kelpie classic yacht

Alfred Mylne 57 ft Gaff Cutter 1903/2012 - Sold

Alfred Mylne 57 ft Gaff Cutter 1903/2012

These details are provisional and may be amended

BROKER'S COMMENTS

KELPIE is a race and regatta winner designed by Alfred Mylne, and one of the most beautiful and fastest classic yachts of her size. At the close of the intense 2018 Mediterranean classic regatta season she notched up 1st overall in the Vintage Gaff Class at both Régates Royales - Trophée Panerai, Cannes and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, while still looking in start of season condition. Only typical of the way this superb Golden Age of Yachting survivor has been cared for and campaigned under present ownership, including undergoing three major winter refit/ restorations 2009-2012 at Fairlie Restorations - probably the last such work by the illustrious team involved in landmark rebuilds of yachts like TUIGA, THE LADY ANNE, KENTRA, MARIQUITA and HISPANIA - all whilst continuing to sail by summer. More recently KELPIE has enjoyed a major rig makeover 2017-2018, and is ready to continue sailing, racing and thrilling. Her recent success has been achieved crewed mainly by family and friends - are you ready?!

Interested in KELPIE in more detail.

Enquire About KELPIE Download PDF Specification

REGATTAS 2009 - 2018

Under present ownership, KELPIE has competed at classic regattas ranging from Oslo Fjord via the Clyde and Cowes to Saint-Tropez. Through 2017 and 2018 - working closely with German classic rig designer and naval architect Juliane Hempel, carpenters and spar builders Manos del Mar, Palma de Mallorca and Ventis of The Netherlands, and Guido Cavalazzi of North Sails Italy - KELPIE has been highly successfully yet sympathetically optimised, and sailed to perfection by her crew of mostly friends and family. Her 2018 results speak for themselves, and her crew consider her “the fastest gaffer on the water!” 2009 The Mylne Regatta, Clyde; BCYC Regatta, Cowes 2010 Mediterranean regattas 2011 Mediterranean regattas 2012 Mediterranean regattas 2013 Mediterranean regattas 2014 Europe Week, Oslo Fjord; Danish Classic, Svendborg; German Classic, Laboe 2015 RYS 200th Regatta, Cowes; Falmouth Classics; Classic Channel Regatta 2016 Mediterranean regattas 2017 Mediterranean regattas – increasingly better performances 2018 Mediterranean – 3rd in class at Imperia; Class winner at Cannes and Saint-Tropez

REFITS 2009 - 2012

At Fairlie Restorations 2009 - 2012 - New stem, wood keel and sternpost; some of counter timber - Various frames had to be removed and replaced to do this - Some went back as original; some laminated - Engine and drive line altered from C/L to offset - Aperture filled - Rudder post (iroko) and rudder (mahogany) replaced at same time - Very few new planks were needed, except aft for safety - New deck beams and ply aft of deck structures, therefore new teak decking aft - All new deck structures back to original shape and size - All new interior back to near original - Various new deck fittings in bronze - Electrical system mostly new

