Laurent Giles Diesel Yacht for sale in United Kingdom

MELITA was designed specifically for an owner who had cruised extensively in his former yacht and his requirements for MELITA were that she should be fit for ocean crossings, have a range of 2,000 miles at 10 knots but also be suitable for passages down the French canals to the Mediterranean. The addition of an aft deck cabin was made to suit her present owner but designed to be easily removed enabling reversion to her original lines.

With her gracious hull - a strongly curved sheer line Laurent Giles has endowed MELITA with a distinctive lift aft where it meets the yet more curved tumblehome stern profile - a tribute to his sailing heritage. With well controlled engines she is by all accounts very manoeuvrable and easy to moor alongside. Sea kindly and resilient, her shallow draft nevertheless gives her enormous versatility. She can indeed ply canals and shallow waterways according to her original design brief, as much as weather stronger seas. Approaching her 50th birthday she is well found, mature and still in the prime of life.

Brokers Comments

MELITA was designed specifically for an owner who had cruised extensively in his former yacht and his requirements for MELITA were that she should be fit for ocean crossings, have a range of 2,000 miles at 10 knots but also be suitable for passages down the French canals to the Mediterranean.

With her gracious hull - a strongly curved sheer line Laurent Giles has endowed MELITA with a distinctive lift aft where it meets the yet more curved tumblehome stern profile - a tribute to his sailing heritage. With well controlled engines she is by all accounts very manoeuvrable and easy to moor alongside. Sea kindly and resilient, her shallow draft nevertheless gives her enormous versatility. She can indeed ply canals and shallow waterways according to her original design brief, as much as weather stronger seas.  Approaching her 50th birthday she is well found, mature and still in the prime of life.

History

MELITA has enjoyed distinguished ownership and it is further recorded that former British Prime Minister Lady Thatcher spent two summer holidays aboard with her husband Dennis as guests of Lord (Formerly Wing Commander Robert Grant-Ferris MP) & Lady Harvington, the vessel’s original owners. The port berth in the aft – master cabin she occupied is marked with a plaque placed there by MELITA’s second owner Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles, also with a distinguished war record and subsequently MP for Winchester. Apparently a third vacation was planned on the French canals but abandoned on security grounds; the French police unwilling to take on responsibility for security.

Her present owner would like to have registered the original name MELITA in Norway but it was rejected on grounds of another similarly named vessel. In spite of appeals to the highest level the ruling was upheld, hence the addition of NOVA.  Nevertheless she retains that essential link - MELITA with an important heritage in new territory and with similar maritime traditions.

A tribute to her unique character has been the creation of a 1:24 scale model in the configuration at the time of her launching 1964. These models are traded to this day.

Construction

- Carvel teak planking, impeccably smooth skinned to this day over teak frames
- Iroko keel
- Teak deck
- Teak gunwales with bronze wear protectors
- Teak deckhouse
- New aft superstructure bolted, allows easy conversion back to her original form
-  Steel reinforced knees under the main mast
- Oak Sampson posts aft extend to the bottom of the boat, steel band and bolted at the stern

Accommodation and Domestic Equipment

The wheel house (with engine room under) and after deck cabin are on 2 levels, the saloon is mid deck and all other cabins are at lower deck level.

The accommodation is arranged to provide solid comfort for the crew, for example berths in the owner’s cabin are 3 ft wide.

Interior décor was designed under the inspiration and guidance of Lady Harvington. There are nice period touches in the style of fittings – the lights, mirrors and picture features in particular.  From aft the accommodation is arranged:

Mizzen deckhouse saloon on deck
- Superstructure roof line lifts aft to mimic the sheer line
- Manual sliding hatch opens entire deck head; lockable and ideal for sun bathing
- Soft wall to boat deck with transparent windows
- 4 x American swivel directors chairs
- Extra chair, doubling as a 3 step ladder chair for occasional use

Cockpit
- Access from side decks and to aft cabin
- Anchor rope and tackle stowage under

