Silvers/John Bain 36 ft 'Silverette' Twin Screw Motor Yacht 1934/2017

MERO may well be the best restored, refitted, and outfitted example of John Bain’s highly attractive 36 ft ‘stretched’ Silverette Type of 1930s twin screw motor yacht - something akin to a shooting brake of the sea. More than 25 years of care in current ownership have included a major restoration followed by structural and detailing refits, and systems upgrades. MERO benefits from Silvers original semi-open wheelhouse arrangement, offering a fine weather ‘cockpit’ with the covers off, while her easily maintained, low-hours modern Beta diesel engines ensure smooth running and efficient manoeuvers. The whole is the perfect platform for cruising and exploring in classic style, but modern comfort.

MERO has been an ongoing project for us for the past 27 years: from a badly water-damaged hull to the classic she is now. It has taken us far longer than we anticipated, but we think the result worthwhile.

On purchase it was clear that MERO had suffered substantial fresh water damage.
- Initial restoration by Greenway Marine, Chedgrave, Norfolk
- Further works by Harbour Marine Services, Southwold, Suffolk
- Pitch pine planking and oak timbers replaced mainly on the port side.
- Beam shelves, stem, deck, deckbeams and wheelhouse replaced
- Aft cabin sides, stern post and transom replaced
- New electrics, electronics, engines and tanks
- About 2300 lbs/ 1043 kg of ballast added

JAMES A. SILVER LTD. "SILVERETTE" No. 18
UK NATIONAL HISTORIC SHIPS REGISTER No. 3014

By the mid-1930’s, under the leadership of John Bain - a talented naval architect who remarkably married his craft with marketing and management flair - the Firth of Clyde yard James A. Silver Ltd had become the pre-eminent UK designer and builder of high quality, series produced motor yachts. Bain's 30 ft 'Silverette Type' design had hit the ground running in 1931, attracting a new demographic to pleasure boat ownership and use, helping to further establish the desirability of the Silver brand.

The first stretched to 36 ft version 'Silverette' was launched in 1932, and by the time the 36-footers NONIE (MERO's original name) and her sister CAPERCAILLIE were launched at Rosneath in June 1934 - as the original builder's plate in MERO's wheelhouse records - the total number of 30 ft and 36 ft 'Silverettes' built to date was already approaching 20. Good going during what were supposed to be the Great Depression years, and alongside the Silver yard's other output of 'Brown Owl' and 'Silver Leaf' types, and custom builds up to 60 ft.

Dumbarton resident and Royal Clyde Yacht Club member Robert W. Whyte was John Bain's perfect kind of client: free of any business worries having sold his family's highly successful Rutherglen-based wire rope manufacturing business, Allan, Whyte & Co. Ltd., in 1925 to British Ropes. Whyte cruised NONIE on the west coast of Scotland, the rail head at Oban being a popular summer base. In July 1936, NONIE was the first winner from 16 entrants - in conditions that saw many retiring - of the inaugural Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club 'Field' Gold Trophy endurance trial: a 156-mile 'pursuit' race' day and night tour of the Firth of Clyde from Hunter's Quay, around the Firth of Clyde via Holy Isle, Ailsa Craig, Tarbert Loch Fyne and back.

The Yachting World magazine of 17 December 1937 reported:

"She was a manly little ship, a typical product of that yard, with two Morris 'Navigator' engines, and so much a pleasure did her owner derive from her... that he decided to order from the same builders a larger boat for 1936."

In fact, NONIE [II], a 50 ft 'Silver Leaf Type', was launched in early 1937. By the time of NONIE [II]'s launch it seems that Whyte owned both boats, and that it was he who renamed his first to MERO. By 1938, ownership in MERO had transferred to Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club member, and master mariner, Captain John M. Crocker of Whitecraigs, Glasgow.

During the Second World War MERO is believed to have been used by the UK Government Ministry for Food in experimental work to find out if plankton could be turned into a food source. Thankfully for the food chain perhaps, it seems this would have been impractical, and for MERO, it kept her out of harm's way.

