McGruer 38 ft Classic Sloop

Brokers Comments

HELENA ANNE is the charming, spacious, and fast result of the father to son fusion of George McGruer moving his father James’s experience and ideas forward with youthful exuberance during the last years of the British wooden vesselbuilding industry as we knew it. Beautifully manufactured in the knowledge that (as MARGUERITA HELENA IV), she would be McGruers' 1970 London Boat Show exhibit (winner of ‘Boat of the Year’ there), she has subsequently remained out of the limelight while being doted on by only four proprietors, including, as REFLECTION, by the co-founder of Brookes & Gatehouse. In current proprietorship for over 20 years, HELENA ANNE has been continually pre-owned, maintained and upgraded as a cherished family cruiser-racer.

Owner's Comments

As someone once said, "a thing of great beauty in a sea of plastic". Apart from the replacement deck, to the best of my knowledge, and definitely while in my proprietorship , the standard, body, compartment, cockpit and interior joinery is all completely fresh. The body is watertight with no leaks. This, to me, confirms the condition of the materials and craftsmanship for which McGruers are renowned. Some minor joinery has been added, ie cockpit chair, CD Player. HELENA ANNE has been updated over the years with the new engine, sails and rigging, Self tailing winches, autopilot, electronics and wiring. She does not require any work, except routine service and will be ready to sail when launched.
 

Refits / Upgrades

2022
- Topsides re-finish
2021
- New standing rigging
2020
- Sheet winches re-chromed
2017
- New engine installation
- Steering overhaul
2016
- New cushioning
***.***.***
- New direction electronics
2014
- New gustlass
2010
- New Furlex foresail furler
2008
- Bronze keelbolts drawn, checked, refastened
2001
- Re-wired
2000
- New Z-Spars boom
Mid 1990s
- Replacement composite deck
- Laid teak screwed to epoxy coated marina plywood substrate
 

History

MCGRUER & CO. DESIGN NO. 627
Nurturing client loyalty was a key element in the success of the Scottish yachtbuilders McGruer & Co. through the 20th Century. Many proprietors returned with commissions for their second and even third yachts, crafted in-house: from the 1930s into the late 1960s mostly by James McGruer (***.***.***); then, after the 1968 launching of his last masterpiece yawl, RINAMARA, James became Chairman and passed the draughting curves to his son, George, who added more than a few of his own. The 55 ft ketch CUILAUN (design no. 626) and this seductive and beautifully manufactured fin-and-skeg 38 ft 6 in sloop, launched as MARGUERITA HELENA IV (design no. 627), were George McGruer’s debut Clynder-manufactured vessels. Some debut.
MARGUERITA HELENA IV's proprietor, Chelmsford airscrew designer and aircraft de-icing units manufacturer Thomas E. Godden, was a repeat client whose previous MARGUERITA HELENA III (launched in 1961, better known now as FRENESI) was the second in a line of fine McGruer cruiser-racer 43 ft yawls, with SULE SKERRY (1958), WESTWARD OF CLYNDER (1960) and COIGACH (1963) as her sisters.
Most Scottish yard launchings were springtime, but MARGUERITA HELENA IV - manufactured under Lloyd’s supervision and accorded their highest 100A1 Classification - was completed in December 1969; in time to be trucked to the January 1970 Earl’s Court London International Boat Show where she was awarded “Boat of the Year”, as her older sister had been at the 1961 show. 
At Earl’s Court, MARGUERITA HELENA IV’s matched and splined khaya mahogany topsides planking had been shown-off varnished, and this is how she was launched for the 1970 season, but it is believed that they have been painted since early in her life as this was Godden's preference. The fresh sails were by Ratsey & Lapthorn, and the low in the bar sole-mounted auxiliary motor was a lightweight 2-cylinder 22