Richard 999
Dickies of Tarbert Teak Motor Sailer
Designer: Dickies
Builder: Dickies of Tarbert, Scotland
Year: 1936
Location Devon
Length on deck: 44'
Beam: 11'4
Draft: 6'
Tonnage(TM): 17.8 Displacement
£110,000
Full Specification
An exceptional and rare boat which combines all the features regarded as classic and representative of the great period of wooden yacht construction and presented in very fine condition.
Length on deck: 44’
Beam: 11’4”
Draft: 6’
Tonnage: 17.8 tons displacement.
Designed and built by Dickies of Tarbert on the west coast of Scotland. Of the three Dickie brothers one took over the old family firm in Tarbert, another moved south across the water to Bangor in N Wales and a third brother was apprenticed to the great William Fife in his drawing office. At the time, Dickies was held in the same high regard as Alfred Mylne and the now great William Fife’s yard.
The design is a proper long keeled, sea-worthy hull inspired by the Scottish fishing boat type with a full canoe stern, sharp almost vertical stem, good free-board and full mid-ships sections.
The mid-ships wheel-house is a wonderful construction built in to the step in the deck, multi-faceted forward, cabin entrance each side and a shallow coach-roof running aft to a lovely deep well-sheltered little cock-pit.
All deck fittings are in bronze and original but she has also been intelligently modernised with modern nav lights and equipment to bring her up to expected modern standards.
Built in the Tarbert yard in 1936, the yard must have been delighted to land this high spec order and she was undoubtedly a very expensive yacht indeed.
Tunnag has passed through our hands several times in the last 35 years so we are quite familiar with her. For the last few years she has been in local ownership here in Dartmouth, the owner first apprenticed to Moodys as a boat builder and later building high tech one-off race yachts in his own yard so well qualified to bring a quality boat up to top condition. They are justifiably proud of the yacht but as time goes on they are finding that a smaller yacht with more sail would suit them better now.
Construction.
The construction is robust, almost fishing boat strength planked in proper old 1 ¼” Burma teak, and finished varnished in the topsides from new, anti-fouled below the w/l. Even much of the inside of the hull is varnished!
The frames are grown oak all through at approx 3’ centres, doubled in futtocks, side pinned with single steam bent oak intermediates.
The long oak keel carries an external iron ballast keel over most of the length and especially reaching right forward to the rise of the stem so that any contact with a hard surface would be taken on the iron, not the wood – a thoughtful touch.
In present ownership the keel bolts have been inspected.
Sea-cocks removed, stripped and any dubious replaced.
The strap floors are in massive angle shape wrought iron which does not rust like mild steel even if it is galvanised, side bolted to the frames which avoids the problem of corrosion of bolts through the planking.
In present ownership most of the floors have been removed from the boat, epoxy tarred and replaced on a bedding compound with new bronze bolts through the frames – an exceptional and essential job with most boats of this vintage.
The topsides are raised forward from the mid-ships step in the deck to give increased head-room in the forward accommodation and fitted with 3 large bronze port holes each side.
Interestingly, there is a small port hole each side mid-ships in the topsides to give some light and air to the engine room.
The wheel-house and after coaming are all teak with bronze port holes.
The coach-roof deck is sheathed probably originally with canvas and painted with cream non-slip deck paint between varnished teak margins. The after cabin entrance from the cock-pit has a sliding hatch and twin full length doors to the cock-pit.
Fastenings:
The planking is fastened to the main frames with bronze dumps and to the steamed intermediates with copper nails. Close study shows the Scottish way of clenching the nails rather than riveting over roves.
Deck.
The deck is yacht laid in solid teak which means the planking is swept round the shape of the hull and joggled into a king plank forward and aft.
Traditionally caulked and payed, the deck was originally secret fastened and has been largely refastened with screws from above, dowled over.
The rudder stock head projects through the aft deck with a removable bronze cap to take an emergency tiller.
Steering is by traditional spoked teak wheel and cables to a quadrant on the stock under the aft deck.
In present ownership new cables and tubes fitted.
Cast bronze stanchion posts all round carry 2 stainless steel guard wires. A modern stainless steel pulpit and push-pit have been added for safety. The step in the deck edge in way of the gate either side has a cast bronze cap with the yacht’s name – a lovely touch.
Hefty mooring cleats fitted either side forward and aft and a cruciform cleat mid-ships by the step in the deck, essential to take a mid-ships spring when berthing and so often missing on yachts.