Post war, MERO moved south to a long period in various ownerships by Little Ship Club members, moored in Sussex, most probably Chichester Harbour, and perhaps also on the Thames.

1948 - 1952
Hubert J. G. Goodman, Willesden Green, London
- A master butcher
- Member: Little Ship Club; Sussex Motor YC; Upper Thames Motor Boat Club

1952 - 1955
Mrs. Dorothy (Conway) Arnold, Tunbridge Wells
- Later of Chidham/ Birdham, Chichester Harbour
- Member: Little Ship Club; Bosham SC

1955 - 1960
Charles Schermuly, Epsom, Surrey
- Member : Little Ship Club

In the late 1890s his father, William Schermuly (1857 - 1929), invented and patented the Schermuly Pistol Rocket Apparatus (SPRA), a rocket propelled ship-to-shore line throwing device of a type eventually by law fitted to British registered ships of over 500 tons. His company, which became a well-known name in pyrotechnics and maritime life-saving equipment - and during the Second World War employed over 1400 - was subsequently run by Charles and his two brothers, and eventually sold in the early 1970s to Pains Wessex.

1960 - 1967
W.L. Norman, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
- Member: Little Ship Club; Birdham SC; Sussex Motor YC

1967 - c. 1987
Betty Knott
- Church Island, Staines, Middlesex
- Home port became London

1987 - 1990s
Anthony Robert Miller, Buckinghamshire
- Thames

1990s
Jonathan Greenway, Norfolk

1996
Purchased by her present owners
- Initial restoration work undertaken by Greenway Marine
- Subsequently works by Harbour Marine Services, Southwold

2017
Classic Boat (Magazine) Awards
- Nominated in the Powered Vessels Under 40 ft category

©2024 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.

- Carvel pitch pine planking
- Oak Frames
- Rock elm timbers
- Mahogany upper planking
- Sheathed marine plywood deck
- Mahogany covering boards, king planks and deck beams
- Pitch pine spars
- Teak cockpit

GENERAL
- Painted, sheathed marine plywood decks
- Varnished mahogany covering boards and king plank
- Varnished mahogany and teak superstructure
- Galvanised stanchions and lifelines

FROM AFT

TRANSOM
- Galvanised tender stanchions at transom
- Bronze tackles
- Stern light
- Boarding ladder fittings

AFT DECK
- Gate in stanchions for gangway access
- Hatch to steering flat and lazarette stowage
- Emergency steering fitting
- Padeye for steadying sail sheet tackle
- Chromed bollard mooring cleats port and starboard

AFT CABIN TRUNK
- Raised hatch to aft cabin
- Raw teak handrails port and starboard
- Galvanised tabernacle for mizzen mast
- 2 x Bronze mushroom vents

WHEELHOUSE ROOF
- 2 x Solar panels
- Raw teak handrails port and starboard
- Horns
- Francis searchlight
- Running lights

RAISED FORWARD DECK
- Chromed bollard mid mooring cleats port and starboard
- Butterfly skylight over saloon
- Gas bottles locker to port
- Stowage locker to starboard
- Galvanised main mast tabernacle
- Butterfly skylight over galley
- Raised hatch over WC compartment

FOREDECK
- Chromed bollard mooring cleats port and starboard
- Varnished toerail
- Chromed mooring fairleads port and starboard
- Stainless steel stemhead cap with forestay fitting
- Bow rollers port and starboard

GROUND TACKLE
- Delta anchor stowed in custom launcher
- 30 m chain and warp
- Lewmar Pro-Fish windlass

SEMI OPEN DECKHOUSE
Helm position to port
- Helm seat
- Chromed bronze ship's wheel
- Steering compass in bronze binnacle
- Morse throttle controls
- Engine instrumentation
- 2 x Raymarine repeaters
- Ship's isolator panel
- Locker
- Port windscreen opens
Sideboard to starboard
- Mount for Raymarine plotter
- Plotter can stowed below for security
- Locker
Engine space under

