Gaff-Rigged Schooner

A rare opportunity to own a unique piece of maritime history with proven seaworthiness and timeless appeal.

Owner Comments:

'Paradox' was built of native hardwood (chengal, balanocarpus heimii sp.) in Malaya in 1940 as a motor supply vessel and worked in that capacity until c.1968 when she was brought as deck cargo to the UK. The hull shape (e.g. the vertical stem) suggests that she was designed by a European, but some elements of the workmanship and some features (e.g. the form of the stern: elliptical from an upswept counter) suggest a native Malaysian input. Traces of navy grey paint revealed during cleaning and strengthening of the beam clamp/shelf in the engine compartment in 2005 may have been the first paint applied to the hull soon after commissioning (which raises the interesting point as to whose navy?) The local tradition seems to be to use fish and like oils only on hulls built in chengal. Balanocarpus has a class 1 hardness rating and has a life expectancy in use of >40 years above ground and >25 years in the ground. There are 100 year old examples which have been used as railway sleepers and it is described as being commonly used for structural members requiring high strength and durability, railway sleepers, wharf and bridge constructions, poles, piles, mining timbers etc. Knox-Johnston's Suhaili, the first vessel to be sailed single-handed non-stop around the world, was built entirely of this timber. The tree is now practically extinct in some areas in which it was formerly common but it is still in strictly controlled use in Malaysia itself.

Survey reports show the substantial nature of her construction, this timber only seeming to have been used throughout the original hull. There was though an oak-for-chengal plank replacement to the stern of the vessel by Alan Williams at St.Osyth Boatyard in 1992. There was too replacement of a small (60mm x 300 mm between lands on adjacent ribs) damaged section of 35 mm. hull planking, under Williams' supervision in 2005. This work suggested that the hull between frames, planking, and ceiling midships had been lined with a cork/pitch (or similar) compound, so it may be that he vessel had been used to carry fish or other goods needing insulation at some point in its career.

After arrival in the UK, the vessel became the subject of a writ served on the then owner. This was subsequently redeemed and the vessel lay at Woodrolfe's yard, Tollesbury for some years. The oak decking and teak/oak cabin housings/superstructure were made by Aldous of Brightlingsea and at some point subsequently she was converted to schooner rig (the original pre-SSR DOT registration papers describe her as a ketch.) She was rigged to the design and under the supervision of James Lawrence at Brightlingsea who also made the sails. The present owner has added a flying jib, foretopsail, and fisherman's topsail to Lawrence's original inventory (jib, forestaysail, foresail, main staysail, mainsail, main topsail).

The engine, a Ford 2715 type, was bought new from Lansing Marine and fitted in Essex. It has been maintained and run at intervals of 2/3 weeks normally when not in use and has been used regularly during the season. The vessel was subsequently based at St.Osyth Boatyard and was described by Woodrolfe's (who brokered the sale) as 'having cruised extensively in the North Sea area'. All the suggestions for remedial or maintenance work suggested by Tony Tucker in his 2004/5 survey have now been completed by the owner and the vessel is in commission and regularly maintained.