Layout
Fore peak
Stainless chain bin, with 100 meters of plaited anchor rove, 5 meters of chain and Fortress alloy anchor
Hanging stowage for all sheets
Locker for deck gear
Fore hatch with steps to deck
Door to cabin
Owners Cabin
Port and Starboard berths with lee boards, and stowage below
4 draw dresser to port with lockable locker, lockers at foot of berths, lockers outboard above berths
2 draws below each berth
Large hatch with plexiglass on centre line, usual Stephens design with hinges fore and aft
All joinery in solid teak, teak and holly sole boards, Burl veneered panel door to aft
Bathroom
To port with opening portlight in cabin top, dorade vent to deck
Lockers outboard, bulkheads painted white, flooring and shower tray in Corian, raised step with chromed Blake Victory outboard.
Wash basin with pull out shower head
Hanging locker
To starboard with space for oil skins, fuel tank for cabin heater and exhaust vent for cabin heater, so oil skins are dry and warm.
SALOON
Mast with signal flag stowage ‘pigeon hole’ rack aft of it
To starboard a space with cabin heater and outboard above it a wine and spirits locker with fiddles
Above this on the bulkhead the original Negretti Zambra ships clock, barometer and thermometer
Pilot berths outboard port and starboard, lockers below pilot berths
Divan/Settee berths inboard, which slide inboard when required to make a wider berth
Draws below settee berths
Gimballed twin leaf classic Olin Stephens ‘Mustang’ table to port of centre line
Large hatch with plexiglass on centre line, usual Stephens design with hinges fore and aft
All joinery in solid teak, teak and holly sole boards, varnished hull planking and frames, three dorade vents.
Navigation Space
To starboard with large chart table and chart storage below, all the navigation equipment is hidden in a locker outboard but easily accessible when required.
Four large deep draws below chart table.
Outboard is a small pilot berth, presently used as seating and below this is storage for tools and spares.
Mattresses
All the cushions and mattresses are very well made of double density foam with inner covers and outer covers in Perennials fabric.
Technical Space
Aft of the navigation space is a technical area, high on the bulkhead is a locker which gives access to the back of the engine instruments. Below this is an opening flap to a locker holding the electrical panel, this is a modern BlueSea System panel with a full set of breakers and meters.
Below this is a stone surface with a locker below which holds the service batteries, the start battery, the charger diodes, master switches, Sterling battery charger, and Inverter.
Galley
To port is the galley, which like the navigation station is on a slight platform so a person standing here can see out from the coach house windows, an unusual and very nice feature. The galley is entirely fitted out in style with the rest of the interior in stone, solid teak, burl veneers and other period details. The actual equipment is all very recent and efficient. Cutlery and storage draws, built in trash bin etc.
High on the aft bulkhead is a small locker which holds the cooking gas alarm and remote shut off valve.
Cockpit
There is a large sliding hatch above the companionway, the opening to the cockpit can be closed watertight with three solid teak wash boards, the top one has an ample louvered vent in it. The cabin top has a good overhang aft providing a little spray shelter for those on watch, to port are the wind and navigation instruments and to starboard the engine instruments. The cockpit is ample and unencumbered by sail handling equipment, a teak cockpit table can be clipped to the binnacle with a leg forward this gives an ample external dining space for six.
The Port deck locker holds the fuel fill and level dip, plus a teak fold down bathing ladder. The Starboard deck locker has the hot water tank, water pump, manual bilge pump and at its aft end an alloy drum for gas bottles. These deck lockers are big enough to hold all sails properly folded and bagged as well as the tender, outboard and plenty of other gear.
The main cockpit is over 1.9 meters long and unobstructed so it is comfortable to sleep in with your head tucked under the overhang of the house. There is plenty of space for a full race crew to work the winches and race the boat.
Companion Way
On the centre line is a comfortable companionway with a large top landing, beneath which is a storage space for deck equipment such as snatch blocks and winch handles.
This shelf lifts out as does the companionway to give easy access to the Perkins engine.
Aft lazarette
On the aft deck is a double hatch leading to the lazarette, where we stow a 40kg plough anchor and cleaning equipment. The main outlets for the engine exhaust, bilge pumps and waste pumps are also here. All valves and through hulls are recent high quality ball valves.
Helmsman’s cockpit
The steering binnacle has a large diameter destroyer type wheel which allows fingertip control of the helm, on top of this is a Sestral magnetic compass by ?? of Genoa and each side below the compass a set of cup racks to hold six mugs even when racing hard. Low and to port is the single lever engine control and below the helmsman’s seat are two draws one with the VHF radio remote and the other for sailing gear.
