SY Tamarisk - For Sale £3500

4 Ton Hillyard – Classic Wooden Sailing Yacht

Tamarisk – Small Classic!

The time has come to sell my much loved boat. Tamarisk is a classic wooden sailing yacht built in 1938. She is pitch pine on oak with a cutter rig and a long keel. I bought her in 2018 in Cornwall and since then she has taught me a great deal about sailing and wooden boats. She is a joy to work on and sails like a dream. Everything is very simple, no complicated electrics or fancy systems. She has a single bunk on either side, a little kitchen area to starboard and a very small forepeak which we added last year as a bunk for our little girl (2 years old the time). Tamarisk is the perfect size for day trips and weekends away or longer trips if you pack light and have a good coolbox. She can be sailed singlehanded or easily with 2 people. I have thoroughly enjoyed owning her and every time I step on board she makes me smile but our third crew member (now 3 years old) is growing fast and sadly Tamarisk is just a bit small for our future adventures.

When I bought Tamarisk she was very much in need of love and attention. I have detailed the work I’ve done below and included my to do list as there are still things that need doing along with the usual ongoing maintenance. Jump to the to do list.

Tamarisk is an old wooden boat, full of character and needs someone who appreciates her for who she is. Someone who understands the work involved in owning a wooden boat and is excited to get stuck in. It is rewarding work, watching 80 year old wood shine after a bit of care is very satisfying. She is a nice size for maintenance. I can paint the hull or touch up the cockpit varnish in an afternoon, both of which are very pleasant jobs on a sunny day.

If you’re looking for a classic wooden sailing boat to enjoy and you like a bit of varnishing and carpentry then Tamarisk might be the boat for you… I would really like her to go to a new owner who can give her the care and attention she needs to keep on sailing for another 85 years.

DETAILS OF SAILING VESSEL

PRICE £3500

NAME TAMARISK

CLASS AND TYPE 4 Ton Hillyard – Classic Sailing Yacht

RIG Cutter sloop

HULL CONFIGURATION Long Keel with beaching legs

REGISTRATION NUMBER None found.

BUILDER & DESIGNER Hillyard

DATE OF BUILD 1938

APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS

Length 20ft

LOA with bowspirt and bumpkin 27ft

Draft 3ft 3inches

CONSTRUCTION Pitch Pine on Oak

ENGINE Yanmar 1GM10

ACCOMMODATION

Small galley area to starboard with gas hob and grill (gas bottle in cockpit locker)
Single bunks on either side with storage underneath
Small forepeak with cupboard and infill to make a child’s bed
Anchor chain stored in bow and fed through a haws pipe
Interior finished in a combination of white gloss and varnished wood

CONSTRUCTION

Pitch pine on steam bent oak frames
Oak floors
Mahogany toe rail, cockpit and trim
Pitch pine cabin sides (port side has been replaced at some point with a different wood)
Brass portholes
Loose ballast under sole boards

EQUIPMENT

Depth Sounder
Automatic Bilge Pump
Manual Bilge Pump
Simple 12v system with 12v socket
Hardwood beaching legs
Hanging anode to replace through hull anode
Full set of fenders
Horseshoe life ring – needs to be reattached
Hand-bearing compass
Wooden boathook

ENGINE

Yanmar 1GM10
Engine has been serviced and runs well
Stainless steel fuel tank

SAILS & SPARS

Cutter rigged sloop
Keel stepped Hollow wooden mast from Noble spars
Boom, bowsprit and bumpkin are solid wood (spruce or similar)
Swageless rigging done 2018
Running backstays
Tan Main sail in with wooden roller furling boom – good condition
Cutter and jib sails in tan on Wykham Martin roller furlers
White Genoa – good condition
Set of old (possibly original) Hank on sails in tan

RECECT WORK & REFIT

Work carried out 2018 – present

New shear plank in Iroko 2024
2024 – Hull stripped to good paint (primer in some places and wood in others) above and below the waterline. Painted with Epifanes multi marine primer and Epifanes Top Laque above the waterline and Hempel underwater primer below the waterline – ready for antifouling
Rubbing strake stripped and in the process of varnishing – 2024
New swageless rigging done 2018
Deck paint stripped and redone with kiwi grip on top
Rudder sanded back and sheathed in light weight cloth and epoxy – painted with Epifanes 2020
New fore hatch in Sapele 2021
New exhaust hose
New 12v switch panel
New mainsheet 2021
New automatic bilge pump 2021
Hawsepipe through deck fitting refurbished and reseated with non-setting butyl sealant
All portholes resealed with non-setting butyl selant
Interior roof stripped and repainted in Epifanes
Varnish has been stripped right back and redone in Le Tonkinois
2018 – Hull stripped to good paint (primer in some places and wood in others) above and below the waterline. Painted with Epifanes multi marine primer and Epifanes Top Laque above the waterline and Hempel underwater primer and Hempel classic anti fouling below the waterline
2018 – anode removed from hull where it had damaged the plank and hardwood scarf added – starboard side aft – replaced with hanging anode

To do and wish list

Cockpit seat framing and plywood needs attention at some point
Stern gland needs repacking
Toe rail needs small repair on port side aft and both toes rails need sanding back and varnishing
Coach roof paint needs touching up
Varnish needs more annual coats (as always!)