vertue sailboat

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• Sailboat Guide

Vertue is a 25 ′ 3 ″ / 7.7 m monohull sailboat designed by Jack Laurent Giles and built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard, Stebbings & Sons, Bossoms Boatyard, and Jouët starting in 1947.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Most VERTUES were built by different firms in England. Cheoy Lee built a few in the late 50’’s and early 60’’s. Some were built later in FG. The designed was changed significantly since the earliest boats of the 1950’s so dimensions listed here are only approximate. It is thought that approximately 100 have been built to this design.

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The Vertue 25 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Vertue 25, a heavy-displacement long-keeled sloop, was designed by Jack Laurent Giles and built in the UK by E.F.Elkins Ltd.

Published Specification for the Vertue 25

Underwater Profile:  Long keel with transom-hung rudder

Hull Material: V arious *

Length Overall:  25'3"  ( 7.7m)

Waterline Length:  21'6"  ( 6.6m)

Beam:  7'2"  ( 2.2m)

Draft:  4'6"  ( 1.4m)

Rig Type:  Masthead sloop

Displacement:  11,000lb (4,990kg)

Designer:  Jack Laurent Giles

Builder:  E F Elkins Ltd (UK)

Year First Built:  1947

Number Built: 270

*  230 in wood, wood/epoxy or steel, plus 40 in GRP.

Published Design Ratios for the Vertue 25

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 9.7

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 40.9

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 494

4. Comfort Ratio: 54.6

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   1.3

Read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the  Vertue 25

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 9.7 suggests that the Vertue 25 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 40.9 means that the Vertue 25 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 494, tells us the Vertue 25 is firmly in the ultra-heavy displacement category. Load her up as much as you like and her performance will be hardly affected, not that it was ever startling. Few if any sailboats are built to this displacement category these days - but they remain popular with some long-distance sailors.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 54.6 suggests that crew comfort of a Vertue 25 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of an extremely heavy bluewater boat - and that's as comfortable as life ever gets on a sailing boat!

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.3 indicates that a Vertue 25 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0. 

Cruisers' Questions about this Sailboat...

What is the history of Vertue 25 sailboat?

The history of the Vertue 25 sailboat is quite fascinating. It dates back to 1936, when the first boat of this design, named ANDRILLOT, was launched by Jack Laurent Giles for Humphrey Barton. The design was not named Vertue until after the war, when another boat of this design, named EPENETA, won the Little Ship Club's Vertue Cup in 1939 for a passage across the Bay of Biscay. The Vertue Cup is given for the best log of a cruise longer than a week by a member of the club.

The Vertue 25 sailboat gained an enviable reputation as a long-distance cruiser, with several remarkable voyages completed by boats of this class and close derivatives, such as Vertue XXXV, which sailed from England to New York in 1950. The design has also been praised by famous sailors such as Eric and Susan Hiscock.

There have been minor variants of the design, most notably in the shape of the coach-roof and the hull material. The original design had a length overall of 25'3" (7.7m), a beam of 7'2" (2.2m) and a draft of 4'6" (1.4m). The extended cruising version of the design was known as the Vertue Ocean and incorporated modifications suggested by Barton. The Vertue II design is slightly larger at 25'8" (7.8m) overall with a 7'10" (2.4m) beam and has been produced in GRP since the 1970s by Bossoms Boatyard in Oxford.

What are some famous voyages completed by Vertue 25 sailboats?

Some of the famous voyages completed by Vertue 25 sailboats are:

• In 1950, Humphrey Barton sailed from England to New York in Vertue XXXV, a 25'3" wooden sloop, in 40 days. This was the first transatlantic crossing by a small yacht and inspired many other sailors to follow his example.
• In 1952, Eric and Susan Hiscock sailed around the world in Wanderer III, a 30' wooden sloop based on the Vertue design. They covered 30,000 miles in three years and wrote several books about their adventure.
• In 1966, David Lewis sailed from England to New Zealand in Rehu Moana, a 25'8" GRP sloop of the Vertue II design. He then continued to sail around the Pacific islands and Antarctica for several years.
• In 1979, John Guzzwell sailed around the world in Trekka, a 20'9" wooden sloop derived from the Vertue design. He covered 28,000 miles in four years and became the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed at the time.
• In 1990, ELLENOR JOSEPHINE, a 25'8" GRP sloop of the Vertue Ocean design, was launched by IBTC Lowestoft for Ian Wright, who wanted to sail long distances. She has since been sold to different owners and has cruised around the UK and Europe.