- Acrylic opening side screens
- Acrylic aft screen
- 2 x Period bulkhead lights
- Deckhead downlighter

AFT CABIN
- 2 x Hanging lockers
- Turned fiddled shelves
- 2 x Berths; lockers under
- Centreline chest of drawers aft
- 2 x Bulkhead lights
- 2 x Opening ports
- Raised hatch aft in deckhead w. ladder
- Access to lazarette/ steering flat

FORWARD ACCOMMODATION

SALOON
- Settee berths port and starboard
- Sideboards and lockers port and starboard forward
- Drinks/ glasses to port
- Plates to starboard
- Drop leaf table on centreline
- Butterfly skylight in deckhead
- 4 x Bulkhead lights
- 4 x Deckhead lights
- 4 x Opening ports

GALLEY
- Wood top surfaces
- Isotherm top loading fridge
- Plastimo Neptune 4500 cooker, with:
- 2 x Burner hob
- Grill
- Oven
- Stainless steel sink with mixer tap
- Food lockers
- Shelves port and starboard
- Lighting under
- Butterfly skylight in deckhead
- 2 x Deckhead lights

WC/ SHOWER COMPARTMENT
- Jabsco manual toilet
- Shower; electric sump pump
- Shelving
- Tall mirror
- 2 x Opening ports
- Raised hatch in deckhead
- Access to chain locker and holding tank

MECHANICAL
- 2 x Beta Marine 38 hp diesel engines (2018)
- PRM gearboxes (2018)

ELECTRICAL
- Mastervolt Mass Sine inverter/ charger
- Shore power system
- 1 x Starter battery
- 4 x 110 Ah Domestic batteries
- 2 x Solar panels on wheelhouse roof

TANKAGE AND ASSOCIATED
- 2 x Stainless steel fuel tanks c. 144 L each
- 1 x Stainless steel water tank c. 250 L
- Hot water tank: port engine calorifier and 240 V supply
- Tek-Tanks black water holding tank forward
- Pump out deck fittings forward
- Shower sump pump

OTHER
- Hydraulic steering to single rudder
- Webasto air heater; outlets to saloon and aft cabin

RIG
- Main mast, mizzen, and boom of pitch pine
- Stainless steel flag staff on mizzen

SAILS
- Mizzen steadying sail
- Sheet tackle led forward to mizzen mast

CANVASWORK
- Mizzen boom sail cover
- Covers for:
- 2 x hatches
- Skylights
- Deck boxes
- Wheelhouse windows
- Canvas side and rear screens at cockpit

NAVIGATION
- Raymarine c95 Chart plotter
- Raymarime i50 Tridata
- Raymarine Autopilot w. Fluxgate Compass

COMMUNICATIONS
- Icom 401 DSC VHF radio
- Digital Yacht iNav Connect w. iNav WL510 router

- UK Inland Waters Boat Safety Certificate (expires 2027)
- Auto fire extinguisher system for engine space
- Fire extinguishers at galley and aft cabin
- Fire blanket at galley
- Carbon Monoxide alarms at galley and aft cabin
- Gas alarm/ isolator at galley
- Gas cylinders drain overboard from deck box
- Gas system solenoid at galley
- 1 x Auto bilge pump with float switch
- 2 x Lifebuoys
- Steaming, anchor and deck lights at main mast

- Fenders and assorted warps
- Boarding/ swim ladder
- Companionway boarding ladder (stored off boat)
- Associated davit (requires hull fittings)

By Separate Negotiation
- 7 ft 6 in / 2.29 m Clinker ply pram sailing tender - new, unused
- Torqueedo electric long shaft outboard motor - new, unused

- Harbour Marine Services: Main image, video, and 'Hauled out port bow'
- Graham Lappin/ Dalmadan Blog: Vintage Silvers ad.