NORFOLK SMUGGLER 25Uncle Eric of EmsworthA particularly impressive example of this characterful British-built gaff cutter, presented in exceptionally well-maintained condition and benefiting from an unusually high standard of mechanical care.Why Uncle Eric of Emsworth deserves serious considerationMeticulously maintained by a marine engineering professional – her current owner heads a well-established local marine engineering business and has maintained the yacht, and particularly her Yanmar diesel engine, accordingly.Exceptionally well presented – polished annually and cared for to a standard immediately evident when stepping aboard.Powerful and practical Yanmar 18hp diesel with excellent engine access and a maintenance history that should inspire considerably more confidence than is usual in a yacht of this type.Versatile shoal-draught centreboard design – just 2ft 9in with the board raised, allowing access to shallow creeks, harbours and drying areas while retaining useful sailing performance offshore.Traditional character without the maintenance burden of a wooden hull – GRP construction combined with varnished spars, bronze fittings, tan sails and extensive timber detailing creates a wonderfully traditional appearance.Uncle Eric of Emsworth is a yacht that has clearly been cherished rather than simply maintained.The Norfolk Smuggler 25 combines the charm and presence of a traditional gaff cutter with the practicality of modern GRP construction. Developed as the larger sister to the successful Norfolk Gypsy, the Smuggler offers significantly more accommodation and cockpit space while retaining manageable dimensions and straightforward handling.At 25 feet over deck she is large enough to make a very capable coastal cruiser, yet compact enough to remain economical to own and easy to handle. The design was conceived with short-handed sailing firmly in mind and she can readily be sailed single-handed.Her large cockpit will comfortably accommodate a crew or family, while below decks she provides genuine cruising accommodation for four, excellent storage and approximately 5ft 10in headroom along the centreline.For coastal exploration, the Solent, Chichester Harbour, East Coast creeks or extended cruising through European inland waterways, the combination of shallow draught, retractable bowsprit and easily lowered mast gives the Norfolk Smuggler considerable versatility.DESIGN & CONSTRUCTIONThe Norfolk Smuggler is strongly constructed with a heavy-duty, hand-laid GRP hull and deck.Her relatively heavy displacement and useful ballast ratio provide the solidity expected of a traditional cruising yacht, while the centreboard arrangement allows the board to be completely retracted beneath the cabin sole.Draught is approximately 2ft 9in with the centreboard raised, increasing to approximately 4ft 11in with the board fully lowered.The centreboard is raised and lowered by a straightforward manual winch.Reinforced areas of the hull are provided for optional beaching legs, making the design particularly suitable for drying harbours and moorings.Traditional detailing is found throughout, including teak external trim and rubbing strakes together with extensive bronze and brass deck fittings.RIG & SAILSShe carries an attractive high-peaked gaff cutter rig, providing generous sail area while allowing sail to be progressively reduced as conditions demand.The arrangement gives the Norfolk Smuggler both her distinctive appearance and surprisingly effective windward performance.Her mast is deck stepped in a substantial galvanised tabernacle. Together with the fixed gooseneck arrangement, this simplifies lowering the mast and adds considerable versatility for river, canal and inland-waterway cruising.The bowsprit is retractable.Rig and sail equipment includes:Varnished Colombian pine mast, boom, gaff and bowspritStainless-steel standing riggingPre-stretched polyester running riggingTan Terylene mainsailTan Terylene jibTan Terylene staysailSlab reefing to mainsailRoller reefingFurling gear for staysailMain halyardsMainsheet with jamming blockBronze sheet winches for jib and staysailTopping lift and lazy jacksENGINE & MECHANICALA major feature of this particular yacht is the standard of attention given to her machinery.She is powered by a Yanmar 18hp twin-cylinder inboard diesel engine.The current owner is the head of a local marine engineering business and the engine has consequently received the sort of knowledgeable and conscientious maintenance that would be difficult to replicate through ordinary recreational ownership.Engine access is excellent, further assisting routine servicing and inspection.Fuel capacity provides approximately 40 