Well, it's been a tough decision but one we have had to take practically as Cecelia won't be getting the use and attention she deserves and therefore is available for sale.
Below a little history and sale details along with a link to a few images, these will be added to over the coming weekend.
Asking price £19,500 including trailer
Cecelia, formerly My Fair Lady, is a Fairey Marine Huntress 23 powered by a single Perkins T6354 normally aspirated Diesel engine of approximately 80HP driving through a forward and reverse reduction gearbox. She has a forward cabin with a double berth and although the recently fitted galley has been removed to provide a little more space, it is included in the sale along with a portable toilet. The cockpit has new gauges, lighting and a VHF along with wiring for a plotter etc. Build date is approximately 1970 but unfortunately the hull number is partially hidden under the cabin bulkhead so sadly without a lot of deconstruction, it is difficult to conclusively prove an accurate build date or provenance.
What we do have is some very reliable information suggesting that Cecilia is an ex RN boat which on retirement from service, was left in a marina in Portsmouth along with a number of other boats to suffer the same fate in the mid 70's. We know from our research that she was first purchased by a fruit farmer in Sandwich, Kent who used her for fishing for a short period before swapping the engine with a replacement unit from an almost new Ford Cargo lorry which had been written off in an accident and had been laid up in the farm yard, to date this engine is showing a total of 90 hours which we, and the surveyor, have no reason to believe is incorrect.
She was then laid up in a barn for a number of years before being purchased by a Tom Jenkins in 2004, he took her down to the coast for restoration but had to sell due to personal circumstances after a year, although he did start some restoration.
The next owner was Terry Field from Hampshire, he commissioned a custom built RM trailer for her, renamed her Cecelia and set about employing a local boat yard to carry out detailed restoration. Amongst other paperwork, we have on file the below receipts for work carried out in his ownership.
Sept 2007 - Timber work and dash panel £1,614
August 2007 - Replacement deck sections, repair coach roof engine servicing, mechanical work and electrical installation £7,831
December 2007 - Fit new cabin and lazarette doors, fit furniture, new galley furniture £6,128
March 2008 - To longboard topsides and fit new deck hardware £3,442
December 2008 - Service and replace/repair Windows £529
She also had a distinctive ranger style screen fitted along with a cut away cockpit combing and new covers and spray hood around the same time
We understand she was transported to Terry's home in France in 2008 and laid up in a dry store, due to ill health she saw almost no time afloat and was purchased by my late father Stan in March 2015.
Stan had been looking for a solid Huntress for a number of years and had found the perfect boat, having seen very little use for most of her life, she was almost completely rot-free and a perfect base for a quality restoration.
Keeping the main style and design as she was, Stan, along with a boat building colleague, replaced a few small areas of deterioration and took most of her back to bare wood for repainting. The floorboards, dash and engine cover were replaced with custom Iroko panels, the engine was fully serviced with full fluid changes and replacement silicon hoses, fuel lines re-routed and new pumps fitted, new glass cabin windows replaced the Perspex ones and new cabin cushions fitted. The aft lazarette was removed and replaced with aft cockpit seating, chrome fittings showing signs of age have been re-chromed and refitted. The cost of the restoration is estimated at around £5,000 and a number of receipts are available to verify most of the materials used.
After recommissioning, she was launched for trials in early May 2017, a few small teething problems as to be expected after such a long time laid up were addressed and she is now performing effortlessly and available for any trial from her berth in Ipswich. The trailer has had a brake overhaul along with replacement bearings and is ready for any journey.
In summary, Cecelia is a very well finished boat, completed to a high standard using the best quality materials, she performs exceptionally well and cruises comfortably at approximately 15 Kts with a top speed at present of around 17Kts although more could be achieved if required by a fuelling "tweak" and fitting a different prop. We hold a detailed recent survey which provides a very positive view of the boat although there are a few incidental improvements recommended although not either expensive or complicated and none effect the overall performance and appeal
She's on a berth in Ipswich presently and available for trial, please contact Paul 07541 290018 to arrange or for any further information.
https://flic.kr/s/aHskVz4QNt
Fairey Huntress 23' Cecelia - SOLD
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stan
- Gunner
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- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:14 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
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stan
- Gunner
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:14 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
-
stan
- Gunner
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:14 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
-
stan
- Gunner
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:14 pm
- Location: United Kingdom