Parker Classic Motor Yacht

Brokers Comments

SOMERSET's fresh build under Lloyds 100A1 survey -- by one of the best yards; from the finest of materials; to an exacting and highly intelligent design and development specification by the coming force in British motor yacht design -- has resulted in a better ability than many of her generation to withstand later years of neglect. Known to countless mariners as Warsash College’s direction school vessel, yet oozing mid-century chic with a former life of comfort on the French Riviera, SOMERSET is quite simply the most eligible and potentially rewarding large volume classic motor yacht UK restoration candidate we know. Work on her structural needs began two years ago and a new proprietor is required to keep SOMERSET, ex ZAVIDA, ex SHU-SHU fronting once again in the right direction -- and to unquestionably enjoy the result.

Title Picture

This picture is historic and does not seaportray the vessel’s current quality as a project.

Restoration ***.***.***

- Programme of plank fastening checks and replacement as necessary
- Treatment of steel frames and deck beams
- Fore and aft deck given plywood sub deck
- Topsides fairing and re-finishing
- Brightwork re-finishing

Historical Notes

SOMERSET was launched as SHU-SHU at Hamworthy, Poole, in the spring of 1956 for 48-year-old Irishman Donald Henry Ewan McCowen, from a branch of a successful Tralee, Co. Kerry, merchant, vessel owning and brokering family firmly established in the English home counties. The name is believed to be an affectionate family nickname for his newborn youngest daughter.
Powered freshly by pair Gleniffer DH8 8-cylinder 160 hp diesels, she was then believed the largest yacht by gross tons to be launched at Poole, yet her displacement of 95 tons and cruising velocity was similar to many more narrow-gutted contemporaries. The locally-based designer Frederick R. Parker was clever, and developing a features post-war reputation for stylish and efficient, large volume motor yachts after a thorough grounding as understudy to Fred Shepherd. During the Lloyd’s ✠100A1 build, R.A. Newman are believed to have sub-contracted the bending of the steel frames to Camper & Nicholsons, while the aluminium superstructure - which has stood the test of time remarkably well - was most probably by Hamble River beam alloy featuresists Universal Shipyards.
McCowen had been a successful oarsman during the 1930’s: a member of the of victorious Cambridge team in the 1932 Boat Race that subsequently represented the UK at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, just missing out on a bronze medal, and coach of the 1936 Boat Race-winning Cambridge team. After surviving an eventful and highly decorated Second World War spent mostly as a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Lieutenant Commander in motor torpedo boats - including assistance at the Normandy Landings - he took to yachting and golf as his leisure pursuits.
He seems to have experimented with successive immediately post-war yacht proprietorvessels, including the 1937 Robert Clark Mystery Class MYSTICO, commissioning the 1947 Berthon Gauntlet Class sloop GEMINI, and between 1949 and 1952 briefly owning the 1935 Charles E. Nicholson ocean-racer FOXHOUND, close sister of BLOODHOUND and STIARNA - a seminal trio. By 1952 FOXHOUND’s proprietorvessel had transferred to The Hon Mrs Rachael Pitt-Rivers, and after four years without a yacht McCowen settled for the sseaporting combination of SHU-SHU as mother vessel to the Bjarne Aas-designed International One Design class sloop SUSIE (K6), racing in the Royal Corinthian Yacht club’s 20-strong Cowes fleet.
In 1960 SHU-SHU’s proprietorvessel transferred to Albert Edward Parkinson, chairman of Sir Lindsay Parkinson & Company, then one of Britain’s largest civil engineering contractors; efeaturesly busy at this time building sections of England’s emerging motorway network. Parkinson seems to hav