel stanchions & bronze bases; 2 x lifelines
- Bronze fairleads on taffrail port and starboard
- Raw teak/ bronze mooring cleats
- Raised lazarette hatch

COCKPIT
- Varnished teak coaming
- Continuation of deck as seating
- Mizzen mast position
- 2 x Deep cockpit lockers port and starboard
- Gas locker in port cockpit locker
- Ship's wheel
- Engine and bow thruster controls
- Sestrel steering compass
- Tufnol mainsheet blocks
- Lewmar mainsheet winch
- 2 x Bronze cleats
- 2 x Chromed genoa sheet sheave blocks port and starboard
- 2 x Andersen 58 stainless steel self-tailing primary winches on s/steel mounts
- 2 x Lewmar secondary winches
- (Original Lewmar winches available)
- Instrument repeaters at port trunk cabin bulkhead
- Raymarine ST 60 Wind
- Raymarine speed/ depth/ log
- Sprayhood

SIDE DECKS
- Quarter downwind sail sheaves port and starboard
- Genoa track and cars on toerail port and starboard
- 2 x Selden blocks mid deck port and starboard on original bronze deck mounts

STEPPED TRUNK CABIN
- Varnished handrails port and starboard
- Boom gallows
- 2 x Bronze Simpson-Lawrence cowl vents port and starboard
- Teak chocks for liferaft
- Dinghy stowage
- Butterfly skylight hatch
- Main mast position
- 2 x Varnished teak dorade boxes port and starboard
- 2 x Bronze Simpson-Lawrence cowl vents port and starboard
- Running lights boards incorporated on dorade boxes
- Raised forehatch

FOREDECK
- Lofrans Tigres TG 009096 1200 W 12 V anchor windlass
- Horizontal chain gipsy and warping drum
- Teak samson post
- Furlex 304 staysail furler
- 2 x Raw teak and bronze mooring cleats
- Bronze fairleads on toerails port and starboard
- Furlex 400S headsail furler
- Bronze bow rollers port and starboard in stainless steel stemhead fitting
- Stainless steel pulpit

GROUND TACKLE
- Galvanised Delta bower anchor
- 100 m of 3/8 in/ 9 mm Galvanised anchor chain
- Galvanised CQR kedge anchor
- 10 m warp rode

FROM AFT

DOGHOUSE
- Banquettes port and starboard
- Quarter berths port and starboard
- Deckhead light
- Yanmar engine panel
- VHF Radio
- Depth sounder
- Raymarine autoplilot control
- EPIRB
- Engine access via raw teak sole hatch

DOWN 2 x STEPS TO MAIN CABIN
- Varnished teak sole
- Varnished teak lined bulkheads

GALLEY TO PORT
- Force 10 gimballed 3-burner hob; oven and grill
- Stainless steel sink
- Hand pump
- Top loading pan/ pot locker
- Plate and cup racks
- 3 x Deckhead lights
- 6 x Bronze opening ports

CHART TABLE TO STARBOARD
- Ship's isolator panel
- Navigation and communication equipment
- Refrigerated compartment under
- Compressor under


SALOON
- Gimballed table on centreline
- Wide true settees port and starboard
- Attractive turn to settee ends fore and aft
- Lockers under and in aft corners
- Book and drinks shelves port and starboard
- Butterfly skylight hatch in deckhead
- Taylors paraffin bulkhead heater
- Clock and barometer
- 4 x Opening ports
- 2 x Reading lights

PASSAGE FORWARD
Hanging locker to starboard
- 1 x Opening port
WC Compartment to port
- Blakes toilet
- Stainless steel sink
- Manual hand pump tap
- Locker
- 1 x Opening port
- 1 x Deckhead light

FORECABIN
- Single berths port and starboard
- (Potential for double with insert)
- Lockers under
- Raised forehatch in deckhead
- 2 x Opening ports
- 2 x deckhead lights
- Chain locker forward

RIG
Alloy spars
- Allspars main mast with twin spreader set (2003)
- 2 x Original Lewmar chromed halyard winches
- 1 x Lewmar 30 ST self-tailing winch
- Main boom
- Mizzen mast with single spreader set (1995)
- Tufnol halyard winches
- Mizzen boom
- Spinnaker boom

SAILS
- Mainsail - Hood (1999)
- Mizzen
- Furling yankee - Ratsey & Lapthorn (2015)
- Spare yankee
- Furling Staysail - Ratsey & Lapthorn (2015)
- Small cruising chute
- Mizzen staysail (1995)

CANVASWORK
- Sprayhood
- Hatch covers

MECHANICAL
- Yanmar 4JH4AE 4 cyl 54 hp diesel (2007) - 1183 hrs
- Semi mechanical gearbox
- Aquadrive type flexible drive unit
- Stainless steel propeller shaft
- Three bladed feathering propeller
- Wire to quadrant steering

ELECTRICAL
- Three bladed bow thruster (2003)
- Autohelm 6000 (1993)
- 3 x Heavy duty 12 V batteries aft for house and engine start
- 2 x 12V Batteries fwd for bow thruster and windlass

TANKAGE
- Stainless steel fuel tank under cockpit floor 40 gals / 180 L
- 2 x Stainless steel water tanks under saloon sole - 80 gals / 360 L total
- Stainless steel paraffin tank for cabin heater

NAVIGATION
- Seafarer 701 depth sounder
- Raymarine speed & distance log with echosounder
- Raymarine ST60 Wind speed and direction
- Raymarine 6001 Autopilot
- Raymarine C120 Chart plotter with radar display
- Raymarine AIS 650 info screen
- Navtex Weather indicator

COMMUNICATIONS
- Raymarine Ray54E VHF radio

- Seago 6-person canister Liferaft (service due)
- EPIRB
- High capacity diaphragm bilge pump
- Electrical submersible bilge pump
- 3 x Dry powder fire extinguishers
- Radar reflector
- Emergency tiller