To back up the cleats she has a massive oak Sampson post on the fore deck and the aft deck and even each side at the break in the deck.
A very substantial bronze fabrication over the stem spreads the loads of the chain over the twin chain rollers.
A modern electric windlass may look slightly out of place but like other details on this yacht makes her far more practical for regular use. A CQR anchor when hauled in stows neatly on the chain roller removing the necessity to lift a heavy anchor over the pulpit.
Small thoughtful details like the twin bronze fairleads on the capping both sides saves damage to the capping by mooring lines.
In present ownership the deck seams have been raked out, the seams repayed with butyl rubber compound and the decks coated with Semco, a wood protector and water-proofing product which has the advantage of sealing the seams against any possible leaks.
Rig.
A bermudian ketch rig on varnished spruce masts and spars gives a useful sail area of around 200 square feet with the headsail on a roller furler, a 2-reef mainsail and a small mizzen.
Stainless steel standing rigging to internal bronze chain plates.
In present ownership the masts have been stripped and revarnished, the standing and running rigging have all been replaced and new blocks fitted.
Sails.
A very good, clean suit of cream sails in polyester comprising:
Mainsail – not new but in very good condition
Mizzen – not new but in very usable condition
Genoa on roller furling gear – as new condition
Jib – in excellent condition
New small, loose-footed, boomless mizzen serves to weather-cock the boat at anchor – Dart Sails, 2014
Sail covers to main and mizzen.
New runing rig.
Engine.
Gardner 3LW 47hp 3-cylinder diesel engine installed new in 1965.
Gardner U2 2:1 gearbox with usual Gardner wheel control at the helm and separate throttle lever.
Conventional centre-line shaft carried in a plummer block with conventional inboard stuffing box and a new outer shaft bearing in 2002.
New double greasers to plummer blocks
3-blade prop.
This Gardner is a superb machine, slow revving, quiet, smooth and very reassuring with the reputation for a very long life and almost infinitely rebuildable – a proper marine diesel engine.
Max speed 8.5knts
Fuel consumption approx 5 litres per hour at her most economic cruising speed of 7 knts.
In present ownership the engine has had a thorough service – seals and impellors renewed etc.
The owner before last who bought the yacht through Wooden Ships, a skilled engineer, did a major rebuild on this engine and like all Gardners it has given total and reliable service.
Tanks
Diesel: 110 gallons in 2 stainless steel tanks, one each side of the engine room.
New twin Racor filters fitted with change-over valve. All pipe-work renewed.
Engine room in pristine condition with steel chequer plate floors, all exceptionally clean with very good access all round.
Water: 200 gallons fresh water in 2 tanks.
New pressurised water system with new calorifier tank in the engine room heated by the engine cooling water and with 240v immersion heater.
In present ownership the plumbing and hot water system have all been replaced.
New water filtration pump and tap at the galley sink.
Electrics
The yacht operates on a 24v circuit with 12v supply to certain instruments.
240v supply from shore power or generator.
Generator. Hyundi 3.6kw remote start diesel generator mounted in a varnished teak box on deck behind the wheel-house to give as silent and odour-free operation as possible.
The generator is coupled to a Victron 3KW inverter mounted in a stainless tray in the engine room with 4 x 110amp/hr batteries.
55amp engine belt driven alternator fitted new in 2013 charges the batteries
4 x 12v domestic batteries
4 x 12v engine start batteries
2 x 12v windlass batteries
Sterling battery management system
240v ring main with shore power connection
In present ownership the yacht has been largely rewired and new electrical panel fitted.
Accommodation.
The interior of this yacht is exceptional, all very original and panelled in polished teak. The teak in the bulkhead panels and the door panels is carefully chosen to give matching grain pattern in every one as was the way with all the best classic yachts.
The interior of the yacht is divided into 4 areas – a fore peak cabin with full length single berth to stbd and up and down smaller berths to port.
Bulkhead to chain locker forward. Fore peak entrance hatch over.
All panelled in varnished teak with white painted deck-head.
Bulkhead door to the next aft compartment with galley surface to starboard and gimballed Taylors 041 2-burner, grill and oven gas cooker in a lined recess to port.
The galley has been recently refitted and is a clean modern area with an L-shaped white formica surface with a twin sink, hot/cold tap, salt water tap and chromed Patay manual fresh water pump. Sink drains overboard.