The main track runs immediately aft with the main sheet winch to starboard, this allows the main trimmer to be aft of the helmsman from where he can see the leech perfectly.
Cushions
All the deck cushions were custom made by Mills Bros in Long Island and are covered in exclusive
Perenials indoor/outdoor fabrics.
The centre part of the summer cover zips to the mainsail cover so is quick and easy to instal.
The foredeck hatch has a cover with built in cushion for a seat.
Propulsion
Engine
Perkins 4108
4 cylinder diesel
Fully rebuilt and modernised by Foley in 2015 with upgrades in all areas
serpentine flat belt on Rockwell pulleys
up graded 105 amp Balmar alternator
remote Walker Air Sep air intake, crank case fume breather
modern silicone gaskets
anti vibration mounts
Vetus exhaust system with stainless riser
Gear Box ZF Hurth 12M Rebuilt 2015
Shaft Seal Dripless water cooled, PYI
Propeller
Max Prop 3 blade feathering
Shaft Stainless Steel, Aquamet 21
Materials
Details
Finest Quality 1¼ inch Burma Teak Planking, copper clenched
Bronze floors
Bronze Mast step
Bronze straps from chain plates
Teak deck, recently re-caulked
Bronze Fastenings
Splined Topsides
Rudder Full depth Burma Teak blade on three bearings, top bearing in tube changed 2010, quadrant and twin sheeves to binnacle steering system, fully rebuilt in 2010. Wheel fitted with chain drive for autopilot.
Rig
Details
Original Proctor Duralumin light alloy mast, removed and stored ashore most winters, repainted in Awlgrip
Twin spreaders, fully rebuilt 2017 roots remade and adjusted
Original roller furl style boom, now fitted for slab reefs
Original Duralumin Spinnaker pole
Headstay endless roller furler from Bartels new in 2017
V1s and D1s in 1×19, replaced 2016
V2s, D2s, D3s in shaped compact 1×19 SS new in 2017
Backstay 1×19 SS replaced in 2014
Original through the mast halyard sheeves, spare set aboard
Most running rig replaced within past five years
Inner forestay and runners (used only in heavy weather) in vectran
She still carries her original RORC sail number 102
Sails
All by Doyle Salem
Square weave mainsail with three reefs and Cunningham
No1 Genoa
No2 Genoa
Asymmetric Spinnaker, with turtle
Covers
Mainsail cover
Full set sail bags and bags for covers
Full Summer Cover, in four pieces
Full Winter cover and support frame
Winches
Details
Primaries Andersen 58ST 2 speed Self Tailing
Original Top action Lewmar as secondaries
Andersen 12ST Self Tailing for Main Sheet
Andersen 12ST Self Tailing, Halyard, on mast
Halyard winch 2 speed self tailing with Lewmar jamb cleat
Harken 2 speed self tailing, reefs, on deck at mast, with jambs in boom goose neck
Merriman track blocks
Twin turning blocks
Lewmar snatch blocks
Spinnaker blocks
Range of winch handles and other equipment
Deck Gear
Tender Bombard MOX3+
Air floor, seat, electric pump, stows on coach roof, or packs into bag in cockpit locker
Torqueedo Electric outboard
Recharges on board from Inverter, GPS speed and range
Navigation
Garmin Plotter, in cockpit, built in US east coast charts, card for UK and Ireland. Interfaced to
other instruments
Raymarine tack tick wind instruments
Raymarine GPS receiver
Airmar transducer for depth, speed and water temperature
VHF Raymarine 240 with DSC at chart station with repeater at helm
Survitec Offshore liferaft
High intensity MOB strobe light
EPIRB ARC 406mghz
Mustang lifejackets
Safety harnesses
Safety
Nav Lights Lopolight LED Tri colour mast head with anchor light
Hella LED Steaming Light
Spreader lights high intensity LED
Tanks
Details
Fuel, copper, aft over engine, capacity 130 litres
Water 420 litres, new in 2016 made from welded HDP
Waste 100 litre, new in 2016 made from welded HDP
Sewage 170 litre, new in 2013 made from welded HDP
Transfer 15 litre, new in 2016 made from welded HDP
Domestic Equipment
Two draw fridge, Indel FC2, new in 2015
Gimballed oven and two burner hob, Force 10, new in 2015
Taylors cabin heater, original
Blake Victory WC, original, re-chromed and fully rebuilt with modern ‘O’ ring seals and other new
parts including varnished seat
Water Heater Indel Webasto, slim 16 litre, with engine heat exchanger and shore power immersion heater,
thermostatic mixer on outlet. Heats quickly from engine and provides ample hot water.