What are some modifications that have been made to the Vertue 25 sailboat over time?

Some of the modifications that have been made to the Vertue 25 sailboat over time are:

• After winning the Vertue Cup in 1939, Laurent Giles named the class the Vertue and made minor modifications to the hull and coachroof design. These Vertues became the classic small boat of choice for the single-handed long distance sailor.
• The extended cruising version of the design was known as the Vertue Ocean and incorporated modifications suggested by Humphrey Barton, such as additional freeboard, a slightly different sheer, a longer bowsprit, a larger cockpit and a self-draining well.
• The Vertue II design is slightly larger at 25'8" (7.8m) overall with a 7'10" (2.4m) beam and has been produced in GRP since the 1970s by Bossoms Boatyard in Oxford. It also has a different coachroof shape, a longer waterline length, a shorter boom and a higher aspect ratio rig.
• Some individual owners have also made their own modifications to their Vertues, such as changing the engine, adding or removing equipment, altering the interior layout, or repainting the hull.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge,  we believe them to be accurate.

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Extraordinary boats: Andrillot, the original ‘Vertue’ design

• May 25, 2021

Andrillot is the original ‘Vertue’, the design which launched Laurent Giles’s long and illustrious career in 1935. Nic Compton reports

German boatbuilder Uli Killer was looking for a boat to sail while he was working on a big restoration project when he spotted Andrillot , a 25ft wooden cutter for sale in Dartmouth, UK.

The boat had recently undergone a three-year restoration and was said to be in very good condition for her age. The ad claimed the yacht was ‘an important part of our maritime heritage’ and that she and her sisterships had ‘become legends in their own right’. But to Uli, a relative newcomer to the classic world, she was just a pretty boat at the right price.

Andrillot as she was built with a gaff rig.

“She looked pretty and was affordable for us. I knew nothing about her history, and I had to ring a friend to ask him who Laurent Giles was!” Killer recalls. “Then I saw articles in English and American magazines and realised she really was such a famous boat, and hundreds of them were built. Being No 1 makes her more interesting.”

The boat Uli had inadvertently stumbled across was Andrillot , best known as the ‘original Vertue’, the first of a class which, 85 years after she was launched, is still going strong and now numbers around 200 boats. More by chance than intent, Uli had discovered a unique piece of maritime history, which he was able to buy for less than the price of a new VW Golf. He could hardly believe his luck.

It was in 1935 that Guernsey solicitor Dick Kinnersly commissioned British yacht designer Laurent Giles, then at the start of an illustrious career, to design a cruising boat for him.

“I was ignorant of yacht design but I knew what I wanted; a boat that would spin on a sixpence and I could sail single-handed,” he told British journalist (and fellow Vertue owner) Adrian Morgan 60 years later. “I don’t mind a transom, I said, and a good entry. I couldn’t afford an engine, so I needed ‘plenty of air’ aloft, which meant a topsail.”

The result was a modest 25ft 3in cruising yacht with a wide, distinctive sheer strake inspired by her working boat origins, and a manageable gaff rig (described by some as the ‘pinnacle’ of gaff rig design).

The hull shape was moderate in every way, and Giles himself was reticent about his achievement, saying: “There was nothing very special about the first conception, simply a contemporary interpretation of the Pilot Cutter theme with the same sort of displacement and general arrangements whittled down suitably to the very small size.”

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The boat’s capabilities were soon put to the test by Giles’s colleague Humphrey Barton, who borrowed Andrillot soon after she was launched and sailed her from Lymington to Concarneau and back, covering 855 miles in 23 days. The voyage, almost unheard of at the time on such a small boat, earned him the 1937 RCC Founder’s Cup.