Cup racks above. Cave locker in the work surface.
12v/240v Waeco fridge under the work surface
In present ownership the galley has been rebuilt, new fridge and cooker fitted.
Aft again into the magnificent saloon cabin, all varnished teak joinery with shelves and glass fronted lockers each side.
Port side dinette with buttoned light brown leather upholstery and varnished table, drops down to make a double berth.
Settee berth to stbd with fabric covered cushions. Back rest lifts and suspends as a Pullman berth.
6’ head-room. White painted deck-head. Varnished teak sole boards. Classic gimballed chrome lights on the bulkheads. Lots of stowage under the settees.
Main mast against the forward bulkhead.
Centre-line steps up to the wheel-house with the engine room below. All varnished teak wheel-house. Step up to exit door either side. Traditional spoked teak wheel. All nav instruments well displayed and visible. Seating aft.
Aft port corner of wheel-house, winding stair down to the saloon cabin.
Electrical switch-board hidden behind a small door as you go down the steps, easily reached from the wheel-house.
Lobby at the bottom of the companionway.
Heads compartment to stbd with Jabsco sea toilet, shower with teak grating in the tray, lockers under the side deck.
In present ownership the heads has been refitted and a new sea-toilet installed.
Door to engine room on the centre-line between heads and companionway.
Bulkhead door to the aft cabin. Single berth to port, tight double berth to stbd.
Centre-line companionway up to the aft cock-pit.
Webasto hot air diesel fired central heating sited in the engine room, new 2013
Inventory.
Navigation. Ground tackle.
Constellation binnacle compass at the helm Muir 24v windlass
Navman chart plotter. New Lewmar Delta anchor
New Lowrance Elite 5 sounder Min 80 meters chain.
Fixed Sailor VHF radio. Long anchor warp.
Sailor radio receiver
Neco auto-pilot on the wheel. Warps and fenders.
This is one of those boats you cannot just walk past, a boat which attracts attention wherever she goes, a classic in every sense of that over-used word yet still a very practical and usable boat.
After the work done in present ownership the next owner will take over a wonderful yacht and the continuing pleasure in the conservation of our maritime heritage.
Dickies of Tarbert Teak Motor Sailer
Designer: Dickies
Builder: Dickies of Tarbert, Scotland
Year: 1936
Location Devon
Length on deck: 44'
Beam: 11'4
Draft: 6'
Tonnage(TM): 17.8 Displacement
£110,000
Full Specification
An exceptional and rare boat which combines all the features regarded as classic and representative of the great period of wooden yacht construction and presented in very fine condition.
Length on deck: 44’
Beam: 11’4”
Draft: 6’
Tonnage: 17.8 tons displacement.
Designed and built by Dickies of Tarbert on the west coast of Scotland. Of the three Dickie brothers one took over the old family firm in Tarbert, another moved south across the water to Bangor in N Wales and a third brother was apprenticed to the great William Fife in his drawing office. At the time, Dickies was held in the same high regard as Alfred Mylne and the now great William Fife’s yard.
The design is a proper long keeled, sea-worthy hull inspired by the Scottish fishing boat type with a full canoe stern, sharp almost vertical stem, good free-board and full mid-ships sections.
The mid-ships wheel-house is a wonderful construction built in to the step in the deck, multi-faceted forward, cabin entrance each side and a shallow coach-roof running aft to a lovely deep well-sheltered little cock-pit.
All deck fittings are in bronze and original but she has also been intelligently modernised with modern nav lights and equipment to bring her up to expected modern standards.
Built in the Tarbert yard in 1936, the yard must have been delighted to land this high spec order and she was undoubtedly a very expensive yacht indeed.
Tunnag has passed through our hands several times in the last 35 years so we are quite familiar with her. For the last few years she has been in local ownership here in Dartmouth, the owner first apprenticed to Moodys as a boat builder and later building high tech one-off race yachts in his own yard so well qualified to bring a quality boat up to top condition. They are justifiably proud of the yacht but as time goes on they are finding that a smaller yacht with more sail would suit them better now.
Construction.
The construction is robust, almost fishing boat strength planked in proper old 1 ¼” Burma teak, and finished varnished in the topsides from new, anti-fouled below the w/l. Even much of the inside of the hull is varnished!