Born to race, KELPIE’s roots offer sure proof that her still relatively young designer’s light was shining very brightly far from home waters five years after his breakaway as understudy to mentor, GL Watson. So much so that a group of south coast of England yachtsmen would commission a Scotsman not called Fife to design an important, large-dimensioned one design class for Solent waters – the South Coast One Design. The Alfred Mylne story is also intertwined with that of KELPIE’s commissioning owner, George Coats, one of Scotland’s serial yacht owning “Paisley thread Barons”, with addresses in Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, Park Lane and Mayfair. Coats’s nephew (later Sir) Thomas “Tid” Glen Coats worked with Mylne and designed yachts in his own name, and his uncle’s social whirl revolved as much around the south of England as it did the west and north east of Scotland; a daughter would marry the 5th Duke of Wellington. Perhaps it was inevitable that one of the new class would be owned by a Coats. They owed their origins to the genesis of many one design classes: dissatisfaction with the rating rule of the day, and a desire among a group of keen Solent racing yachtsmen for a wholesome but fast yacht that would offer comfortable accommodation and not tear itself apart after a couple of seasons. An earlier Mylne commission from Clyde yachtsmen similarly less than enamoured by the rating rule, the successful, slightly smaller Clyde 20-Ton One Design Class, may have led to Mylne getting the job. Certainly, his result for the Solent was an untrammelled work of art: free from the bounds of any rating rule, with a hull form true to the “Britannia ideal” and everything else the designer had learned working closely with Watson on the design of America’s Cup challengers and famous big class yachts. The South Coast One Design Class winter 1902-03 builds were spread among three of the best contracting yards of the time, using the finest of materials, to robust but not heavy scantlings. Thus it is something of a surprise that KELPIE is the only survivor of a class of seven boats by Fay of Southampton (CAPRICE and KELPIE), Stone of Brightlingsea (EILUN and HARMONY) and Forrest of Wivenhoe (GRACIE, HEROINE, and JEAN – still remembered at Crosshaven, Co. Cork, Ireland, from her last days there before death by misadventure as ELSA). But there is a story of a yard fire that may have destroyed most of them... After but a few races on the south coast, KELPIE sailed most of her seven seasons under George Coats’s blue and white chequered racing flag on the Clyde, eventually being sold in 1908-09 to Glasgow jute merchant James Paterson. By this time the new International Rule metric classes were gathering momentum and Kelpie had earlier had her rig adjusted to rate as a 12mR on the Clyde in some of the earliest races sailed in that class anywhere. Before the sale to Paterson, George had taken delivery of his new Fife 12mR ALACHIE, and the days of racing as a class by KELPIE’s sisters 'down south' were numbered. After a period of ownership by Glasgow brassfounder Thomas Burt, in 1922 KELPIE returned to the south coast where Austin O’Connor raced her with the still mostly gaff-rigged 12-Metre class during the mid-1920s, before conversion to an auxiliary cruising yawl in 1925 by London-based Donald G Freeman. She remained a yawl through various 1960s to 1980s south west, and south coast of England ownerships, moored at Dartmouth and on the River Yealm - even owned briefly by sailing school - and at Cowes - in the care of shipwrights Adrian Stone at Cowes and Nash & Holden at Dartmouth. KELPIE’s gaff cutter rig was restored in relatively recent times, and when owned by Richard Bendy in the first half of this Century she became well known again at Solent regattas. Her restoration and refit under present ownership is recorded under “RESTORATION 2009 - 2012”, and her 2009 - 2018 regatta history is discussed above. ©2024 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.

CONSTRUCTION

- 1¼ in pitch pine planks below waterline - 1¼ in yellow/white pine (Pinus strobus) topsides planking - On grown oak frames at c13 in centres with 2 x steam bent rock elm timbers between - Iron dump fastened to grown frames - Copper fastened to steamed timbers - Some laminated frames (see 'REFITS') - Lead ballast keel fastened with bronze keelbolts - Iron strap floors at the grown oak frames - Solid laid teak on ply composite deck

DECK LAYOUT, EQUIPMENT AND GROUND TACKLE

Teak deck structures, covering boards and rails - Bronze mooring fairleads port & starboard on taffrail - Bronze mooring cleats - Ash, bronze and Tufnol tackle for topmast backstays - Bronze cleat for topmast backstays - Ash and bronze mainsheet blocks - Bronze cleat for mainsheet - Bronze rudder head - Tiller - Raised varnished teak cockpit coamings - Cockpit seating is a continuation of the deck within the coamings - Access to entire counter area lazarette via aft cockpit hatch - Lockers under port and starboard cockpit seats - Engine control to starboard in foot well - Manual bilge pump - Engine access in cockpit sole - Teak and bronze tackle for main running backstays - Bronze cleat - Sestrel steering compass in ‘bridge deck’ - 4 x Cleats port and 4 x starboard mid deck for tackles - Mylne style companionway hatch and butterfly hatch - 3 x port and 3 x starboard ‘Lemon squeezer’ side deck prism lights - 8 x fixing points for padeyes/ nuns' cape fairleads - Tufnol tackles for headsails - Butterfly hatch over saloon - Gas locker - Pin rail at mast base - Raised hatch over focsle - Deck prism - 4 x fixing points on deck for fairleads - Bowsprit bits (teak?) - Bronze fwd mooring fairleads port and starboard - Mushroom vent

ACCOMMODATION and DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

Mahogany joinery aft and saloon Pine joinery fwd - Access via companionway ladder in two parts over engine box - Quarter berth to port - Chart table to starboard - Instruments and ship’s isolator panel Moving fwd to saloon - Settee bunks port and starboard - Pilot berths port and starboard - Lockers port and starboard - Butterfly hatch in deckhead - 4 x deckhead lights - 4 x reading lights - 2 x ‘Lemon squeezer’ deck prisms in deckhead Moving forward to galley to port - Deckhead light - 2 x stainless steel sinks - Bronze deck manual pump - Smev 2x burner hob and oven - Isotherm fridge - Lockers - Large food/ stowage locker to starboard - Butterfly hatch in deckhead - 2 x ‘Lemon squeezer’ deck prisms in deckhead WC to starboard: Jabsco manual Fwd to focsle - Sail stowage - 1 x deckhead light - 1 x Lemon squeezer deck prism