More orders for the design soon started trickling in although, strangely, the class didn’t get its name until 10 years after Andrillot was launched. One of the boats built to Laurent Giles Design No.0015 (as it was then known) was Epeneta , which won the Little Ship Club’s annual Vertue Challenge Cup in 1939 for a 745-mile cruise of the English Channel. When Giles came to naming the class after the war, he chose the name Vertue in honour of that achievement.

Andrillot has been converted from gaff to Bermudan rig. Photo: Nic Compton

Other epic Vertue voyages soon followed, including notable transatlantic crossings. One, by David Lewis on Cardinal Vertue , was made while competing in the first OSTAR in 1960. He finished 3rd, behind Francis Chichester and Blondie Hasler.

Over the years, there have been several changes to the boat’s superstructure and rig, but the basic hull shape remained unchanged (indeed Giles believed it couldn’t be improved) until the design was adapted for GRP construction in 1976.

Reconfigured with slightly more beam and a higher freeboard, more than 40 Vertues were built in GRP, mostly by Bossoms in Oxford.

Wooden Vertues continue to be built to this day, both in carvel and strip-plank construction, and the company recently sent out plans for hull No.249 – though not all the plans sent out have been built.

As for Andrillot , the progenitor of this remarkable explosion of small boat sailing, she was owned by Kinnersly until 1947, after which she went through a succession of owners (seven in all) until 1982 when she was spotted by father and son Peter and Tim Stevenson.

By then Andrillot was in a dilapidated state. Peter and Tim had to tow her across the Solent and had her transported to a hay barn on the family farm near Lyndhurst.

The chart table was completely rebuilt for her new owner, including the non-original inlaid compass rose. Photo: Nic Compton

There, over the next two years, they gave her a full restoration, gutting the interior, doubling up several frames, and replacing the old Stuart Turner engine with an 8hp Bukh. By then, the yacht had already been converted to Bermudan rig and her coachroof had been extended, with the mast stepped on top of the coachroof rather than on the keel, as original. Peter and Tim kept the Bermudan rig but reinstated the bowsprit.

Andrillot across the channel

For the next few decades, Peter and Tim sailed extensively from the yacht’s base in Lymington to both sides of the English Channel. When Peter died in 2002, Tim took over the boat and based her on the River Exe in Devon. But eventually, the wear and tear of 35 years of sailing took its toll – particularly on the extended coachroof, which was creaking under the strain of the rig.

Tim entrusted the job of repairing the boat to Dartmouth-based boatbuilder Michel LeMoigne, whose CV includes working on major restoration projects such as the William Fife sloop Rosemary . He duly opened the coachroof up and replaced two deck beams, fitting three hefty posts under the mast step to transfer the load to the keel.

In the process, he had to rebuild the foc’s’le bunks and lockers. Once that was done, it was clear the rest of the interior needed to be updated, soon followed by the cockpit. And so one job led to another…

Andrillot in Darmouth where she was given an extensive refit. Photo: Nic Compton

Finally, near the end of the summer 2019, Andrillot was ready to be relaunched, but any hopes Tim might have had for a late season’s cruise were crushed when the surveyor spotted a crack in the mast – which had been there for years and never caused a problem – and condemned it.

It was the last straw for Tim and soon after Andrillot was put on the market. By the time a new mast was made and a buyer was found, the UK was deep in Coronavirus lockdown, so Andrillot wasn’t launched until August 2020 – three years after she’d been taken out of the water for repairs.

Uli Killer was in some ways a surprising buyer. A former CEO of a finance company, he quit his well-paid job in 2010 after becoming ill with the stress of work. In a dramatic change of life, he decided to pursue his lifelong love of boats and trained as a boatbuilder at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis.

He then set up shop at his home in southern Germany where, alongside building bespoke dinghies, he embarked on a major project restoring an 1884 gaff cutter called Wild Duck. But, as it became clear the restoration would take longer than expected, he decided to buy a smaller boat to sail in the meantime. Which is when he discovered Andrillot .