The frames are grown oak all through at approx 3’ centres, doubled in futtocks, side pinned with single steam bent oak intermediates.
The long oak keel carries an external iron ballast keel over most of the length and especially reaching right forward to the rise of the stem so that any contact with a hard surface would be taken on the iron, not the wood – a thoughtful touch.
In present ownership the keel bolts have been inspected.
Sea-cocks removed, stripped and any dubious replaced.
The strap floors are in massive angle shape wrought iron which does not rust like mild steel even if it is galvanised, side bolted to the frames which avoids the problem of corrosion of bolts through the planking.
In present ownership most of the floors have been removed from the boat, epoxy tarred and replaced on a bedding compound with new bronze bolts through the frames – an exceptional and essential job with most boats of this vintage.
The topsides are raised forward from the mid-ships step in the deck to give increased head-room in the forward accommodation and fitted with 3 large bronze port holes each side.
Interestingly, there is a small port hole each side mid-ships in the topsides to give some light and air to the engine room.
The wheel-house and after coaming are all teak with bronze port holes.
The coach-roof deck is sheathed probably originally with canvas and painted with cream non-slip deck paint between varnished teak margins. The after cabin entrance from the cock-pit has a sliding hatch and twin full length doors to the cock-pit.
Fastenings:
The planking is fastened to the main frames with bronze dumps and to the steamed intermediates with copper nails. Close study shows the Scottish way of clenching the nails rather than riveting over roves.
Deck.
The deck is yacht laid in solid teak which means the planking is swept round the shape of the hull and joggled into a king plank forward and aft.
Traditionally caulked and payed, the deck was originally secret fastened and has been largely refastened with screws from above, dowled over.
The rudder stock head projects through the aft deck with a removable bronze cap to take an emergency tiller.
Steering is by traditional spoked teak wheel and cables to a quadrant on the stock under the aft deck.
In present ownership new cables and tubes fitted.
Cast bronze stanchion posts all round carry 2 stainless steel guard wires. A modern stainless steel pulpit and push-pit have been added for safety. The step in the deck edge in way of the gate either side has a cast bronze cap with the yacht’s name – a lovely touch.
Hefty mooring cleats fitted either side forward and aft and a cruciform cleat mid-ships by the step in the deck, essential to take a mid-ships spring when berthing and so often missing on yachts.
To back up the cleats she has a massive oak Sampson post on the fore deck and the aft deck and even each side at the break in the deck.
A very substantial bronze fabrication over the stem spreads the loads of the chain over the twin chain rollers.
A modern electric windlass may look slightly out of place but like other details on this yacht makes her far more practical for regular use. A CQR anchor when hauled in stows neatly on the chain roller removing the necessity to lift a heavy anchor over the pulpit.
Small thoughtful details like the twin bronze fairleads on the capping both sides saves damage to the capping by mooring lines.
In present ownership the deck seams have been raked out, the seams repayed with butyl rubber compound and the decks coated with Semco, a wood protector and water-proofing product which has the advantage of sealing the seams against any possible leaks.
Rig.
A bermudian ketch rig on varnished spruce masts and spars gives a useful sail area of around 200 square feet with the headsail on a roller furler, a 2-reef mainsail and a small mizzen.
Stainless steel standing rigging to internal bronze chain plates.
In present ownership the masts have been stripped and revarnished, the standing and running rigging have all been replaced and new blocks fitted.
Sails.
A very good, clean suit of cream sails in polyester comprising:
Mainsail – not new but in very good condition
Mizzen – not new but in very usable condition
Genoa on roller furling gear – as new condition
Jib – in excellent condition
New small, loose-footed, boomless mizzen serves to weather-cock the boat at anchor – Dart Sails, 2014
Sail covers to main and mizzen.
New runing rig.
Engine.
Gardner 3LW 47hp 3-cylinder diesel engine installed new in 1965.
Gardner U2 2:1 gearbox with usual Gardner wheel control at the helm and separate throttle lever.
Conventional centre-line shaft carried in a plummer block with conventional inboard stuffing box and a new outer shaft bearing in 2002.
New double greasers to plummer blocks
3-blade prop.
This Gardner is a superb machine, slow revving, quiet, smooth and very reassuring with the reputation for a very long life and almost infinitely rebuildable – a proper marine diesel engine.
Max speed 8.5knts
Fuel consumption approx 5 litres per hour at her most economic cruising speed of 7 knts.
