1991 Lyle Hess 32 Gaff Cutter

Wooden Ships Comments on this Lyle Hess 32 Gaff Cutter

The Lyle Hess 32, designed by the renowned American naval architect, was built in Malaysia by the Haji Abdullah Bin Muda shipyard in 1991. This vessel was constructed for the son of high-ranking politician Teo Eng Tat.

The Hess 32 draws inspiration from the working boats and pilot cutters of the UK, making her a very seaworthy and capable vessel. Her generous beam and stiff bilge sections provide excellent stability, while the rocker on the keel is reminiscent of the Morecambe Bay Prawners, known for their speed.

Constructed with durable hardwood Chengal for frames and planking, this yacht is built to last even in harsh environments.

Imported into the UK by the previous owner after a period of neglect, the vessel underwent extensive professional refit work by Waterfront Marine in Bangor to restore her to A1 condition. She then embarked on an 8-year Atlantic cruise, winning prizes at the Antigua Classics Regatta in 2008, 2009, and 2013. The refit work included:

• Replacement of the bottom 4 planks either side in iroko
• New teak on plywood deck with stanchions, bulwarks, cockpit, etc.
• New interior joinery

Purchased by the current owner in 2016, she retains her original Bermudan cutter rig on aluminium spars. The owner decided to upgrade her to a gaff rig, initiating a 2-year refit with Waterfront Marine, which included a complete new gaff cutter rig, new spars, rigging, and sails. During this period, all systems and electrics were renewed, along with new navigation gear and various other enhancements to elevate her specifications.

Since then, she has cruised the Irish Sea and Western Scotland, but age and health have compelled the owner to seek a new custodian.

This is a high-quality yacht constructed from very durable materials and maintained to an excellent standard. Having proven herself over thousands of miles of ocean cruising, she is undoubtedly capable of sailing across oceans as well as gentle coastal cruising.

Specifications

Length on Deck: 32’ / 9.76m

Length Overall: 44’ / 13.4m

Beam: 10’10” / 3.29m

Draft: 5’10” / 1.77m

Displacement: 9 tons

Construction

Hull

Planked in 1.25” Chengal, a tropical hardwood commonly used for boat building in Malaysia, known for its high density and decay resistance.

Planking is edge fastened with wooden dowels, typical of Malaysian boat building.

The bottom 4 planks on either side were replaced in iroko.

Sawn Chengal frames of 2.25” square at 12” centres, fastened with bronze screws.

Structural floors consist of a mix of bronze straps and sawn Chengal, all bronze fastened. The wooden floors are side fastened through the frames.

External lead ballast keel with bronze keel bolts.

Decks and Cockpit

Decks laid by Waterfront Marine, Bangor in 2000.

Marine plywood subdeck, sheathed in epoxy glass cloth with a straight laid teak deck glued over the top. There are no screws in the outer deck planking to prevent leaks. The seams are made from an epoxy/graphite mix, providing a hard-wearing and low-maintenance deck.

Low bulwark all around on stanchions mounted through the covering board.

Bronze Panama eyes in the bulwark with bronze cleats.

Stainless steel stanchions and guard wires above the bulwarks.

Self-draining cockpit well with thwarts at deck level and scrubbed teak backs.

Bridge deck to the companionway with a sliding entrance hatch.

Superstructure

Coachroof with Chengal coamings, painted externally with bronze portlights.

Epoxy sheathed plywood coachroof deck with teak handrails, dorade boxes, and skylight.

Rig

Gaff cutter rig designed and built by Waterfront Marine, Bangor.

Keel stepped hollow Douglas fir mast with solid Douglas fir boom, gaff, and bowsprit.

Standing and Running Rigging

Galvanised wire standing rigging, new in 2018. Galvanised rigging screws to external stainless steel chain plates.

Wire is spliced with parcelled and served splices.

Running rigging all new in 2018 using synthetic 3 strand traditional-looking line.

Wykeham Martin furling drum on the jib.

Sails

Mainsail: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

Staysail: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

No.1 Jib: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

No.2 Jib: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

Topsail: North Sea Sails, 2018 92 sqft Excellent condition

Drifter: sqft Good condition

Winches

2 x Lewmar 40ST cockpit sheet winches

2 x Lewmar 20ST cockpit sheet winches

Machinery

Engine

Perkins Perama M30 29hp 3cyl diesel installed new in 1991.