Aft  (3rd) cabin below deck
- African walnut sky blue deckhead and Cotswold blue trim, refurbished 1995
- 2 x single berths
- Numerous lockers and drawers
- Bevelled mirror
- Aft head with full size bath tub, shower, Admiralty manual WC and space for washing m/c
- Ship’s strong box / safe in aft cabin

Corridor lined with Siberian solid cedar panelling with ice box

Galley
- 4 burner gas hob, grill and oven (original high quality and fully serviceable)
- Electrolux gas / electric fridge
- 2 cu foot deep freeze (in saloon by galley, compressor not presently fitted)
- 2 x sinks
- Lockers and drawers
- Gas bottle locker

Main saloon
- Mirror oak panelling & furniture, refurbished 1997-8
- Seating for 8 – 10 on U shaped settee and chairs
- Cobalt blue chesterfield upholstery throughout
- Cushions and curtains matching
- Medium blue carpet
- Companionway up to Sun deck (former mizzen deck)

Main deck house; solid teak interior refurbished 2009 -11
- Helm position
- Settee berth
- Bookshelf
- Instruments
- Access to aft cabin by 2 x sliding and locking half doors
- Engine room below

Forward (2nd) cabin
- Sycamore refurbished 2006
- 1 x Double berth
- 1 x Single berth
- Sky blue deckhead, cream sides, yellow and teak deck plank trim, blue curtains
- High berth with reading light, drawers under
- Art Deco glass ships wheel etching
- Teak knees, curtains in Cotswold blue, deck head sky blue
- Electric panel has 220VAC from 500W inverter and light switch
- Wash basin concealed under hinged panel (hot and cold water)
- 55 litre hot water tank in closet under,
- Mirror and light arrangement above wash basin,
- Shaving point 
- Side window drip trays of hammered copper sheet, chromed with ss fasteners

Foc’sle (1st) cabin (former crew quarters)
- Australian cherry wood; Refurbished 2003 
- Exclusive access from deck hatchway
- 2 berths / cots
- Table and clothes locker
- Head with WC and wash facilities H/C water

Anchor locker

Deck Equipment and Ground Tackle

- Hydraulic double capstan anchor winch
- Francis ½ ton mooring capstan winch in cockpit
- Twin CQR anchors with 54 m ½ inch chain
- Anchor fairleads 18-8 Cr-Ni stainless steel, installed 1992
- Anchors re galvanized 2002
- Mast and boom for launching tender supported by 7 stays
- (Main stays for the original main mast remain fitted)
- Teak guardrail stainless steel stanchions.
- Four chests in forward of the wheelhouse; of which 2 provided air intake to engine room
- 2 x Dorade vents and boxes
- Custom built Bror With (famous Norwegian boat designer) Dromedille tender, 25 HP Suzuki engine and remote controls, max speed exceeds 30 knots on a flat sea
- Eyes and hooks for hoisting and securing
- 2 x 24 V DC half ton mast winches
- Berthing winch aft
- 1 x 9 inch long range searchlight
- 1 x 6 inch mooring short range searchlight
- Stainless steel and teak Italian gangway; fittings aft and both sides of deck house roof
- 2 x Boat hooks

Mechanical Electrical and Tankage

- Twin Gardner original handed pair 6LX main engines 110 HP each @ 1100 rpm
- 35% load at full cruising speed (9 litre / hour / engine)
- Est 6-8,000 engine hours; factory serviced every 4 years (last 2012)
- Naiad Vosper stabilisers new 2007
- 12 Kw 240 / 380 V AC Fisher 4 cyl Kubota diesel generator 1992 Tot 280 Hours (2012)
- Steering system from helm wheel in deckhouse via solid shaft to rudders
- Emergency tiller in cockpit
- Shore power / Generator selector switch
- 2 x ETA remote control battery bank switches
- Safety switch system for mains control (240 / 380 V AC / 24 V DC)
- 5 x local panels for various lights & instrument circuits
- Electric Power 240 V AC ring circuit / 380 V AC supply
- Inverter Supplies 70 - 220 V AC & 12 V DC instrument supply
- Main 1x 24 V 375 Ah engine start battery bank
- Main 1x 24 V 375Ah domestic battery bank
- 1 x 12V 60 Ah generator battery 
- Fresh water system 380 gallons / c 1,728 litres in 4 tanks mild steel / aluminium
- Diesel 700 gallons / 3,182 litres in 3 tanks mild steel
- 2 x Bathroom drain systems
- Gas supply and distribution 3 x 11 Kg in separate gas locker
- Forced air engine room ventilation system