In present ownership the engine has had a thorough service – seals and impellors renewed etc.
The owner before last who bought the yacht through Wooden Ships, a skilled engineer, did a major rebuild on this engine and like all Gardners it has given total and reliable service.
Tanks
Diesel: 110 gallons in 2 stainless steel tanks, one each side of the engine room.
New twin Racor filters fitted with change-over valve. All pipe-work renewed.
Engine room in pristine condition with steel chequer plate floors, all exceptionally clean with very good access all round.
Water: 200 gallons fresh water in 2 tanks.
New pressurised water system with new calorifier tank in the engine room heated by the engine cooling water and with 240v immersion heater.
In present ownership the plumbing and hot water system have all been replaced.
New water filtration pump and tap at the galley sink.
Electrics
The yacht operates on a 24v circuit with 12v supply to certain instruments.
240v supply from shore power or generator.
Generator. Hyundi 3.6kw remote start diesel generator mounted in a varnished teak box on deck behind the wheel-house to give as silent and odour-free operation as possible.
The generator is coupled to a Victron 3KW inverter mounted in a stainless tray in the engine room with 4 x 110amp/hr batteries.
55amp engine belt driven alternator fitted new in 2013 charges the batteries
4 x 12v domestic batteries
4 x 12v engine start batteries
2 x 12v windlass batteries
Sterling battery management system
240v ring main with shore power connection
In present ownership the yacht has been largely rewired and new electrical panel fitted.
Accommodation.
The interior of this yacht is exceptional, all very original and panelled in polished teak. The teak in the bulkhead panels and the door panels is carefully chosen to give matching grain pattern in every one as was the way with all the best classic yachts.
The interior of the yacht is divided into 4 areas – a fore peak cabin with full length single berth to stbd and up and down smaller berths to port.
Bulkhead to chain locker forward. Fore peak entrance hatch over.
All panelled in varnished teak with white painted deck-head.
Bulkhead door to the next aft compartment with galley surface to starboard and gimballed Taylors 041 2-burner, grill and oven gas cooker in a lined recess to port.
The galley has been recently refitted and is a clean modern area with an L-shaped white formica surface with a twin sink, hot/cold tap, salt water tap and chromed Patay manual fresh water pump. Sink drains overboard.
Cup racks above. Cave locker in the work surface.
12v/240v Waeco fridge under the work surface
In present ownership the galley has been rebuilt, new fridge and cooker fitted.
Aft again into the magnificent saloon cabin, all varnished teak joinery with shelves and glass fronted lockers each side.
Port side dinette with buttoned light brown leather upholstery and varnished table, drops down to make a double berth.
Settee berth to stbd with fabric covered cushions. Back rest lifts and suspends as a Pullman berth.
6’ head-room. White painted deck-head. Varnished teak sole boards. Classic gimballed chrome lights on the bulkheads. Lots of stowage under the settees.
Main mast against the forward bulkhead.
Centre-line steps up to the wheel-house with the engine room below. All varnished teak wheel-house. Step up to exit door either side. Traditional spoked teak wheel. All nav instruments well displayed and visible. Seating aft.
Aft port corner of wheel-house, winding stair down to the saloon cabin.
Electrical switch-board hidden behind a small door as you go down the steps, easily reached from the wheel-house.
Lobby at the bottom of the companionway.
Heads compartment to stbd with Jabsco sea toilet, shower with teak grating in the tray, lockers under the side deck.
In present ownership the heads has been refitted and a new sea-toilet installed.
Door to engine room on the centre-line between heads and companionway.
Bulkhead door to the aft cabin. Single berth to port, tight double berth to stbd.
Centre-line companionway up to the aft cock-pit.
Webasto hot air diesel fired central heating sited in the engine room, new 2013
Inventory.
Navigation. Ground tackle.
Constellation binnacle compass at the helm Muir 24v windlass
Navman chart plotter. New Lewmar Delta anchor
New Lowrance Elite 5 sounder Min 80 meters chain.
Fixed Sailor VHF radio. Long anchor warp.
Sailor radio receiver
Neco auto-pilot on the wheel. Warps and fenders.
This is one of those boats you cannot just walk past, a boat which attracts attention wherever she goes, a classic in every sense of that over-used word yet still a very practical and usable boat.
After the work done in present ownership the next owner will take over a wonderful yacht and the continuing pleasure in the conservation of our maritime heritage.