Close encounters

Uli only had time for one trial sail on his new boat, before he and his son Moritz set off from Dartmouth to Vlissingen, Holland, at the end of August.

They were pushed on their way by strong following winds, with a dramatic wind against tide run past the Needles, a boat crashing into them in the middle of the night in Lymington, and a close encounter with a military firing range near Dungeness.

The RCC Founder’s Cup was awarded to Andrillot after she sailed 855 miles from Lymington to Concarneau and back. Photo: Nic Compton

In the end, it took them two weeks to make the 380-mile trip – including a week’s stopover in Cowes for repairs – averaging 50 to 60 miles a day. Yet, despite the drama of the trip, Uli was euphoric about his new acquisition.

“The boat felt really safe. Several times, we made 7-8 knots. It’s amazing such a small boat goes so fast – more than the theoretical hull speed. With the white cliffs near Eastbourne to one side, it was really beautiful. And when you go into harbour, people are interested in the boat and want to talk to you – we met such nice people all the way. In the evenings, it was so cosy and nice to snuggle in there and have supper.”

If Uli was ignorant of the boat’s importance when he bought her, he is certainly fully appreciative of her now. He is talking about taking her back to her gaff rig one day – perhaps in time for her 90th birthday – and hopes his son will take over ownership once Wild Duck is restored.

Once again, it seems, Andrillot will be handed down from father to son, as it was under the Stevensons’ long tenure. Almost by accident, it seems, the little boat with a big heart has reinvented herself and found a doting owner to take her to the end of her first century. Laurent Giles himself could ask no more.

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An attractive feature of the Vertue class is the degree of individuality in the appearance of the different boats.

Since the conception of the jaunty little gaff cutter Andrillot , which was launched in 1936 and was to become Vertue V1, the fundamental design of the boat has been continuously modified. However, not all the boats built have followed this central path of design development, and there have been a number of alternative options offered by the designers. In particular this has related to the sail plan, coachroof and doghouse design and to the internal accommodation layout. Freeboard, extreme beam and sheerlines have also changed but the fundamental shape of the boat has remained constant.

We are planning to explore the design development of the Vertue class in the future, but to illustrate the variable nature of a ‘genuine’ Vertue, here are seven of the more common sailplan examples that have been used. This selection is by no means comprehensive and we would be grateful for feedback on this aspect of Vertue design. Having seen photographs of ‘junk rigged’ examples of the class, including Speedwell of Hong Kong and one of the GRP Vertue II’s we would be delighted to be able to illustrate these variations in the future.

Design Genesis

Where better to start a consideration of the genesis of the Vertue class than with this ‘Form Draught of the Cutter Yacht Jolie Brise ’. This exquisite drawing by Jack Laurent Giles was made after he lifted the lines from the yacht in 1928. Whatever his motive for doing this, they cannot have failed to influence his thoughts and ideas in later years.

Jolie Brise was conceived in the design office of Monsieur Paumelle in Le Havre and was launched as a working pilot cutter serving that port. By the time Jack Giles was able to measure her hull shape she had achieved a formidable reputation as the boat to beat in the newly emerging sport of ocean racing. Her owner, founding father of Royal Ocean Racing Club, raced her on both sides of the north Atlantic, and she continued to win races even after she changed hands. Jack Giles was clearly intrigued to see where the secret of this success lay and the beauty and perfection of these lines rewarded the quest.

A direct comparison of these lines with those of Andrillot shows no striking similarity, of course, excepting that both display very high levels of fairness, especially in the buttocks and waterlines, slackish bilges, and very fine runs. Jolie Brise has more beam and more draft, proportionately, and all her ballast was inside, and there is the thickened sheer strake which was to become one of the defining details of many future Giles designs. But the outstanding impression in both cases is of a high degree of that illusive quality, of beauty and utility combined, whereby any change would lessen the harmony and perfection of the whole.