RIG, SAILS and CANVAS

Spars - New hollow Sitka spruce racing spars to improve weight aloft (-25-30%) and performance (2017 - 2018) - ‘Marconi’ racing mast (Hempel/Ventis 2018) - Bowsprit (Hempel/Ventis 2018) - Spinnaker pole, stowed at leading edge of mast (Hempel/ Manos del Mar 2018) - Gaff (Manos del Mar 2017) - Hollow boom (nd) Rigging - Dynema standing rigging - Bronze bottle screws North Italy racing sails (2017/18) - Main - Staysail - Jib - Jibtop, - Topsail - Genoa #1 - Genoa #2 - Balloon Jib. - Full set of cruising/ delivery sails

MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND TANKAGE

- Volvo Penta D1-30F 29hp Diesel engine - Offset drive train - Simple 12v Electrical system with 220v shore power charging and supply. - 40 L Diesel tank - 60 L Water tank

NAVIGATION, COMMUNICATIONS and ELECTRONICS

- Chartplotter Garmin GPSMap 557 - Furuno GPS Navigator - B&G Hydra 2000 - Raymarine wireless instrumentation - ICOM VHF IC M411 - LED Nav Lights

Equipment as per RYA recommendations - Electric and manual bilge pumps - Fire Extinguishers throughout - 15 x Life Jackets - 2 x 6 man life rafts - EPIRB - Flare Pack - 1 x CQR Anchor, chain and warp - 1 x Fortress anchor and warp

PHOTO CREDIT

Sailing photos 1-10 by James Robinson Taylor

Contact us to discuss KELPIE in more detail.

Your message was successfully sent.

Mobile No.:

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.

Sandeman Yacht Company

Brokerage of classic & vintage yachts.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Yacht Kelpie | Sag Harbor Sailing Charters

Unsurpassed Hospitality at Sea

She’s called Kelpie , the Scots name given to a shape-shifting water spirit inhabiting the lochs and pools of Scotland. Many myths tell the story of beautiful and beguiling maidens or mermaids that are able to change form into water horses. Kelpies were most often friendly and benevolent, but fairytales about them also served a practical purpose in keeping children away from stretches of water, and warning young women to be wary of handsome strangers.

Designed by Francis Sweisguth and built at the Harvey Gamage Shipyard in 1928 in Maine, Kelpie is a 78.8ft traditional gaff-rigged schooner once employed by the U.S. Coast Guard to hunt German U-Boats during WWII.

Kelpie was named Classic Refit of the Year by Classic Boat Magazine in 2014, after a full refit. Kelpie entered the Mediterranean regatta circuit and immediately took First Place at the Pendennis Cup in Cornwall, England. She went on to compete among the finest super-yachts in the world before catching the eye of Captain Shannon Carleton, a pioneer of the Hamptons charter fleet.

Kelpie has been re-flagged to proudly fly the star-spangled ensign once again. After the last few years of racing the finest classic yachts in the Mediterranean, this American schooner has come home to take her place as the crown jewel of The Hamptons fleet.

Kelpie ‘s interior is airy and spacious. Several butterfly hatches on deck bathe the interior in a beautiful light, illuminating the richly varnished furnishings. She has also been lavishly installed with American black walnut panelling and deep-buttoned leather couches in her signature green, which beautifully contrast with other fixtures set in a crisp white. The over-all effect gives the space a clean, bright, comfortable feel, tastefully decorated in an old world style.

For more on Kelpie ‘s 2014 refit:

• Photography by ELWJ Yacht Photogaphy
• Video by Classic Yacht TV

Privacy Overview

"Kelpie" : Gaff cutter sails away from the classic scene after refit

Nic Compton

 ·  05.05.2024

New competition awaits "Kelpie" in the Mediterranean

"kelpie" gets new sails, the modifications deliver what they promise, a refit with moderation and consistency, technical data of the "kelpie".

It is a sunny morning in the spring of 2022 and the mood on board the "Kelpie" is pensive. The gaff cutter, built in 1903, is sailing out of the River Hamble in southern England for the last time under owner Pelham Olive. The end of a love affair and everything that goes with it: ups and downs and many indelible experiences.

Olive has decided to sell the ship that has occupied his attention - and a large part of his bank account - for the last 14 years. Just this one short trip across the Solent, to Cowes, before "Kelpie" is to be handed over to the new owner. A crew of nine, a mixed group with little experience, had spontaneously come together at the last minute. The normal situation here, as it turns out during the conversations.

