Calypso is a well maintained yacht with significant important maintenance and replacement work having been completed over the past few years to keep the yacht in a good serviceable condition. This is evidenced by the very recent satisfactory outcome of a 10 year insurance survey report.
The interior, for a 1994 yacht, is surprisingly tidy, modern and fresh looking. The cabin GRP/Gelcoat moulded head liner looking very clean and bright. In the centre of the saloon is a demountable dining table which, when not in use, can be stored in the aft cabin or cockpit locker.
The yacht is tiller steered resulting in long cockpit seats for the family and crew to relax on those sunny days. The transom is partly open offering walk through easy access to dinghies and pontoons.
The yacht sails very well which results in very low engine hours on each trip. When required the powerful (for the size of yacht) Yanmar engine can very speedily get you home against wind, tide and very strong tidal currents at the entrance to some harbours.
The three bladed feathering propeller and single spade rudder offer excellent close quarters and marina manoeuvrability while berthing. While at sea in crowded waters she very manoeuvrable for course changes, under sail or engine, can be turned almost within its own length.
With only 1.5m draft there are many options for berthing and this shallow draft aids access to some harbours with tidal bars.
Built in 1994, it has over the years had considerable maintenance work completed. Particularly over the past 6 years to replace aged and worn components. The objective being to keep the boat safe, dry and fun to sail. This has included: window sealant replaced, deck/hull joint completed resealed and strengthened, keel bolts replaced, professionally, completed structural improvements to the keel support area in the hull bottom. The current owner has added extra interior handholds to make it safer in the cabin in more lively weather. The mast was replaced approximately 10 years ago, 5 years ago a replacement boom, standing rigging recently replaced with Dyform wire, recent larger batteries and strengthened anchor chain roller fitting (now suitable for a swinging mooring). In the spring of 2024 a battery charge ArgoFET splitter was installed with ew battery isolator switches. In 2022 many years of old antifouling was removed and the keel re faired. Some time in its life an epoxy coating was applied to the underwater sections, possibly prior to its first launch. The diesel engine has been carefully maintained having had recent refurbished Injectors, replacement engine mounts, recent cutlass bearing and a replacement Volvo propellor shaft seal. In January 2024 the propellor shaft is being replaced. A 1st fuel filter has been added and the fuel is regularly dosed with preservatives to avoid diesel bug. The 45 litre fuel tank is dip cleaned every couple years, again to keep diesel bug away. The original brass seacocks and skin fittings have all been replaced with DZR type’s. The wind, log and depth instruments have been recently updated with Raymarine STng networked units. Each Spring the yacht GRP is polished to help protect from UV deterioration. The genoa has a UV protection strip and the mainsail has a good condition mainsail cover.
The saloon 2 x side berth cushions were replaced in January 2024. The remaining bunk cushions are in reasonable condition. The interior varnish/brightwork has been refreshed in a number of areas to keep the interior looking tidy.
The current owner has subtly modified the sail plan and sail controls so the yacht can sail over a much wider range of wind speeds compared to the original production design. The sail area is slightly larger area compared to original resulting in a “sweet spot” for light air sailing when good progress can be made in fair weather. For the windy days the sail plan has a three slab reefing mainsail, a roller reefing genoa and effective sail controls to continue sailing in boisterous weather. For extra sail shape control there is an adjustable backstay and alternative outboard sheeting positions for the genoa. The result is a yacht that can is fun to sail in a wide variety of conditions and can safely get you home when the weather roughs up.
For further improved downwind sailing Calypso is set up with equipment and fittings for a Symmetric spinnaker. The spinnaker sail area is modest and as such can be handled solo or short handed if required. The spinnaker control lines are set up specially for solo sailing. There are three spinnakers in the inventory: a good condition strong Reaching spinnaker, a very recent high quality larger light air deep downwind spinnaker and a very old but serviceable general purpose one. With this choice of sails it results in comfortable long cruise passages on a Broad Reach or deep downwind at a a useful pace.
The boat is currently mainly used for UK south coast short passages, day sails, plus annually several longer cruise trip which are often cross channel to France or the Channel Islands. In its history the yacht has competed several times in the IOW Round The Island Race cruiser fleet.
The current owner has added and improved the sail controls to reduce the physical effort required to sail the yacht, examples being increased purchase on the mainsheet, line controlled from the cockpit genoa tracks and recent replacement two speed self tailing Harken cockpit winches. The mainsheet operates from the coach roof to the centre of the boom, which works very well for space for the crew to operate it and is safely away from passengers in the cockpit. The replacement boom is Selden, is stiffer than the original and is equipped for three reefs and an outhaul.
The sails are mostly made locally by Sanders, designed to suit the boats characteristics exactly and are of strong enough construction to be use on windy days. The sail inventory is 1 x radial cut Mainsail, 1 x radial cut Genoa, 1 x older cross/flat cut genoa and 3 Spinnakers.
The boat currently has a club race handicaps/ratings for IRC, VPRS and the new YTC scheme.
The yacht can also be competitively raced in Cruiser Club, RTIR and other open events. Her turn of speed will surprise you. The deck layout practical to enable solo or up to 6 on board where everyone has something to do and enough space to do it. It is a good boat to learn how to sail a yacht quickly and safely. As experience and confidence of the crew increases there is a lot of fun available from Calypso when fully “lit up”.
The cockpit has a very large cockpit locker which easily stores the fenders, warps, flares, buckets etc. In addition there is room for a small inflatable tender, oars and an outboard motor!
A 70 litre hard polyethene(?) fresh water tank installed 2023 which is easy to keep clean and feeds pressurised cold water to the galley and heads. The galley has a gimbled Origo spirit twin hob which there is no need for gas bottles or gas safety certificates. At the chart table is a VHF fixed radio, a GPS/Garmin plotter (charts updated early 2024) and an electrical switch/fuse board. There is a 15A Commando shore power connection that feeds a Distribution Unit, then onwards to three 13A 230V sockets in different locations. In the cockpit there is a power socket for a Tiller Pilot. For night sailing there are deck level navigation lights, a mast top Tri Colour (recent replacement lens and LED lamp), a Steaming Light and a useful deck light. Some of the interior lights are LED type.
The owner has added accessories to aid ventilation when the yacht is not in use. The wash boards are custom made with a large vent, there is a custom ventilation cowl over the aft cabin port light and a large vent forward in the saloon that is sealed when going to sea. These measures help ventilate the yacht when on a swinging mooring, in a marina or ashore for the winter.
The boat has history of the Bills of Sale and the original sale document with evidence of VAT paid in the UK. The vessel is SSR registered but the sail now number needs to be updated. The sail number has been changed recently to GBR4751R because the original sail number was not from a recognised sail number scheme.