No designer operates in a vacuum and there is no doubt that Jack Giles must have been interested in other yacht designs that were being produced during the late 1920’s and 1930’s. We will be identifying some of these in due course, but the slippery Le Havre pilot boat that he studied so carefully in 1928 cannot have failed to influence his thoughts when creating some of his later heavy displacement yachts, including what was to become the first Vertue, Andrillot .

March / April Issue No. 297  Preview Now

July / August 2020

The vertues.

One of the finest Vertues afloat, RAUMATI was built in 1962 by E.F. Elkins Boat Yard in Christchurch, England, the most prolific builder of the type. Her bottom is planked with teak and her topsides of mahogany, over a backbone and framing of English oak, and she has a lead keel, bronze floors, and all-teak deck structures. She represents the final flourish of English classic construction before the first Cheoy Lee–built boats were imported from Hong Kong into the U.K. the following year. She is now owned by Gerry Williams and is based in Cornwall, England.

Most cruising sailors have heard of Vertue yachts. Though small in size—only about 25 ' LOA—they have an outsized reputation as the  most successful design to come from English yacht designer Jack Laurent Giles during his long career. More than 200 of the boats have been built, and many of the exploits that their owners undertook have become legendary among ocean-cruising sailors.

Giles, who was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1901, was brought up on the country’s North Sea coast in Scarborough, a town best known for its School of Art where for 35 years yacht designer Albert Strange was the kindly and enthusiastic headmaster. Strange is best remembered for his beautifully proportioned canoe-sterned gaff yawls, such as SHEILA II (see WB No. 64). Giles was quoted as having “first got the idea of designing yachts at school,” in Scarborough, where he probably knew Strange. Giles went on to study engineering at Oxford University and then naval architecture at Durham University, which, being only 75 miles from Scarborough, was closer to home. He must have pored over yachting journals to study designs, and the influences of Strange and other designers of his day more than likely informed his thinking.

fter completing his education, Giles first worked as an engineer with Vickers-Armstrongs, a manufacturing conglomerate with a shipbuilding division on the River Tyne. He didn’t stay long; instead, in 1925, at age 24, he moved to Southampton on the south coast of England to follow his dream of designing yachts. There, he started working under the wing of Charles E. Nicholson, the middle son of one of the founders of the Camper & Nicholsons yard.

With his engineering background, Giles must have been fascinated by the yachts designed and built there after World War I. Among the Camper & Nicholsons projects of that era was the conversion of NYRIA, a cutter with a composite hull of steel framing and teak planking, 117 ' LOA, which in 1921 was reconfigured as the first really large European yacht to be given a Bermudan rig.

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ELLENOR JOSEPHINE

Laurent giles 25 ft vertue ocean 1990.

These details are provisional and may be amended

BROKER'S COMMENTS

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.

Class comments

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.

Construction

- 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

Accommodation and domestic equipment

- 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

Mechanical, electrical and tankage

- 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

Navigation communications and electronics

- 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

Rig spars and sails

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

Deck equipment and ground tackle

- 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

Refit details

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

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.

The Vertue is a 25.25ft masthead sloop designed by Laurent Giles and partners ltd and built in wood or fiberglass by Cheoy Lee Shipyard since 1947.

100 units have been built..

The Vertue is a very heavy sailboat which is under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a heavy bluewater cruising boat.

Vertue for sale elsewhere on the web:

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Laurent Giles Vertue II

• Designer: Giles, Laurent
• Location: Sweden
• Length on deck: 25'8"
• Beam: 7'10"
• Draft: 4'5"

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Full specification

Wooden Ships Comments on this Laurent Giles Vertue II

Based on the famous Vertue design by Laurent Giles, this is the very first example of what was known as the Vertue II, the same lines but built using GRP, completed in 1979 and built to Lloyds 100A1 classification.  Shortly after completion, the boat was exhibited at the London Boat Show in 1979.  This is the first and and possibly the best GRP Vertue II, a superb and immensely capable short handed blue water cruising boat.