Also interesting:

• 5-KR yacht "Kleine Brise": Wooden beauty modelled on a plastic boat

And yet this classic 50-foot racing yacht has made a name for itself under Olive's ownership, with her amateur crews regularly taking on the professionals of the high-calibre competition at the Mediterranean's prestigious classic regattas. In fact, "Kelpie" won dozens of races in the Mediterranean, and in her most spectacular season in 2018, she even won the two most prestigious European classic regattas in Cannes and Saint-Tropez back-to-back.

Most read articles

But none of this would have been possible if "Kelpie" wasn't an extraordinary boat. One of eight examples of the Solent 38 One design by Scottish master designer Alfred Mylne, she was launched in 1903 at the J. G. Fay & Co shipyard in Southampton. Just a few years later, "Kelpie" had only taken part in three regattas in her class and was sold to Scotland. In 1923, she was re-rigged as a twelve-metre racing yacht and from then on was able to compete with a handicap against the somewhat larger twelve-metre yachts.

Refit for three years in winter, ready to sail from spring

In 1939, "Kelpie" - now with a much more manageable ketch rig - returned to the southern English coast and survived the war years on the River Dart in Devon. After a period as a training yacht, she ended up back in the Solent, where she was given her original rig again and lovingly looked after by changing owners.

When Olive bought "Kelpie" in 2008, she was over 100 years old, had a comfortable interior and a whole arsenal of equipment on board. Instead of the former 17.5 tonnes, she now weighs 19, and the waterline length has grown from 38 to 42 feet. Over the next three years, "Kelpie" will undergo a comprehensive refit at Fairlie Restorations. She will be worked on during the winter, but in the spring she will always be made ready to sail again so that Olive can sail on the Mediterranean.

"Kelpie" is gutted, the bodywork is replaced with a lighter racing set-up to match the original, and she gets a new engine. The elongated superstructure gives way to two hatches, as once intended by Mylne. The rigging is also revised in line with the 1923 model. Among other things, all halyard and sheet winches are removed and replaced by tackles. Olive follows the philosophy of restoring the boat to its original condition as far as possible. He is also of the opinion that winches would expose such an old ship to excessive forces and damage it, and has them removed.

From then on, a crew of twelve was needed to sail the "Kelpie". However, Olive's purist approach is quickly rewarded. When "Kelpie" started her first Mediterranean season in Palma, Mallorca, in 2010, she was given a favourable CIM rating of 222 by the Comité International de la Méditerranée (CIM), which manages the handicap system there. The main reason for this favourable rating is the lack of winches, which is reflected in the notorious and equally controversial "coefficient of authenticity" rating factor.

This season, "Kelpie" wins at the classic events in Palma, Mahón, Imperia, Antibes, Nice, Cannes and Saint-Tropez. Complaints follow from competing crews about this newcomer who has won so much silver, and Olive finally asks the committee to check the CIM value of his yacht. It is the first time that an owner, and not his competitors, has complained about a favourable classification. In fact, "Kelpie" was re-measured and her handicap was reduced from 222 to 189. Nevertheless, she continues to win.

"This boat was unbeatable," recalls Mike Inglis, the only professional on board in his first year. "Not even the new worse handicap could stop this boat from winning. She is one of those boats that is simply designed and built correctly." South African Phil Martinson, an experienced professional skipper, will come on board in 2014. His first task is to sail to the Baltic Sea, where "Kelpie" will take part in regattas on the Norwegian Oslo Fjord and the Europe Week, followed by the classic regatta in Svendborg, Denmark. She was then due to compete in the German Classics in Laboe on the Kiel Fjord, but a collision before the start of the first race meant that she had to retire and be transported home.

When "Kelpie" returned to the Mediterranean in 2016 after a two-year absence, she faced stiff competition as new boats joined the fleet. "We were doing well in the Baltic, but in the Mediterranean we now always seemed to come fifth," recalls Phil. "I realised that we would only compete with these guys if we got significantly lighter. We needed decent sails and had to make all sorts of changes. And owner Pelham just said: "Right, let's do it." That made it clear that we were serious." Another new era begins, in which "Kelpie" is optimised for the regatta circuit.

It was at this point that owner Olive met sailmaker Guido Cavalazzi. The former America's Cup sail designer had become an expert in classic sails at global market leader North Sails. When he sailed "Kelpie" off Imperia in September 2016, he noticed problems with the mainsail: too much curve in the luff, too little in the lower and upper luff and again too much in the leech. "The mainsail looked baggy," he says. "The mainsheet couldn't be used as it should, namely for 'shifting'."

