HISTORY & DESCRIPTION:
CITARA, Ex: ROVER was built in 1887 to the traditional lines of the East-Coast fishing smack. Designed as a yacht she was registered in London to Judge Thomas Chatfield-Clarke. She remained in the same family until the 1940s later in the ownership of Lt. Col. Stanley Chatfield-Clarke from Wooten, Isle of Wight.
In the late 1940s, Dr J H Dible of Gerrards Cross took ownership followed by Hon. James Borwick in 1954. Later owners included Viscount Caldicote and in 1962 the owner of Norris Castle. Robert Munden of the Old Gaffers Association bought CITARA in 1974 before selling to the current owner in the late 1980s.
A complete professional restoration began, completed in 1989.
CITARA currently stands in the exact spot where she was built 130 years ago. Morgan Marine yard in Brightlingsea, where the former Aldous & Sons Shipyard once stood.
Since 1989 CITARA has been fitted out internally and needs some final restoration work and rigging before she can be launched. Haven Yachts returned CITARA to their customer in Worcestershire after the restoration of the superstructure was completed, the hull and deck were sympathetically rebuilt to their former glory, leaving the owner to complete the rigging, installation of the engine and commissioning of the rigging and associated deck hardware.
The current owner worked within the marine industry for 23 years and completed his apprenticeship with Cox Marine in Brightlingsea, right where Aldous & Sons business was thriving 130 years ago. Aldous Heritage still exists in Brightlingsea to this day.
During the rebuild, Haven Yachts had difficulty in obtaining the right fittings and fastenings to retain the refurbished vessel’s authenticity. The 3″ (76mm) bronze screws needed for Citara were supplied from America, as 2″ (63mm) are the biggest available in the U.K since G.K.N. (Germany) stopped producing them.
All the planking has been completely replaced from the keel upwards.
CITARA’s hull had retained its shape, templates were made from the old frames, and the concrete ballast was taken out carefully. All the frames have been replaced with epoxy-wood laminations. CITARA has been completely re-planked and re-decked and is now a fine example of a nineteenth-century traditional design.
In spring of 1989, Haven Yachts undertook the complete rebuild of the Victorian gaff cutter – Citara, for a customer in Worcestershire. Haven Yachts based in a small industrial estate in South-West Wales, near Milford Haven.
Pine on oak with a lead ballast keel.
Traditionally re-fitted interior in Teak with ample locker space full standing headroom in the saloon which offers two settee berths, port and starboard.
Galley to port aft corner with Taylors cooker.
Separate heads compartment.
Foc’sle with two berths.
Photographs – dated October 2018
GUIDE: SOLD – June 2019
LYING: ESSEX
VIEWING: Through CLASSIC YACHT BROKERAGE