The most notable feature of this boat compared to other examples of the Vertue II is her interior.  Because she was due to be exhibited at the boat show, the yard put a lot of time and effort into building her interior using solid teak giving her a cozy and comfortable feeling comparable to some of her earlier wooden sister ships.  Later boats were not fitted out to this high standard due to the extortionate cost.

Sold into Swedish ownership in 2010 where she has been based ever since, cruising the archipelagos and coasts of the Baltic.  Last year she was sold, bought by an Australian for an intended long distance cruise and she had considerable investment with new gear and equipment in readiness for that trip.  Unfortunately plans have changed, the trip cancelled and the boat must be sold once again.

The boat had been totally prepared for this voyage and is a fully equipped, turn key blue water cruising boat in ready to go condition.  Recent updates include:

2021 survey

New Liferaft

New roller furling headsail system

New batteries

New EPIRB and PLB

She has been well maintained and continually upgraded over the years.  She is well set up for single handed sailing, easily handled by one person and capable of offshore cruising in rough weather if required, the Vertue has often been referred to as the ‘greatest offshore cruiser’.

Length on Deck                 25’8″

Length Waterline             21’6″

Beam                                    7’10”

Draft                                      4’5″

Displacement                    4,100kg/9000lbs

Ballast                                   2000kg/4400lbs

Construction

GRP moulded hull, heavily laid and built to Lloyds 100A1.

2 ton external iron ballast keel.

GRP moulded decks and coachroof finished in blue non slip coating.  Scrubbed teak hand rails on the coachroof deck.

Lewmar hatch forward of the mast

Moulded self draining cockpit with a scrubbed teak capping rail and Treadmaster non slip mat on the thwarts.  Sprayhood with a zipped back to shelter the cockpit.

Tiller steering with a transom hung wooden rudder, rebuilt in 2016.  Stainless steel pintles and gudgeons.  Aries wind vane steering fitted.

Masthead bermudan sloop rig on a deck stepped alloy mast.  Mast steps fitted.

New Selden single line slab reefing boom in 2016.  Stack pack system fitted on lazy jacks.

The mast and rigging is over spec for a boat of her size making everything very strong.

Twin lower shrouds and a single cap shroud to internal stainless steel chain plates.

ProFurl C290 roller furling genoa system, new in 2022.  Split standing backstay.  Inner forestay for storm jib.

Fully battened mainsail with lazy jacks and stack pack system.  Genoa by Hood in good condition.  Second genoa, storm jib, working jib and spinnaker.

Lewmar 16 primary cockpit sheet winches and a pair of Lewmar non-self tailing secondary sheet winches.

Lewmar 16 self tailing winch on coachroof for running rigging which is led through jamming clutches.

Yanmar 2GM20 16hp twin cylinder diesel.  Complete and thorough service in 2022.  Full set of spares and tools aboard.

Stainless steel shaft with an Aqua-Drive coupling to a centreline fixed 3 blade bronze propeller.  5 knots cruising speed.

17 gallons of diesel in an incorporated tank under the engine built into the keel.

20 gallons of water in a plastic tank under the saloon sole.

2 x AGM domestic batteries and 1 x engine start battery, all new in 2022.

Small inverter for 240 volt, new in 2022.

Accommodation

3 berths plus an extra berth in the fore peak currently used for storage.  6’2″ headroom throughout the saloon.

The interior of this very first example of the Vertue II was finished in solid teak panelling all done to a very high standard and gives her a cosy comfortable feel in the cabin similar to that of her earlier wooden counterparts.

Steps down from the cockpit with a quarter berth to starboard and galley to port.

Galley has an Origo twin burner meths stove on gimbals.  Stainless sink with manually pumped fresh and salt water.  Various lockers, cubby holes and storage shelves around the galley give plenty of stowage space.

Half height bulkheads with the recognisable curved top found in Vertues separate off the main saloon.  Settee berth either side with trotter box forward.  Lockers behind under the deck head and storage beneath the seats as well.

Teak shelf and storage lockers at the forward end of the saloon either side, each with a brass oil lamp on gimbals.

