This is my fifth article featuring the beautiful Norman
Dallimore classic yacht, ‘Callidus’. Since my previous write-up she has been kitted
out with a fine winter cover. Her present owner has fitted a furling Genoa and
equipped her with a set of new sails. After doing a big refit, including
rebuilding the 35 HP Perkins diesel engine and completely rewiring the boat,
plus modifying her interior, he has put her up for sale. Steve Booth of Essex
Boat Shed has her on his books for £32,000, but she is advertised at Luxury
Yacht.com for £39,000.
A 40 foot wooden yacht such as ‘Callidus’ requires constant maintenance.
Her owner is forever dipping his hand in his pocket looking for change that isn’t
there, and keeping her at a marina will knock him back several thousand pounds
per annum, just for her to be tethered to a pontoon. Take her cruising and
expenses multiply. More often than not, she cannot be sailed single-handed, which
means looking for a compatible and able crew, and preferably a crew who are
willing to pay their way.
Give me a small boat anytime in preference to a beauty like ‘Callidus’,
because maintenance costs are negligible, especially if she is a trailer
sailer, and sailing her single-handed gives the freedom to go when you like
without having to arrange schedules weeks or months in advance. On the other
hand if you are gregarious and have pots of money and you fall in love with a
charming classic yacht, why not go for it? You cannot take your money to the grave,
but you can share what you’ve got with others, and hopefully find pleasure in
it.
Links
‘Callidus’ Again
‘Callidus’ - A Classic Wooden Yacht
‘Callidus’
Classic Wooden Boat
1952
Dallimore 40
Wooden Sloop 39ft Dallimore 11 ½ Tonner
Very warming to know the old girl is still afloat. This was my father's second boat. I have fond memories of sailing up the coast of England, Scotland, through the Caledonian Canal to the Hebrides and back as a boy. We usually sailed to Holland, France or Denmark each summer. Wooden boats are high maintenance. I also remember the caulking, replacing planks, scraping barnacles, scrubbing the deck and varnishing.
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