Classic Silvers Brown Owl Motor Yacht for sale in Brittany United Kingdom

Built in 1935 by James A. Silver of Rosneath to the John Bain Brown Owl design.

An all teak Silvers built motor yacht was the best money could buy at the time and John Bain is famous for his numerous designs of classic motor yachts. The Brown Owl typifies Bains design philosophy to create boats with elegance, charm and class while still having very comfortable accommodation and deck space.

Her history is well documented from her time serving with the Royal Navy in Scapa Flow during World War II, through several owners eventually ending up in Belgium before being bought by the current owner in1996. During their fastidious ownership, the current owners have maintained her to a very good standard, keeping faithful to the original John Bain concept and have cruised extensively around the south of England and northern France. She has been an excellent, reliable and very comfortable cruising yacht on which the family have spent many long and happy periods.

Upon purchasing the boat the current owners started a 5 year professional refit in Lowestoft with a team of skilled shipwrights, during which time the decks, hood ends and garboards were re-fastened, the stem replaced with associated stem knees and 3 planks in the bows, a complete re-wire and overhaul of all the machinery and systems.

The design incorporates a central wheelhouse on a raised deck which vastly increases the interior volume allowing for much more space in the saloon. This feature was a development and significant improvement on the first Brown Owl design. Her accommodation offers 6 comfortable berths in 4 separate sleeping cabins plus 2 heads.

A true pedigree motor with elegant lines, used each summer in this long ownership but now needing a thorough refit. Reduced dramatically in price due to the owners health situation and the need to sell the boat quickly before she deteriorates.

Length on Deck 54’3″

Length Waterline 50′

Beam 12′

Draft 5’1″

Air draft 30′ masts up/12’6″ masts down

Thames Tonnage 29TM

Construction

• Planked in teak, all copper fastened to oak timbers.
• Galvanised strap floors across the centreline
• Oak keel with an external ballast keel of around 2 tons.
• Laid teak deck, coated in a plastic paint called Unitex giving a tough and watertight surface.
• Bronze stanchions all round with a teak handrail.
• Varnished teak wheelhouse.

Rig

• She carries a small rig with steadying sails. Mainsail and mizzen on varnished wooden masts and spars.

Machinery

• Twin Vetus Cummins 4BT3.9M 4cyl 60hp diesels. Installed new in 1989.
• Originally fitted as 150hp engines with turbo chargers, they were altered with new fuel pumps and turbochargers removed to give a slow revving very efficient engine developing approximately 60hp. These have been more than adequate for the boat and are extremely reliable and fuel efficient.
• Borg Warner Velvet Drive gearboxes with single lever controls to 3 blade 27″ bronze propellers. 8 knots cruising speed at 3 gallons/hour. Approximately 800Nm range.
• HFL 6kva generator installed in the engine room, new in 1996. Sea water cooled.
• Balmar 95 amp high output alternator on the starboard main engine.
• Domestic systems running on 24 volt supplied by a 400ah deep cycle bank of 12 x 2volt cells.
• 12 volt system for some navigation instruments supplied by a single 100ah 12 volt battery.
• 240 volt system comprises of shore power, the generator or 3 x 1200W Victron inverters, which coupled with the large battery bank can provide silent running for significant periods of time.
• Mastervolt 24volt 50amp charger powered by shore power or the generator.
• 2 x 36W solar panels on the wheelhouse roof provide a constant and steady charge to the batteries.
• 1557 litres of diesel carried in 3 tanks including a main tank and 2 day tanks. Main tank bronze and day tanks in painted steel.
• 967 litres of fresh water carried in a single bronze tank beneath the saloon cabin sole.

Accommodation

• 6 berths in 4 separate sleeping cabins including 2 single berths in the forepeak, 2 single cabins and an owners cabin aft with twin berths.
• Much original joinery giving a lovely feel to the accommodation.
• Central wheelhouse with helm position to port. Chart desk on the port side with a comfortable single seat at the aft end.
• Central companionway going aft with a single cabin either side and an owners cabin the full breadth of the hull at the aft end.
• The bulkheads are all varnished mahogany as is the joinery in the cabins. Each single cabin has a single berth with storage below and a full height hanging locker.
• Heads compartment to port with a Jabsco manual sea toilet, hand basin and a bath with shower over.
• The owners cabin aft has 2 large single berths and a central drawer unit, all in varnished mahogany. There is an ensuite heads unit cleverly hidden away to starboard with a Jabsco manual sea toilet and hand basin.
• Companionway going forward from the wheelhouse is slightly offset to starboard with steps down into the main saloon. The forward bulkhead is beautifully panelled in varnished teak and is surely original.
• Large varnished mahogany saloon table set on the port side with a settee to port.
• Entrance to the engine room on the port side at the aft end of the saloon.
• Moving forward with steps down to the galley which covers the full breadth of the hull. Cooking is done on a twin ring induction hob with a 240 volt oven. Twin stainless sinks are very deep and well suited to a sea going galley. 240 volt fridge and plenty of storage space around the galley.
• Centreline door into the forward cabin with a single berth either side plus storage beneath the berths.