Laurent Giles 25 ft Vertue Ocean 1990 - Vendu

It is remarkable that such a small unassuming boat has almost become Laurent Giles’s hallmark rather than one his other important designs in the league of large luxury yachts and ocean racers. From before the 2nd World War Vertues have criss-crossed most of the World’s oceans; many such voyages undertaken single handed speaking volumes for this enduring design.

ELLENOR JOSEPHINE was commissioned and built IBTC Lowestoft to a high specification by someone who wanted to sail long distances. Much thought has also gone into her inventory. In the event, she has cruised but not been very far afield and she remains in a condition close to that when launched in 1990. This boat would be as perfect for mucking about on a Saturday outing in the West Country as she would for taking on the mid Atlantic.

The extended cruising version of this design was known as the Vertue Ocean and incorporated modifications from the original Vertue design suggested to Laurent Giles by Humphrey Barton. They were described on p 158 of his book entitled “Vertue XXXV”. The class was actually named post war by Laurent Giles in recognition of the presentation to Lawrence Biddle and Humphrey Barton on EPENETA, of the Little Ship Club’s Vertue Cup for their crossing the Bay of Biscay in 1939. There is a chapter in the book “Laurent Giles and his Yacht Designs” by Adrian Lee and Ruby Philpott dedicated to the Vertues and detailing numerous members of the Class with numerous anecdotes extolling their resilience, practicality and sheer performance in some of the World’s most powerful oceans. Humphrey Barton following his epic passage from the Lizard to Sandy Hook off New York in 1950 was to say: “I honestly believe she best designed built and equipped small ocean going cruising yacht that has yet been produced. Her ability to stand up to bad weather, her remarkable high performance under sail and the comfort of her accommodation are outstanding” - No surprise then that even before the Class half century, some 200 had been built.

This boat was launched in November 1990 for Mr Ian Wright and named PATIENCE. Mr Wright died around 2005, his widow selling the boat to Mr Brian Edmunds MBE FCA in August 2006. Her current owner bought her in July 2009 at Tollesbury in Essex, then taking her to Mashfords Yard opposite Plymouth Devon, where she underwent an extensive refit. And was renamed ELLENOR JOSEPHINE.

- Strongly built to Lloyds Al of iroko planking copper fastened onto oak frames
- Iron keel sandblasted and epoxy coated in refit
- Bronze bolts
- Bolted steel and oak floors
- Teak laid deck
- Varnished mahogany coach roof
- Oiled spars

- Saloon with 2 x 6 ft 3 inch single berths with lee cloths for sleeping on passage
- Cushion and panel infill to bridge the berths for harbour sleeping
- Stowage below and outboard of the berths
- Blue upholstery
- Eberspacher D2 diesel heating system
- Galley with a Taylor 030 paraffin 2 burner hob and oven
- Various copper and stainless steel pots and pans with fiddle rail and holders
- 2 stainless water tanks
- Blake marine WC in forepeak
- 12 V and oil lighting

- Beta Marine 14 HP inboard diesel new in 2004 approx 500 hours to date
- Shaft drive to fixed bronze propeller
- Single lever Morse control in cockpit
- Engine alternator charging 2 x 12 V batteries
- Stainless fuel header tank c 70 litres
- Racor fuel filter
- 2 x 33 gallon / 150 litre stainless steel fresh water tanks total c 66 gallons 300 litres

- Sestrel hand bearing compass in bulkhead mounted case
- Sestrel steering compass
- Furuno 7000 F plotter / sounder
- Furuno GP32 GPS
- Furuno cockpit repeater
- Walker Knotmaster log
- Walker Excelsior log
- Simrad TP30 autopilot
- Furuno DSC VHF
- Sextant in wooden case
- Barometer and clock
- Lead line
- Steaming lights
- Tri colour masthead light
- Oil Anchor light

- Permanently fitted jackstay lifelines
- 2 x Safety harnesses
- Avon Ocean ISO 9650 4P TIA Canister Life raft V80381
- 2 x Dry powder fire extinguishers
- EPIRB bulkhead mounted
- Fire blanket
- 2 x manual bilge pumps
- Coastal pack distress flares
- 2 x Life jackets

The sail plan is based on the 1936 gaff rigged cutter Vertue ANDRILLOT
- Sitka Spruce mast and spars
- Rigging and sails by James Lawrence Sailmakers, Brightlingsea, Essex
- Rigging screws mainly imported from Bronze Star Inc. San Diego U.S.A
- Wooden blocks by Colin Frake of Faversham, Kent
- Stainless steel standing rigging and traditional running rigging
- Slab reefing mainsail with cover
- Working jib on Wykeham Martin furling gear
- Hanked on staysail
- Spinnaker
- Topsail with yard
- Towsail
- Storm jib
- Tri-sail

- Traditional bronze ports, cast bronze fittings etc, custom made by craftsmen in Lowestoft
- Laid teak cockpit seats with cushions, teak cockpit grating
- Tiller, spare tiller, and autopilot tiller
- Main anchor 35 lb CQR with galvanised chain
- Danforth kedge anchor with chain and warp
- Fisherman’s kedge anchorwith chain and warp
- Simpson Lawrence bronze anchor windlass
- 2 x Boathooks
- Various mooring warps and fenders
- Yacht legs
- Full winter boat cover
- Teak and bronze boom gallows

Summary of work carried out in the 2009 / 10 refit at Mashfords – detailing some items already noted in inventory above
- Mast and spars taken back to bare wood and 20 coats of Deks Olje D1 applied
- Iron keel sandblasted and 6 coats of VC TAR 2 epoxy applied
- 2 keel bolts drawn for inspection and found to be in new condition
- Deck caulk removed; repayed with Teak Decking Systems SIS 440 Teak Deck Caulking
- New bronze deck stanchions fitted
- All external varnish removed and re-varnished with 8 coats of Epifanes clear varnish
- New bronze rudder cap manufactured and fitted
- Rudder pintle bracket bolts replaced with new silicon bolts
- New bronze shaft and propeller fitted
- Engine removed, new shaft coupling and engine drip tray fitted
- 2 New Optima high performance batteries fitted
- Engine fuel tank removed, cleaned and re-installed with new Racor filter
- New Eberspacher diesel hot air heating system installed
- New running backstays
- New cockpit cushions
- New Furuno instruments as specified in Navigation fitted