Cavalazzi designs a new mainsail with an eased-out shape, a design that he has already tested on the "Chinook" and "Mariska". When the sail was hoisted in May 2017, the effect was immediately noticeable. "The main trimmer was happy because he could now power up the sail with the sheet or ease it in gusts," says Cavalazzi, who next turned his attention to the headsails. "Until then, Kelpies' usual configuration consisted of their three classic headsails - jib, jib and flyer - or a single large headsail called a "bastard".

Cavalazzi is of the opinion that the "Bastard" has too small a wind window and designs a new headsail, "The Blade", which is smaller and flatter and can therefore stay upright for longer. "A sail like this was missing," he says. "It's the headsail that is used in typical Mediterranean conditions." Master Cavalazzi is also designing a new balloon sail, which is around 50 per cent larger than the old one and sewn from canvas weighing 0.9 ounces per square metre instead of the original 1.5 ounces.

With this sail, it is now possible to sail "Kelpie" at a surprisingly high speed directly downwind, which gives her an advantage over other boats that have to cross from one reach to another, says Cavalazzi. Another advantage of the new sail is a further handicap bonus of two per cent for yachts that use the more traditional balloon instead of a modern gennaker.

Construction of a new mast

Interesting experiments are also being carried out with the topsail. The original jackyard topsail is a spectacular sight, but difficult to handle. In very light winds, the disturbance caused by it actually slows the boat down. For this reason, the mast was extended by ten feet in 2013 so that it could carry an even larger topsail.

Cavalazzi now designs a topsail with a shorter luff, fitted with battens so that the mast can be shortened again by three feet, which is better for the rating of the boat. The new topsail is proving to be just as efficient as the original jackyard topsail and is much quicker to set. The next phase of the optimisation process will take place in winter 2017/18. The construction of a new mast will take centre stage.

An exciting project for Juliane Hempel, the southern German designer and classic boat expert who played a key role in the development of the high-performance spar. "The hollow mast of a traditional gaff-rigged ship has the same thickness all round and is normally very stiff from one side to the other, but not very stiff fore and aft," she explains. "To make it stiff fore and aft, you have to have thicker walls, which makes the mast very heavy.

"Kelpie" still needs to be lighter

Olive wanted a mast that was stiff fore and aft, but also light, and that is very difficult to achieve." But Hempel finds a solution. Where the mast has to be round so that the rings of the mainsail can slide up and down, she gives the profile stronger front and rear walls to stiffen it. Above the claws, on the other hand, it gives the mast an elliptical profile, which not only makes it stiffer at the front and rear, but also gives it a better overall aerodynamic shape. And unlike a traditional mast, which tapers evenly on all sides, Juliane Hempel constructs a straight leech edge so that the luff of the topsail lies close to the mast and turbulence is reduced.

The hollow construction of the mast is also refined. In collaboration with wood expert John Lammerts van Bueren, the bendability of each individual batten is determined in the laboratory so that the mast can ultimately be moved equally in all directions. As a result, the new mast is both lighter and stiffer than the old one, just as owner Olive wanted. Juliane Hempel also designed new aluminium mast fittings instead of the heavy bronze ones.

Further weight is saved in the rigging by standing rigging made of Dyneema fibre. The fibre is stronger and lighter than steel, a very desirable property, especially in the rigging. Around 350 kilograms of weight could be saved in the rigging. Finally, "Kelpie" is also optimised under water. Hempel improves the profile of the rudder and new sea valves are installed that are flush with the hull. The underwater hull is levelled and sanded and a smooth antifouling is applied.

Training sessions are organised with the amateur crew and team spirit is strengthened. The efforts soon paid off. "Kelpie" was sailing at the front more and more often. In 2016, they came fifth and sixth, but by the following summer they were already sailing for third and fourth places. In the following year, 2018, "Kelpie" even dominated her class and finally won in the Mediterranean with victories off Palma, Menorca and Naples.

For various reasons, the new mast is only available for the last two regattas of the season - Cannes and Saint-Tropez - and so it comes as no surprise that "Kelpie" wins these two races and even concludes the season by winning all four races in her class on Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. It is the final stroke under an impressive metamorphosis that shows how even (or especially?) an aged classic can be optimised again for competitive international regatta sport with time, money, energy and planning.

Back on the Solent, there is a festive atmosphere as we sail to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the cradle of the America's Cup. The mood on board is exuberant, even though it is Olive's last trip on his beloved yacht. But don't they say in England that the two best days of ownership are the day you buy a boat and the day you sell it?

We stop off at the "Anchor Inn" pub near the harbour to toast the owner. But it's not long before a south-westerly with wind force 3 to 4 comes up and we prefer to go sailing again. It's a fast trip back across the choppy Solent, and despite the windier conditions, Olive makes the beginners work hard on the sheets, even though these are the last nautical miles he will be moving the boat.

