Robert Tucker Caprice Sailing Boat Yacht 19' With 4hp Outboard

Papillon has been a grand little boat that I have been sailing on the upper reaches of the Severn Estuary for a while, but the time has now come with a small family, to upsize a little. I'm selling her for what I think is a bargain price, and will be absolutely open and transparent about her. Please don't let my honestness put you off - she really is a grand little boat. She's an all-GRP Robert Tucker Caprice. I'm not sure of sail number or even of version, but I think it's version 5 (self-draining cockpit, all GRP).

A Caprice was, of course, famously sailed around the world by Shane Acton, but I'm not recommending it… She has roller furling, bilge keels, cushions and an outboard, and it won't take much classifieds board searching to realise that both cushions and outboards normally add a lot to the price (note: neither cushions nor outboard here are anything to write home about, but both are perfectly serviceable) She has everything on her that you need to sail her away. I recently replaced the anchor rode and chain, so that's brand new. Please note that everything else in the pictures (which I took on Good Friday 2017 to make sure you can see things up-to-date) is not included - I just hadn't tidied up! So no flagpole, lifejackets, toolbags, etc. What's included is boat, deck hardware, sails, fenders, outboard & tank.

She's cosy inside, and though there's a little bit of work in terms of cleaning a little mud, and sticking a little carpet back up, she's generally in pretty good shape. Boat detail is here: http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp? Class_id=5348 (except for mine is the all-GRP model, and is watertight and reliable). I try to be as honest as poss, so let me try and let you know what I think you need to know. She sank on her mooring at my club before I owned her.

We don't really know why - she's been afloat ever since, and I don't think it was a failure of the boat but of the mooring. However, it did mean that quite a lot of mud got in, and though mostly this has been cleaned away (I jet-washed the cushions, for example), it remains in some places (I never got round to crawling into the far end of the quarter berths to clean them, for example, and in the lazarette at the rear). I absolutely don't think you should worry about the sinking - she's been fine since, and has shown no likelihood of repeating it. There's no 12v at all on board. The sails, though useable (and I've been sailing with them all the time) would stand being replaced (particularly the main.) That said, I competed in my club's 2016 regatta with it as is.

Most of the woodwork would benefit from a sand and a varnish. One of the handrails has rotted and snapped (cheap to replace from Force 4). The wooden pad on the mount needs replacing (the metal is very secure but the ply mount is questionable and needs replacing) There are lights on it - I've no idea if they work or not, as, like I said, there's no 12v. The rubbing strake is broken/rotten in a couple of places, and could do with sorting These jobs really are largely cosmetic; I've had the boat for a while and have sailed it perfectly well without doing them, if you see what I mean! What it really really does need is a blooming good wash, and that would make a world of difference.

Underneath the much is a smart little boat. The outboard is a Tomos Ailsa Craig 4hp 2 stroke with separate tank. It's my spare so I haven't used it a lot, and can't comment how it performs under pressure. It starts and runs fine, though, and pushes the boat along very well. The other thing to bear in mind is that the boat is in the middle of nowhere!

It's in St Pierre Pill between the Severn Bridges on the Welsh side. It's ready to be sailed away from there (assuming you know what you're doing - as I once read on a sales ad for a boat roundabouts here, 'the Severn is no place for optimists or dreamers…'), or I could be talked into delivering it to Portishead or Cardiff for you, where you could use the slipway or cranes to get it out. Being bilge-keeled, of course, it will fit on a car transporter, or other flat bed trailer. You'd need to factor that into the price though. So there you are.

A great bargain, ready to sail, and with a bit of work will be something to be proud of. I'm quite proud of her as is… 150 by PayPal within 24 hours of buying, and remainder as cash on collection, please. (I've been messed around so many times with boat sales, so will have to be a bit brutal with this, I'm afraid, including leaving commensurate feedback. I've tried to ensure you'll be left with no surprises, but you're welcome to come out and see her before buying, if you wish). I also need her collected and moved reasonably promptly... Don't hesitate to ask with any questions.