Navigation Communication and Electronics

- Raymarine electric autopilot 2004
- Echo Sounders 3; Furuno dual frequency 1998
- Furuno Radar 48 mile range 1992
- 2 x Furuno GPS 1992 & 1999 (DGPS)
- 4 x Compass (digital fluxgate is calibrated main compass, emergency Sestrel in cockpit)
- 2 x Anemometers; wind strength and direction
- 1 x Sailor VHF radio; 1 handset
- Navigation by C-Map on IBM PC & 17 inch daylight screen; WW maps
- Roll indicator
- 3 x rudder vector indicators
- Chart table & light
- Double Wynn linear screen wipers
- Navigation lights
- Circuit for a 6 line intercom with 2 x handsets in place (not functioning)

Safety

- 2 x Independent 24 V DC Rule electric bilge pumps (engine room and galley)
- 1 x Jabsco generator powered 380 V AC bilge pump
- 1 x Jabsco port main engine bilge pump
- 1 x Manual diaphragm bilge pump with 3 suction compartments via manifold
- 1x Life buoy
- 1 x Recovery sling
- 2 x 4 Pers life rafts
- 10x Life vests
- 1x Tender
- 1x Burglar alarm system connect to a major alarm service company
- 8 x Alarms on main engines - oil pressure & temperature, water temp, exhaust temp
- 1x Generator alarm and emergency shut down system
- 1x Remote gas shut-down safety switch
- Hooter 12 V mast mounted