It's his way of saying goodbye to his muse, with a bunch of happy amateurs and a few loyal crew members backing him up - as they have done for the past 14 years on the regatta courses of Europe.

The refit at Fairlie Restorations lasted from 2009 to 2012 and proved to be correspondingly extensive. Keel beams, stem and parts of the stern had to be renewed, for which some frames were removed and reinstalled. In the course of this work, the shaft was routed off-centre through the hull. The rudder was replaced. Only a few planks had to be replaced. The deck beams, however, were gone, and in the course of this work Fairlie laid a new teak deck. The interior was restored to its original condition. In addition to some new fittings, the boat was fitted with an almost complete modern electrical system.

• Type: South Coast One Design
• Designer: Alfred Mylne
• Building yard: J.G.Fay & Co.
• Year of construction: 1903
• Material: Pine on oak
• Total length: 19,20 m
• Length above deck: 17,37 m
• Waterline length: 11,48 m
• Width: 3,35 m
• Depth: 2,29 m
• Displacement: 16,0 t

Most read in category Yachts

Kelpie Of Falmouth – A Great Charter Yacht in Sag Harbor and the Hamptons

Designed by Francis Sweisguth and built at the Harvey Gamage Shipyard in 1928 in Maine, KELPIE is a 78.8ft traditional gaff-rigged schooner once employed by the U.S. Coast Guard to hunt German U-Boats during WWII. KELPIE‘s interior is airy and spacious. Several butterfly hatches on deck bathe the interior in a beautiful light, illuminating the richly varnished furnishings. She has also been lavishly installed with American black walnut panelling and deep-buttoned leather couches in her signature green, which beautifully contrast with other fixtures set in a crisp white. The over-all effect gives the space a clean, bright, comfortable feel, tastefully decorated in an old world style. This gorgeous yacht is the perfect platform for your Hamptons entertaining and a photographers dream for shoots.

Photos credit: ELWJ Yacht Photography

Additional Services to enhance your charter experience .

Book a Charter

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Build: Classic Harvey Gamage
• Length: 79′
• Guests: 20 Plus
• Crew of: 4-5

Misc. Info .

Click on each image below for full view

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better.

You can use this tool to change your cookie settings. Otherwise, we’ll assume you’re OK to continue.

Some of the cookies we use opens in a new tab/window are essential for the site to work.

We also use some non-essential cookies to collect information for making reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form.

To control third party cookies, you can also adjust your browser settings opens in a new tab/window .

Easy Branches allows you to share your guest post within our network in any countries of the world to reach Global customers start sharing your stories today!

Easy Branches

Call: 076 367 766

The 50’, 1903 gaff cutter KELPIE is an exceptional boat designed by the legendary British designer Alfred Mylne.

SUBSCRIBE NOW & SAVE

September / october 2022.

If you've ever considered subscribing to WoodenBoat , the September/October 2022 issue is the perfect way to start your collection! And as a friend of WoodenBoat we have a Special Subscription Savings Invitation just for you. Subscribe by August 29th  and you can be one of the first to read issue No. 288!

Subscribe Now & Save

Inside the September/October Issue

Here is a sampling of the great content we have for you in issue No. 288.

Fowey River Boat

In Fowey, England, a classic and elegant 15’ racing dinghy class designed in 1939 is still actively raced. We present a brief history of the type, and an in-depth photoessay on the construction details of a recent boat.

M/V INTERNATIONAL

In September 1927, a fresh new 73’ wooden excursion boat was launched into Upper Waterton Lake, high in the Rocky Mountains of Montana—one of the most remote places in the then-48 American states. Nearly a century later, she is still carrying sightseeing passengers on the lake where she was built.

An Auxiliary Pod Drive

We examine the engineering and installation of a pod-drive electric motor for a daysailer. The boat is a Haven 12 ½ that’s moored a mile up a creek that empties into the Pawtuxet River on Chesapeake Bay, and the motor has proven to be a convenient and well-blended solution when the wind and tide would otherwise hinder the ride home.

The 50’, 1903 gaff cutter KELPIE is an exceptional boat designed by the legendary British designer Alfred Mylne. She represents a fascinating snapshot of yachting history and is well sailed today on the classic-yacht racing circuit. The author recently encountered the boat after not seeing her for 42 years, and found her to be “utterly transformed” by careful stewardship.

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE

Get 6 beautiful issues of WoodenBoat , including No. 288, starting at

$26 PER YEAR

Come aboard and join the WoodenBoat family today!

Subscribe Today!