Custom made stainless steel solid fuel cabin heater mounts on the bulkhead.

Centreline door into the forepeak with a heads to starboard and the 4th berth/storage are to starboard.

Heads is a Blakes manual sea toilet which discharges directly overboard.

Aries Lift up wind vane self steering

Autohelm ST 4000 tiller pilot with fixed mounted display/control unit in cockpit.

Yeoman Navigator Pro

AIS EM-track B400 class B (AIS sender and receiver) with its own chart display

3 anchors plus chain.

Simpson Lawrence anchor windlass type S-L Hyspeed Double Action Lever Windlass.

Lazizas Coastal valise life raft, new 2022

EPIRB, new 2022

Personal locator Beacon, new 2022

Life jacket, new 2022

2 x life line terthers

Fire blanket in the galley

Spare tiller

Manual bilge pump

Auto electric bilge pump

Radar reflector

Bunk and berth cushions

Full galley equipment

Paraffin cabin lamps

2 burner Origo spirit stove

Bimini sun awning

Custom made stainless steel solid fuel stove cabin heater.

Sprayhood with zipped on back

Engine spares

Mainsail, fully battened

Working jib

Mainsail stack pack system with lazy jacks

2 x Lewmar self tailing cockpit sheet winches

2 x non-self tailing cockpit sheet winches

Disclaimer:

These particulars have been prepared in good faith from information provided by the Vendors and are intended as a guide, Wooden Ships cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. The Purchaser should instruct his agent or surveyor to validate all details as necessary and satisfy himself with the condition of the vessel and its equipment.

Wooden Ships classic yachts brokers have an extensive database of boats for sale. With a wide range of sailboats , classic yachts , motor yachts and small classic boats , Wooden Ships has one of the largest selections of traditional wooden boats and yachts for sale in the UK.

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1993 Laurent Giles Vertue Gaff Cutter | asking $15,000

Feb 13, 2024

• Description
• Basic Information
• Technical Specifications

The Vertue 25 sailboat is a classic and elegant vessel that has captured the hearts of many sailing enthusiasts. Known for its sturdy construction, graceful lines, and seaworthiness, the Vertue 25 is a true example of British craftsmanship....... Designed by the renowned naval architect, Laurent Giles, the Vertue 25 was first introduced in the early 1930s. Its compact size and exceptional sailing performance quickly made it a favored choice among sailors seeking a small but capable cruising yacht. Measuring approximately 25 feet in length, the Vertue 25 boasts a full keel design, which provides excellent stability and tracking, making it a reliable and safe choice for long-distance voyages. Despite its modest dimensions, the boat?s well-thought-out deck layout and efficient use of space allow for comfortable accommodations on board. The Vertue 25 features a spacious cockpit that offers ample seating and excellent visibility, ensuring a pleasurable sailing experience. The boat?s rigging is traditionally designed, with a tall mast and a cutter or sloop configuration, providing versatility and efficient sail handling in various wind conditions. Inside the cabin, the Vertue 25 offers a cozy and practical living space. The interior is typically crafted from high-quality wood, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The boat can comfortably accommodate a small crew, with basic amenities such as a galley, sleeping quarters, and a compact head. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Vertue 25 is its seaworthiness. It has a proven track record of crossing oceans and handling challenging weather conditions with ease. The boat?s solid construction and robust build make it capable of handling rough seas and provide a sense of security to its occupants. Over the years, the Vertue 25 has gained a loyal following of sailors who appreciate its traditional charm, seaworthiness, and excellent sailing capabilities. Whether embarking on coastal cruising or long-distance passages, the Vertue 25 continues to be a reliable and desirable choice for those seeking adventure on the open waters. In conclusion, the Vertue 25 sailboat is a true classic that embodies the essence of traditional sailing. Its combination of elegant design, sturdy construction, and exceptional performance has solidified its place in maritime history and captivated the hearts of sailing enthusiasts worldwide. This vessel also has its own instagram account with 1000s of followers 

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