Regularly maintained, with a new alternator and starter motor in 2018.

Hurth HBW50 gearbox rebuilt in 2023.

New prop shaft, ‘dripless’ stern gland, flexible coupling, and propeller in 2020. Fixed 3 blade bronze propeller provides a cruising speed of 5 knots at 2 litres/hour.

Tanks

100 litres of diesel in 3 x stainless steel tanks under the saloon sole. New tanks and filters 2018.

180 litres of fresh water in 3 x plastic tanks.

15 litre waste tank connected to the heads.

Batteries and Electrics

4 x 100ah AGM domestic batteries, new 2018.

1 x 100ah AGM start battery, new 2018.

Charging from the 85 amp engine alternator with Adverc battery management system.

40 Watt solar panel on deck.

Complete new wiring in 2018, with all exposed wiring running through copper conduit.

Accommodation

Berths and Headroom

3 single berths and a double. Pilot berth and 2 x saloon settee berths. Double berth in the forecabin.

Saloon headroom of 6’2” / 1.88m

Forecabin headroom of 1.6m (1.8m under the skylight)

Bunk lengths of 6’6” / 1.98m

General Description

Very smart interior fit out providing a comfortable and practical cabin for cruising.

Steps down from the companionway over the engine box with galley to port and chart desk to starboard.

The chart desk faces outboard. Large storage space aft of the chart desk under the cockpit thwarts.

Half height bulkheads separate off the main saloon, with T&G panelled bulkheads and varnished hardwood trim.

Centreline dropleaf saloon table with a settee berth on either side and a pilot berth to port under the side deck.

Dickinson Alaska diesel-fired cabin heater against the forward bulkhead.

Starboard side passageway leads forward into a double berth cabin, which spans the full breadth of the hull. Double berth to port with smart teak joinery to starboard containing storage drawers and lockers.

Doorway into the forepeak containing the heads, anchor locker, and storage space.

Galley

Galley features a varnished hardwood worktop with a single stainless sink and manually pumped water from a bronze hand pump.

Top loading 12 volt Frigo fridge compartment with a new compressor 2018.

Force 10 2 burner galley stove with oven and grill.

Heads

Jabsco manual sea toilet connected to a waste tank.

Stainless steel hand basin.

Equipment

Silva Challenger steering compass

Raymarine T100 wireless sounder (2020)

Raymarine Mn100 Wireless log (2020)

Raymarine MN100 wireless wind indicator (2020)

Standard Horizon GX2000 DSC VHF

Handheld VHF

Raymarine Axiom 9 chart plotter (2020)

Raymarine Quantum Q24D radar (2020)

Raymarine ST1000 tiller pilot attached to rudder trim tab

Digital Yacht AIT5000 Class B+ AIS connected to plotter (2020)

Windpilot Pacific windvane self-steering gear

Clock and barometer

Seago 4 person valise life raft (needs service)

4 x life jackets

Lifebuoy

1 x orange LED flare

Dan buoy

Jon buoy with floating line

MOB block and tackle

Fire blanket

4 x fire extinguishers

Auto electric bilge pump

2 x manual bilge pumps

45lb CQR anchor + 30m x 10mm chain (30m x 16mm warp)

20kg Bruce anchor

10kg Bruce anchor

10m x 10mm chain + 50m x 16mm warp

Lofrans X2 electric windlass

(All ground tackle and windlass new in 2018)

Mooring warps

Fenders

Sails

Mainsail: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

Staysail: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

No.1 Jib: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

No.2 Jib: North Sea Sails, sqft Excellent condition

Topsail: North Sea Sails, 2018 92 sqft Excellent condition

Drifter: sqft Good condition

Mainsail cover

Winches

2 x Lewmar 40ST cockpit sheet winches

2 x Lewmar 20ST cockpit sheet winches

Additional Equipment

Bunk and berth cushions

Dickinson Alaska diesel cabin heater with separate diesel tank on deck

Jabsco manual sea toilet with waste tank

Force 10 galley cooker

12 volt Frigo fridge

2 x gas bottles

Paraffin cabin lamp

LED cabin lights

Boarding ladder

Sprayhood

Boat hook

3D 2.5m Superlight inflatable dinghy

Yamaha 2.5hp 4 stroke outboard engine

5 x 100ah AGM batteries

40W solar panel with regulator

Adverc battery management system plus 85amp alternator