On the Cover

The East Passage 24

This 24’ diesel-powered, center-console boat ties together long-admired characteristics of classic yacht tenders and New England’s hardworking commercial hulls. Designed by Walt Ansel and stoutly built, the boat is an elegant consolidation of tradition and experience.

Easy Branches Global

Best last minute News headlines from Your Country and inborn language

SEA Yachting magazine

Yachts News | Discover the Exclusive World of Yachts

Yachts Listings for Sale and Charter

immediate for delivery New Exclusive Hyper, Mega, Classic and Super sports Cars

Crypto Coins for FREE when use this link

Jan Jansen Life Stories & Quotes

Share this page.

Sharing with friends or Social Media

Kelpie Of Falmouth

Originally named ‘Hopeful’ and built for the New York stockbroker, Archibald McLaren, on the eve of the Great Depression.

Kelpie did duty in World War II serving with the US Coastguard. She was a popular boat to crew on and notably never missed a day’s service.   Like many other yachts, the end of the war saw a change in ownership and she moved to the West Coast of the states.   Kelpie was in the ownership of the Minney family for over thirty years and undertook extensive cruising through the Pacific to Tahiti and beyond.

In the 1960’s Kelpie was chartered out of California and amongst her other adventures, played host to the film stars Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor.   It was during this time that she was converted to a staysail rig and a bumpkin was added to provide a fixed backstay.   In later years the boat was modified to compete on the West Coast regatta circuit and at one point was chartered by Dennis Connor.   She was well-loved and campaigned hard, earning the title ‘fastest schooner in the west’ for breaking a long-standing record in the Newport to Ensenada offshore race.

Kelpie was found on the West Coast of the USA in a state of semi-neglect by Charlie Wroe, the skipper of Mariette .   After purchase she was made ready for sea in San Francisco, California, before sailing back the nine thousand miles to the UK via Panama and the Caribbean.   Kelpie, renamed ‘Kelpie of Falmouth’ upon her re-registry in the UK, is nearing completion (May, 2014) at Gweek Quay Boatyard in Cornwall.   She is undergoing major refurbishment by a team under the management of Charlie Wroe.   Carpentry led by Ken Wilkinson, naval architecture is in the hands of Theo Rye and Pendennis Shipyard are developing the interior drawings.    Kelpie’s sails will be built by James Lawrence Sailmakers. Her two masts are to be overhauled by Jeremy Freeland from Collars of Oxford – who will also be building her four new spars, two booms, a bowsprit and a gaff.   Kelpie will be returned to her original configuration of a Bermudian main with a gaff foresail.   The aim being to restore her as sympathetically as possible whilst doing the utmost to honour her regatta pedigree.   Kelpie’s debut regatta is planned for the Pendennis Cup in May, 2014.

More at the ‘Kelpie Of Falmouth’ Group on Facebook and in a 3 part series of her restoration on Classic Yacht TV .

SHARE THIS:

• Yachts for Sale

Recently updated...

Write an Article

Covering news on classic yachting worldwide is a tall ask and with your input Classic Yacht Info can expose stories from your own back yard.

We are keen to hear about everything from local regattas and classic events to a local restoration or yachting adventure. Pictures are welcome and ideal for making the article more engaging.

With a site that has been created with the assistance of an international group of classic yacht enthusiasts we value your input and with your help we strive to make CYI more up-to-date and more informative than ever.

Please register and get in touch if you would like to contribute.

choose your language:

We’re passionate about Classic Yachts here at CYI, and we welcome submissions from all over the globe!

Captain, rigger, sail-maker or chef – if you’d like to write for CYI just let us know!

Email [email protected] to be set up as a Contributor, and share your Classic thoughts with the world.

ClassicYachtInfo.com has the largest database of classic yachts on the internet.

We’re continually working to keep it accurate and up-to-date, and we greatly appreciate contributions of any type. If you spot an error, or you have some information on a yacht and would like to contribute, please jump on in!

Don’t be shy…. Breeze on!

• Sell Your Yacht

Alfred Mylne (Solent One Design) KELPIE

Sail Number: 2

Vessel Type: Solent One Design (Gaff Cutter)

LOA: 63′ 6″ / 19.35m – LOD: 57′ 6″ / 17.52m – LWL: 38′ 0″ / 11.58m – Beam: 11′ 6″ / 3.50m – Draft: 7′ 6″ / 2.28m – Displacement: 20,800kg – Identity No.: Y053790 – Yard Number: 85 – Hull material: Planked in pitch-pine fastened with iron dumps to grown oak frames at around 3’ centres and copper fastened to 2 heavy steam bent Rock Elm timbers between on an oak back-bone. The external lead keel is secured with bronze bolts. Iron strap floors on the grown oak frames. – Designer: Alfred Mylne – Built by: J.G. Fay Co. of Southampton – Year Launched: 1904  

Historical:

KELPIE, the yacht’s name relates to a supernatural shape-shifting horse that haunts the rivers and streams of Scotland. Disenchantment with rule-makers is not the sole preserve of the modern era and at a time when the Linear Rater Rules were not entirely popular as they tried to grapple with dissatisfaction at length and Sail area rules. The main complaint was that the Linear Raters were too lightly built – designers and builders might have liked them but owners took a dim view!

