Remarks :
The One Off Designed Classic wooden yacht “Idle Duck” for sale in Kent.
“Idle Duck” is a unique One Off vessel which offers four berths in two cabins, with some home comforts that include a marine sea toilet, a holding tank with pump out facility, a pressurised hot and cold water system and a log burning stove. With her fine lines and wide side decks, “Idle Duck” feels like a real “little ship”.
“Idle Duck” is a notable traditionally built wooden yacht designed by Maurice Griffiths. This boat has a rich history, having undergone significant restoration work between 2006 and 2010 at Alan Staley's Yard in Faversham Creek, Restoration works included complete re-decking and new coach roof with new planking and new beams and a complete re wire of the vessel.
Please call our Kent – Chatham Office +44 (0)1634 571605 for further information or to arrange a viewing.
Accommodation :
Accommodating up to four individuals across two cabins, this Classic Traditional built Yacht does not disappoint below decks. Idle Duck boasts generous headroom of approximately six feet throughout ensuring a spacious feel. The forepeak offers two generous V berths with under berth storage and overhead portlights allowing lots of natural light. Moving aft of the forepeak to the starboard side is a small heads compartment, equipped with a marine toilet, which can be directed overboard or to the black water holding tank which has a pump out facility. There is a sink mounted in a vanity unit with a shower attachment both of which are supplied with hot and cold pressurised water. Hot water is supplied via a Calorifier water tank that is heated by the engine. Opposite the heads to port is a wardrobe / wet hanging locker.
The main saloon offers comfortable seating to both port and starboard, both have ample storage areas above and below and seamlessly convert to single berths with lee cloth’s. The centralised keel box forms part of the support for the drop leaf saloon table with a butterfly opening deck light above. A small floor mounted log burning stove to starboard provides ample heat when needed. There are portlights installed in the raised cabin sides at head height providing ample natural light.
The Galley is located on the port side within the saloon, consisting of a stainless-steel sink with a pressurised hot and cold water faucet, countertop mounted fridge, a Taylor 2-burner Paraffin hob with oven and grill, 1 x 240 – Volt socket and ample storage for cooking utensils and provisions.
The Galley work top can be extended via a drop down surface which lays over the engine cover.
The engine cover and companion way steps are all removable and can be dismantled easily giving excellent access to the engine maintenance points.
To the starboard side of the companion way steps is the location for the batteries and their control system. The main On / Off Isolators and emergency battery linking switches are mounted on a panel for ease of access below the mains battery charger. There is a large navigation station to the aft starboard side of the saloon with ample storage drawers including chart storage. Above the chart table is all the switch gear and fusing for the vessel. There is a wiring plan for all the systems on board for future reference. The Navigation instruments are mounted in this area for easy viewing while on passage or for planning.
Stepping out of the companionway, you'll be greeted by a large aft cockpit, with bench seating to both port and starboard particularly spacious for a boat of this size. There is ample storage under both cockpit seating hatches for the essential equipment ensuring that there is a clear working area when under way. Steering is via the impressive Tiller and the engine controls are mounted on the port side of the cockpit locker. Engine stop is via the Stop cable under the port locker lid.
Inventory :
Deck Equipment:
- Anchor – Vulcan 20Kg.
- Kedge Anchor - stored in Aft locker rigged for deployment.
- Windlass – -Anchor Lift – Electric & Manual
- Mainsail cover - Valeted in 2025
- Full Coverage Cockpit Awning
- Various Mooring warps.
- 8 x Fenders
Navigation Equipment:
- Steering compass - Sowester Bosun - Cockpit Mounted
- Repeater Instruments mounted in cockpit
- TRI Transducer
- Electronic compass
- GPS Antenna
- Depth – NASA Clipper
- Speed log. – NASA Clipper
- Meteoman - NASA
- AIS – Comar CSB200 AIS Transponder
- Windspeed and direction - Nasa Clipper - Mast Mounted Transducer
- VHF Radio – Silva - Mast-mounted VHF Antenna
- GPS / Chartplotter – Standard Horizon CP300 with UK Coverage, Electronic Chart Installed
- Autopilot – Simrad TP32
- Navtex - With mast-mounted antenna
- Navigation Lights - Mast and Deck Level
- Anchor Light
- Deck Light
- All Instrumentation is Interfaced via an NDC-4 NMEA 0183 Multiplexer.
Safety Equipment:
- Handheld Loud Hailer
- Handheld Fog Horn
- 3 x Fire Extinguishers
- 1 x Engine Room Fire Extinguisher
- 1 x Carbon Monoxide alarm
- 2 x Horseshoe Lifebuoys
- 2 x Safety harnesses
- 1 x Throw line
- 1 x Radar reflector
- 1 x Manual Bilge Pump
- 3 x Auto/Manual Electric Bilge Pumps
- 1 x Clock and Barometer.
