Harrison Butler - Z4 For Sale [SOLD]

£3,000

Susannah II our Z4 is now up for sale.

In need of some renovations and TLC, this yacht The Z4 was designed by Dr. Thomas Harrison Butler, MA, DM(Oxon), FRCS (Eng-Honorary), AINA (Honorary), who was born on March 19th 1871. Whilst his profession was an ophthalmologist, he was also an amateur yachtsman and self-taught yacht designer, and a strong believer in the use of the "metacentric shelf formula" to achieve good balance and handling under sail. This theory, the "metacentric shelf" theory, is now regarded as irrelevant, but when applied by Dr. Harrison Butler did produce famously sweet-handling yachts, in an age when the norm was to have heavy weather helm when reaching and heeled. Harrison Butler died in 1945.

The 'Z' four-tonner was one of his best-known designs, this being a production version of his 'Zyklon' design, of which several examples were built The 'Zyklons' are almost identical to the 'Z' 4-tonners, of which at least 52 were built. The "four ton" description being Thames Tonnage, a measure of a ships size calculated by measurements, derived originally from estimating the number of 'tun' barrels of wine a ship could carry. She actually displaces 3.3 tons. The hull lines are similar to those of a Falmouth Quay Punt, although the original Falmouth Quay Punts were bigger, and would be gaff-rigged yawls. The yachts were sold in three versions, an open half-decker, this "standard" version, with conventional coachroof, and a version with the coachroof extended to the hull sides, to give extra space below. Construction is of pitch-pine planking on oak and elm frames and keelson, with steel reinforcing ring frames and knees. Above the waterline the carvel planking seams are splined and glued, and conventionally caulked below the waterline. The original deck planking has been retained, but where originally it would have been (supposedly) leak-proofed with canvas and paint covering, it has on this yacht now been rebuilt with epoxy-glass sheathing over plywood.