History
The beginning
In 1958 Sparkman and Stephens were to draw a racing yacht numbered 1358 for a then well known UK based Scandinavian yachtsman Sven Hansen, she was exquisitely built by Bengt Plym and in 1959 campaigned by her owner in the UK, including a Fastnet race which she won handily. One of the yachts she beat in that Fastnet was a smaller S & S design belonging to the well know English yachtsman A.J. Miller. As a flag officer of the RORC and RTYC Miller had met Stephens and called him to discuss a new boat.
Miller wanted a simple fast yacht he could race with his sons, so he asked Stephens to draw him a sloop rather than a yawl and to modify the lines to be better optimised for the RORC rating.
This was design 1358C and became China Clipper.
Miller wanted a yacht that would be strong and last a long time, he had business interests in Hong Kong and through his friend Olin made contact with the Wing on Shing yard in Kowloon. He saw they had the skills required and also had a wonderful stock of the finest Burma teak.
When finished the hull was shipped to England on an all teak cradle, most of which was used to build the interior. Miller lived in London but also kept a house near Cowes so he had the fit out done by Woodnuts in Cowes.
When complete in 1963 she raced the usual South Coast circuit and then went off across the Atlantic under the famous sailing master Richard Scott-Hughes. Scott-Hughes was thirty at the time and with Miller’s two sons and some other crew they sailed her across the ocean and then up through the Caribbean and up the east coast racing wherever they could. They took part in the 1964 Bermuda race, placing fourth and then continued back across the Atlantic to race again in the UK in 1964.
At some point during this time Rod Stephens saw China Clipper racing and commented that ‘if only she had decent American made sails she could be a pretty fast boat’.
Quite remarkably for an Ocean Racing yacht of the period Seven boats were built to 1358 design;
China Clipper was the only sloop.
Anitra is still sailing and racing in the Baltic.
Stiren was built by Pichevant in France and was rebuilt in
2008 she is also still racing, having won the Transat
Classique in 2008 (?) and with a new owner came second in
the same event in 2018 (?).
Maybelle was built by Sangiamani in Italy and is reported to
be sailing on the Adriatic and a few years ago took part in
some of the Mediterranean classics.
We have been told one was built by Nevins in the USA but
have never been able to trace her.
One was built in Spain but in the 90’s had the hull sheathed
in glass fibre and epoxy. We do not know what happened to
her since.
The Miller family kept China Clipper for over 20 years and
when her competitive racing years were over moved her to
Majorca and used her for family holidays and cruising.
She had two further owners in the Mediteranean before her
fourth owner found her semi abandoned in Genoa, he bought
her and took her to the LaSpezia shipyard where he and his
then girlfriend rebuilt her.
Two years later the boat was finished but so was the
girlfriend and he sailed off with a few good friends across the
Atlantic where he cruised the Caribbean Islands until he ran
out of money, luck and wind in Cartagena.
Quite remarkably for an Ocean Racing yacht of the period
Seven boats were built to 1358 design;
China Clipper was the only sloop.
Anitra is still sailing and racing in the Baltic.
Stiren was built by Pichevant in France and was rebuilt in 2008 she is also still racing, having won the Transat Classique in 2008 (?) and with a new owner came second in the same event in 2018 (?).
Maybelle was built by Sangermani in Italy and is reported to be sailing on the Adriatic and a few years ago took part in some of the Mediterranean classics.
We have been told one was built by Nevins in the USA but have never been able to trace her.
One was built in Spain but in the 90’s had the hull sheathed in glass fibre and epoxy. We do not know what happened to her since.
The Miller family kept China Clipper for over 20 years and when her competitive racing years were over moved her to Majorca and used her for family holidays and cruising.
She had two further owners in the Mediteranean before her fourth owner found her semi abandoned in Genoa, he bought her and took her to the La Spezia shipyard where he and his then girlfriend rebuilt her.
Two years later the boat was finished but so was the girlfriend and he sailed off with a few good friends across the Atlantic where he cruised the Caribbean Islands until he ran out of money, luck and wind in Cartagena.
That is where we found her in 2010
Over the next eight years we campaigned the boat each summer and made improvements to her each winter, with the help of Donn and his skilled work force we took the boat forward year by year. In 2017 we sailed most of the US Panerai circuit and wherever we went China Clipper was admired and photographed.