KELPIE was designed by Alfred Mylne as a Solent 38 foot class to race with the 42 foot Linear Raters and the fact that she survives today is testament to how Mylne would have created a yacht when unconstrained by the rule. The story goes that owners who commissioned the new class decided to do so with a dinner honouring the passing of Queen Victoria.

With the introduction of the Meter rule in 1907, she was classed as a 12 Metre and raced with the 12s well into the 1920s.

In 1922 KELPIE was involved in the Erskine Childers’ plot to run guns into Ireland to use against the Irish Free State government. Childers was captured and executed but 600 carbines aboard KEPLIE were transferred to a fishing boat off Howth and she slipped away undetected.

KELPIE survived World War II with her keel intact – many yacht owners were encouraged to give up their lead keels for the war effort. After a string of South Coast owners she returned to the Dartmouth Yard of Nash & Holden where she benefited from 15 years of careful renewal and thorough maintenance ensuring her survival and present impressive condition.

Restoration:

Fairlie Restorations Ltd   new wood keel, floors and lower frames, a new deck and deck structures to the original design; a new interior more sympathetic to the original intentions. extensive weight reduction exercise to the spars and rig. A new boom and gaff have been built by Nobel Spars and the yacht re-rigged by ‘Martins Rigging’* Current Name: Kelpie * Original Owner: * Current Owner: Pelham Olive

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner: (1904-1908) – George Coats Owner: (1908) – James Paterson Owner: Thomas Burt Owner: Donald G Freeman Owner: Richard Bendy Owner: Brian Keelan

Related posts:

• Peter Spronk Designed “Ppalu”
• N.G. HERRESHOFF S-CLASS
• 2014 MoY Classic Regatta Grand Classic Overall Winner
• N.G. HERRESHOFF “ELENA” TRAILER

Leave a Comment Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Address:

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Kelpie of Falmouth Launch

Classic Yacht TV's sailing videos on the restoration of a yacht called Kelpie that was acquired in 2013 by an owner who's other boat is well known in the med, 'Mariette', have shown you the team's progress to date. Click on these links below to see previous sailing films by Classic Yacht TV on Kelpie of Falmouth: Kelpie of Falmouth Restoration Part 1 Kelpie of Falmouth Restoration Part 2 Now we show you her launch: American schooner 'Kelpie' whose original name was Hopeful, was officially christened as 'Kelpie of Falmouth' after a fifteen-month restoration in Gweek, Cornwall. She impressed the 150 strong crowd of VIPs who witnessed the owner's girlfriend blessing her with champagne. We show you the boat's safe lift from her cradle and successful launch into the highest tide on the Helford River this side of summer (which you can see in this film). CYTV were also invited to give you glimpse into the party, the day after. Among the guests celebrating were Mike Horesley of the Superyacht brokerage, Edmiston, the Captain of Windrose Alexis Howard, Pascal Luthy the acclaimed French interior and furniture designer. The project's naval architect Theo Rye; boat builder and designer Ashley Butler, Tristan Stone of Stone's timber and many other local and far travelled guests. Kelpie was in the company of her new Captain, Milos Brnjevarac, and the new mate, the lovely, Caterina Calandrino plus the team from the owner's other schooner 'Mariette' that was based at the time in the superyacht yard Pendennis, Cornwall. Charlie Wroe, the overall manager for both schooners Mariette and Kelpie on behalf of the owner, hosted some 150 people. He engaged with his guests in a 30 minute part-history, part-thank you speech on board Kelpie before handing over to the owner's girlfriend who after a brief few words, elegantly pulled the string attached to Pendennis' excellent champagne smasher, which blessed Kelpie as the crowd cheered. CYTV managed to get a rare interview with the very private owner of both Mariette and now, Kelpie of Falmouth at the party. See Kelpie sailing in this film: http://bit.ly/1bMuW0X #SailingFilms #KelpieOfFalmouthSchooner #SuperYachtFilms #ClassicYachtTV #SailingVideoProductions #MarietteOf1915Schooner #Sailing #ClassicBoat #ClassicSailing #YachtRestorationVideoFilm