hours of engine running, giving very useful range for extended cruising.A single-lever throttle and gear control is positioned conveniently in the cockpit.Sacrificial anodes are fitted for protection of the propeller, shaft and keel/skeg assembly.COCKPIT & DECKThe cockpit is unusually generous for a yacht of this length and can accommodate up to six adults.A self-draining arrangement, teak slatted sole and substantial seating make it both practical at sea and particularly pleasant when entertaining alongside or at anchor.Storage is excellent, with two large cockpit lockers with sealing lids together with four additional lockers incorporated into the cockpit coamings.Deck equipment and construction includes:Self-draining cockpitTeak-slatted cockpit soleCockpit and bridge-deck seatingTwo large cockpit lockersFour cockpit coaming lockersStainless-steel guardrails and stanchionsNon-slip deck surfacesTwo substantial forward mooring cleatsTwo spring cleatsTwo substantial aft mooring cleatsBronze fairleadsBronze stemhead rollerBronze bowsprit capBronze shroud platesTeak rubbing strakesTeak grab rails and exterior trimHardwood rudder with stainless-steel stockHardwood tiller with bronze tiller headFive safety-harness deck eyesDrained gas locker in aft deckReinforced hull pads for beaching legsACCOMMODATIONBelow decks the Norfolk Smuggler makes remarkably effective use of her 25-foot hull.Approximately 5ft 10in headroom is available along the centreline over a level cabin sole, while the centreboard arrangement is concealed beneath the floor rather than intruding into the accommodation.There are four full-length berths, including a double berth forward, while retaining a comfortable central saloon.The interior has an open and traditional feel, enhanced by numerous bronze-framed portholes and extensive timber detailing.Eight bronze portholes are fitted, two of which open for ventilation.Five electric cabin lights provide illumination below.Storage throughout the cabin is generous for a yacht of this size.A particularly useful wet hanging locker is positioned immediately adjacent to the companionway beneath the forward end of the port cockpit seating.GALLEYThe galley provides considerably more working space than might be expected aboard a 25-foot yacht and includes:Two-burner stove in gimbalsSinkManual water pumpGenerous work surfaceUseful galley storageHEADSThe heads compartment is positioned towards the aft end of the saloon, an arrangement which helps preserve the feeling of space within the main accommodation.Equipment includes a wash basin with manual pump.A brass through-deck ventilator provides additional ventilation.WATER, ELECTRICAL & SERVICESFresh-water capacity is approximately 30 gallons.Electrical equipment includes a 75Ah battery together with five electric cabin lights.A fixed manual bilge pump with strum-box filter is installed.Brass through-deck ventilators are positioned above both the heads and galley.PRESENTATION & CONDITIONThe condition of Uncle Eric of Emsworth is one of the strongest reasons for viewing her.She is polished annually and has been maintained with considerable attention to both cosmetic presentation and mechanical reliability.Of particular importance, her owner is not merely an enthusiastic yachtsman but the head of a local marine engineering business. The Yanmar engine and associated machinery have therefore been cared for with professional knowledge and an understanding of preventative maintenance.The result is a Norfolk Smuggler that presents as a particularly cherished example of the design.BROKER'S COMMENTSThe Norfolk Smuggler occupies an appealing position in the market.She offers the character, atmosphere and sailing experience of a traditional gaff-rigged yacht without requiring an owner to take on the structural maintenance associated with a traditionally built wooden boat.At the same time she is far more than a weekend dayboat. With proper standing headroom, four berths, a substantial galley, separate heads, a large cockpit and an 18hp inboard diesel, she is a genuinely useful small cruising yacht.The centreboard and shallow draught open up cruising grounds unavailable to many conventional yachts, while her substantial construction and high-peaked gaff rig make her equally suited to more ambitious coastal cruising.Most importantly, Uncle Eric of Emsworth appears to have benefited from exactly the sort of ownership one hopes to find when purchasing a used yacht: knowledgeable, conscientious and meticulous.For buyers looking for a distinctive British cruising yacht with genuine traditional charm, manageable dimensions and exceptional presentation, she deserves very serious consideration.