With Donn retiring in 2019 we shipped China Clipper back to the UK and paid VAT on her before sailing her to her present home in Ireland where we looked forward to being part of the Cork 300 in 2020, sadly cancelled due to the pandemic.
Advancing years mean her present owners can no longer maintain and campaign the boat as they would wish, so they have sadly decided it is time to pass China Clipper along to her next custodians.
In 2012 we wintered in Wooden Boatworks shed and removed the interior. Most of it we put back exactly as it had been, replacing wiring and piping wherever visible, removing excess through hulls and other excess weight to get her back on her marks and lines.
We totally rebuilt the bathroom retaining the Blake Victory and some of the cabinet work but installing a Corian floor and shower tray. It makes a very useable bathroom entirely in keeping with the 1960s.
Re fitting
Interior
The Galley
We altered the galley, replacing the chest style fridge with slide
out draws, gimballed a new cooker and rationalised the stowage
including making some flip up covers over the stowage outboard.
We replaced the work surface of the galley and chart table with a unique book matched piece of Harry White stone from the Italian Portoro quarry, this was cut to size and mounted on aluminium honeycomb backing before being shipped and fitted.
We had many fittings newly chrome plated and revarnished the interior.
We sourced a few veneers of elm burl and had these installed on some of the panelling.
The deck heads were painted in egg shell white.
We reorganised the waste discharges so they go to tanks and then pump overboard aft below the counter
We installed a new electrical panel hidden behind a nice joiner panel and rewired the whole boat to ABYC standards.
We replaced the water and waste tanks with custom made ones in welded HDPE.
We had the Perkins 4108 rebuilt and updated by a specialist shop, using modern gaskets eliminating oil leaks and with a proper air breather system eliminating oil mist.
China Clipper was very well built using the finest materials exactly as specified by the S & S office. She was carefully maintained by her original owners and had a major overhaul and refit in 2001 and in 2015.
In the 2015 refitting we replaced 12 of her Shorea frames with American white Oak, doubling them where they are unseen and replacing or scarfing where visible. We removed the rudder and rebuilt the bearings. We removed the engine and tanks, fully cleaned and repainted the bilges.
In 2017 we re caulked the decks.
We believe the boat is as well maintained and structurally sound as she has ever been and is entirely ready for a season of cruising or classic racing.
Sailing
We have had tremendous fun racing China Clipper on the US classic circuit and she has been welcomed and well received everywhere. She has also often been the most photographed boat on the water. Of course being designed and conceived as an ocean racing yacht she struggles to go around the buoys in light airs the way the lightweight Herreshoff boats do, but as soon as the wind gets a bit above 10 knots and the legs are several miles long she is very rewarding to sail.
Racing
Some of our best results have been on longer races including a second in class in the prestigious classic Nantucket Opera House
cup. A storming first in class in one of the Round Shelter Island races in a year which saw a mixed fleet of over a hundred yachts
and a nice stiff breeze. A second in class in one of the longer Offsoundings races in New England racing in a mixed fleet. However that said overall in 10 years racing against some very hot competition in the USA apart from a couple of retirements we seldom if ever finished a series outside the top ten.
The Whitebread race goes around Shelter Island at the top end of Long Island and it’s an end of season bash for a mixed fleet of boats that love to race.
In 2014 China Clipper lead the 100+ boat fleet across the start and after 20 miles of sailing as the breeze freshened, she set her A kite to come smoking up the South Channel back to the finish at over 12 knots (below), you could have surfed the quarter wave !
In general we needed a minimum 6 crew to race, one on the helm, one on main sheet, two in the cockpit, one foredeck and one tactician/navigator. Though on the shorter races with lots of tacks or in heavy weather we preferred 8 as the extra muscle helps, especially when some of the crew are older than the boat!
Between races on the circuit we cruised China Clipper extensively in Long Island Sound, Buzzards Bay and New England most of the time with four but often with just two on board. She is a lovely comfortable boat to cruise, well mannered and very sea worthy.
She can cover an extraordinary number of miles without being pushed hard.
The off watch sleep well and very comfortably below even in the nastiest weather often coming on deck surprised to find a brisk breeze and developed sea.
Cruising
After shipping her across the Atlantic in spring 2019 we sailed her from Portsmouth to Plymouth and then on to Cork in Ireland.
With three on board we did the first part in just 26 hours and the Plymouth to Cork leg in with four of us in less than 30.
Later we cruised the beautiful South coast of Ireland down to the Fastnet rock and then laid her up ashore for the winter.
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