- 1 x Hand Bearing Compass
Additional Inventory:
- 1 x Walker Bay Tender and Oars
- 1 x Bosun Chair
- 1 x Hose Pipe
- 1 x Re Chargeable Torch
Keel/Hull:
- Displacement hull with a centre board, external keel and transom-hung rudder.
History & Construction:
Idle Duck Is a Maurice Griffiths One Off Classic designed yacht. Maurice explained its conception in a three page article reprinted by Yachting Monthly in July 1973. Built in 1962 by James Miller & Sons, a Scottish Yard renowned for their high standard in constructing Yachts and Fishing boats. The monohull has a Carvel constructed hull which is heavily built using 1 3/8”Iroko planks fastened with copper roves over 2” x 1 1/2” English Oak frames closely spaced at 7”centres with 2 1/2” x 3/8” Bronze floor frames at every 3rd frame. The outside lead ballasted centre board keel weighs about 2.35 tons and when raised gives the yacht a draft of 3’ 6” and 6’ 3” when fully down. It can be raised and lowered from the cockpit. Only a small part of the case protrudes in the cabin sole and forms part of the support for the drop leaf table. The case also has a small hatch in the top above the water line which can be opened while afloat to give access to the lifting tackle or to force the board down to clear mud or stones after lying aground. There is a preventer system built in which in the unlikely event of a shackle or pendant failure the board cannot swing right down and be damaged or lost.
The yacht now has a masthead Bermudan Sloop rig with wooden spars supported by all Stainless steel stays. The vessel benefits from a furling headsail, Slab reefing main sail rigged with lazy jacks and stack pack. There is a substantial wooden bow sprit supported between mooring posts which provides secure storage for the main anchor and gives the foredeck a purposeful appearance.
The current owners enlisted the skills of shipwright Alan Staley based at his yard at Faversham Creek (Kent) in 2006 - 2010 to complete a major restoration and upgrade of Idle Duck with no expense spared shortly after they purchased her. The work involved the sympathetic remodelling of the coach roof and cockpit which involved the installation of new beams, a butterfly opening hatch, a complete new deck and repairs to the hull planking. Once launched the boat was rewired and modernised with new navigation and safety equipment. This yacht captured the hearts of many classic enthusiasts as they watched her restoration. Additional photos of Idle Duck as it is today can be viewed along with those covering the full restoration when viewing the vessel or on the brokers web site.There is also a copy of the Yachting Monthly article available on request.
Below decks the accommodation is straight forward with a traditional fine finish and plenty of space for living quarters for four people with standing headroom throughout. The cabin feels light and airy with ample room for people to relax around the table for meals and drinks in the evenings.
The Perkins 4.107 diesel engine can give a fair 7 knots, and carries enough fuel for approximately 50 hours running at a cruising speed of 6 knots.
Marine Insurance:
As one the UK’s largest Brokers with over 700 boats for sale we can introduce you to Boat Insurance providers that offer all types of Boat Insurance including insurance for Yachts, Sailing Boats, Motor Cruisers, Narrowboats, Inland Waterway Craft, Barges, Houseboats, Speedboats, Rigid Inflatable Boats, Waterski Boats, Jet Skis, Personal Watercraft and Dinghies.
Just click on the following link to request an insurance quote for this boat or your current boat: www.networkyachtbrokerskent.co.uk/marineinsurance/
Mechanical :
Spars & Sails:
Mast Head Bermudan rig with a Single spreader wooden mast and boom, stainless steel standing rigging, Terylene Mainsail with slab reefing lazy Jacks, Stacker pack and a roller furling headsail.
Winches:
2 x Sheet Winches – Gibb 8CR
2 x Halyard Winches – Barlow
2 x Cockpit mounted Coaming Winches – Barlow
Sails:
1 x Mainsail - Good Condition, Last Valeted April 2025
1 x Furling Head Sail - Good Condition, Last Valeted April 2025
1 x Boom Cover - Good Condition, Last Valeted April 2025
Additional Sails:
1 x Hank on Jib - Age unknown, useable condition
1 x Spare Mainsail - Age unknown, useable condition
1 x Spare Head Sail - Age unknown, useable condition
Mechanical Systems:
Propelling Idle Duck is a single 4-cylinder 36hp Perkins 4.107 diesel engine, paired with a shaft-driven fixed propeller and controlled by a single lever Morse control mounted in the cockpit. Engine Instruments and Ignition are mounted on front bulk head at forward end of cockpit.
Electrical Systems:
There are five 12-volt Lead Acid Batteries, One assigned solely for the engine starting and three 110 Ah Domestic Batteries Plus an additional battery mounted at the bow for the Anchor windlass. Charging for all the batteries is supplied from the engine alternator which has been modified for use with a Sterling external regulator, solar panel and charge regulator, and a Shore Power 240v 20amp battery charger. Isolation and the charge distribution is managed via the VSR relay system. The State of Charge for all batteries is monitored at the Navigation station via two NASA BM 1 + 2 battery monitors. This Yacht also benefits from a Shore power 240-Volt ring main with sockets in the saloon and forepeak.