Refits and Conversion

1969 Main Mast removed, Mizzen mast moved from mizzen deck to aft of wheel house; bilge keels removed, Vosper Gyro stabilizers installed; forward cabin re-organized
1992 onwards; almost all systems renewed, notably
• 1992 Generator from 24V Petter to 12KW Kubota-Fischer
• 1992 Electric System Refurbishment; Shore Power Installed, New Central Electric Panel, Remote Engine Room Main Switches Installed, 12VDC Inverter Installed, Remote Gas Shut-Down Installed, New Battery Banks (also renewed 2000 & 2006), Electric Subm Bilge Pumps Installed (2x) with wheelhouse operation and level switches
• 1992 Radar from Furuno 10mi to Furuno 48 mi w 3ft Open Range Antenna
• 1992 Engine Room Fire Protection Renewed
• 1992 1st GPS Furuno installed (early commercial version)
• 1992 onwards: Program for bolt-pulling introduced; systematic inspection and exchange of all thru-hull bolts. Program discontinued after 5 years because of consistent good condition (no exchanges).
• 1992 and every year thereafter: Full external above waterline sand-down and re-paint or re-varnish (40-120 grit paper on ex-centre machine). 5 sq.m/yr paint removal to bare hull (target). High-press clean below waterline and anti-foul every year. 
• 1993 Hot Water from Gas Heaters to 55 lit Electric/Port Engine Heat Exchanger System incl new Pump and Piping
• 1993 Furuno Echo Sounder w paper print installed
• 1993 Mizzen Deck Sanded to Bare Teak and Varnished
• 1993 Fairleads & Hull Bolts All Exchanged from Mild Steel to Stainless Steel (all rust points on hull eliminated).
• 1994 Bathroom Aft Refurbished w New Mirrors and Lights
• 1995 Aft Cabin Refurbished (taken back to original wood)
• 1996 Main Saloon refurbished (taken back to original oak-wood, repaneled as necessary, new lights, soft furnishings, carpets etc)
• 1996 and every 4th Year thereafter: System for Main Engine Service and Maintenance introduced by travelling Gardner Personnel by Walsh’s Engineering of Manchester England, last 2008 when both Diesel Pumps were exchanged 
• 1997 New tender, new tender-engine and new stainless steel mast-foot; mast lifted about 750mm. New winch system for tender lifting. Old mizzen capstan moved aft to cockpit, transom mounted
• 1998 Foc’sle Cabin Re-Furbished (taken back to original Cherry Wood and redone, new lights etc).
• 1998 New Alu Fresh Water Tank Aft
• 1998 Cockpit Aft Sanded to Bare Teak Wood and Varnished
• 1999 Mizzen Deck Sun Deck Saloon installed with access ladder from cockpit, a large project incl Gloucester Cast Bronze Window Frames, bevelled glass and artist lead glass involvement. Careful adjustment to ship’s lines. The aft cabin bolted onto mizzen mast main stays is removable enabling MELITA easily to be reconverted to her original form.; included installation of leaded glass panes to mizzen deck saloon in cast double sided bronze frames (handmade in Gloucester-UK) set in solid teak  with MELITA Maltese Cross motif designed by Robert Revdal, noted  Norwegian glass artist.
• 1999 2nd GPS installed (DGPS). Speed Log Instrument Re-Furbished and Overhauled.
• 1999 All Decks Sanded to Bare Teak Wood and Varnished
• 2000 New Dual Frequency Color Screen Echo Sounder Installed
• 2000 Anchor Winch and Hydraulic System Dismantled and Overhauled
• 2001 New Digital Flux-Gate Compass Installed, Digital Harbour Manoeuvring Echo Sounder and Mast-Top Wind Meter Installed
• 2001 Exhaust System Port Main Engine Re-Manufactured and Replaced.
• 2001 Engine Heat Exchanger Dismantled and Re-Furbished.
• 2002 New 4-blade propellers installed; increased diameter and increased pitch aiming to increase speed and reduce RPM. Speed after exchange 9.6 knots at 1000 RPM, as planned. End nut prop shaft port side found to be cracked. Exchanged for stainless steel new end bolt w lock screw.
• 2003 Starboard prop shaft pulled, all bushings and bearings inspected, new acquired and compared but the old ones were re-installed because they were in perfect order.
• 2003 New Engine Instrumentation w 8 Alarms (Oil Press, Oil Temp, Water Temp, Exhaust Temp x2)
• 2004 New Auto-Pilot Installed.
• 2004 New Injectors 2x6 Port and Starboard Main Engines.
• 2005 New Computer GPS Based Navigation System; Furuno DGPS in combination with IBM Laptop PC, 17” Daylight Screen and C-Map World-Wide
• 2006 Forward Cabin Re-Furbished (taken back to original Sycamore Wood, Redone and/or Panels Remanufactured; new lights, new electrics etc).
• 2007 New Vosper Stabilizing System Installed, Vosper Commissioned and Certified (full exchange excl fins) incl Hydraulic Prime Mover, Piping and Hoses, Position Sensors, Activator Assemblies, Central Computer and Movement Sensor 3d Acceleration Unit. A large project, much adaptation and re-manufacturing. Perfect in Operation. 
• 2008 New Diesel Injection Pumps Port & Starboard Main Engines
• 2009 Wheel-House Upper Half Re-Furbished (taken back to original Teak Wood & Redone).
• 2010 Teak Decking Installed on Forward Cabin Top, sanded and varnished
• 2011 Wheel-House Lower Half Re-Furbished (taken back to original Teak Wood & Redone).
• 1992-2012 Chronologic Maintenance Log of All Routine Maintenance Additional to the Above, see enclosure

Other Equipment

MELITA NOVA