Adela
The schooner ADELA was built in steel/timber composite in 1903. Designed by W.C. Storey and built by J.G.Fay & Co of Northam, Southampton, she represented as was then called in the yachting press 'one of the finest schooners afloat'. Apparently she was a good yacht which was awarded by winning the Kaiser's Cup, shortly after launching. Her construction was heavy duty and her interior accommodation represented the best available in those days.
Many interesting details went into her interior design. ADELA was used by her owner, Mr. Claude Thornton Cayley, for extensive racing and cruising till the outbreak of the war in 1914. In 1924 Sir Henry Seymour King bought ADELA and renamed her HEARTSEASE. At this time the rather baroque, dark mahogany panelled saloon was replaced with the much lighter coloured sycamore wood, combined with fabric panelling.
In 1933 an 87 HP Gardner diesel was installed, with a chain drive to an offset propeller. Sir Seymour died in that year and since then HEARTSEASE has had a number of owners, but her sailing days were gone.From 1937 till 1950 the yacht was laid up in a mud berth at the Aldous Shipyard in Brightlingsea.
Subsequently she was then moved to Foilesbury (near Harwich), the masts were taken out and the lead ballast cut off. She served as a houseboat for 17 years to the Blott family and was well taken care of during this period. In 1967 HEARTSEASE was winched out of her mud berth and moved to Lowestoft with the intention of restoring her and to become part of the charter fleet in the West Indies. In 1971 Wing Commander and mrs. Waller took over, not only the ownership but also the restoration programme. An engine room and engine were fitted in the aft stateroom (ladies cabin).
A low, easy to handle three mast rig replaced the two mast schooner rig and 30 tons, steel box, ballast keel was fitted to replace the lost 62 tons cast lead keel. The planned refit did not fully materialise and the work completed was more, in reality, a preserving - then a refit job.
After having been on the market for a substantial number of years the yacht was acquired by a new owner towards the end of 1992 with the intention to put HEARTSEASE back into shape and sail her again, after a forced rest of more than half a century. The yacht was filled with floatation air bags and towed from Lowestoft to Falmouth where the rebuild was taken in hand by Pendennis Shipyard.
A survey revealed that the condition was such that, to do a proper rebuild job, all the structural steel parts and most of the planking of the hull would have to be replaced. Also deck planking and superstructures were in poor condition. A new keel was needed to support the taller schooner rig and a new engine room was needed to accommodate modern propulsion and system requirements. At the same time it was decided not to rebuild in steel/timber composite, but in steel. Profile and freeboard of the yacht above the waterline was strictly adhered to, but volume underwater was increased to allow for modern systems and accommodation requirements. Styling of deck joinery and interior joinery was carefully copied and parts of the original were used as much as was possible. The gaff schooner rig was replaced by a taller Bermudan schooner rig such as was sported at the turn of the century by some of ADELA's sisters. Bowsprit length and overhang aft of the main boom were maintained, but the gaff foresail has been replaced with a wishbone foresail in an attempt to improve performance and promote ease of handling. The underwater profile was changed to the same concept as was designed in 1991 for the refit of the three mast schooner ADIX.
The vessel was launched on April 17th, 1995, to start her new life under sail, again as ADELA.
For a list of all our designs and refits please check our Yachtlist / list of Designs Dykstra & Partners
Many interesting details went into her interior design. ADELA was used by her owner, Mr. Claude Thornton Cayley, for extensive racing and cruising till the outbreak of the war in 1914. In 1924 Sir Henry Seymour King bought ADELA and renamed her HEARTSEASE. At this time the rather baroque, dark mahogany panelled saloon was replaced with the much lighter coloured sycamore wood, combined with fabric panelling.
In 1933 an 87 HP Gardner diesel was installed, with a chain drive to an offset propeller. Sir Seymour died in that year and since then HEARTSEASE has had a number of owners, but her sailing days were gone.From 1937 till 1950 the yacht was laid up in a mud berth at the Aldous Shipyard in Brightlingsea.
Subsequently she was then moved to Foilesbury (near Harwich), the masts were taken out and the lead ballast cut off. She served as a houseboat for 17 years to the Blott family and was well taken care of during this period. In 1967 HEARTSEASE was winched out of her mud berth and moved to Lowestoft with the intention of restoring her and to become part of the charter fleet in the West Indies. In 1971 Wing Commander and mrs. Waller took over, not only the ownership but also the restoration programme. An engine room and engine were fitted in the aft stateroom (ladies cabin).
A low, easy to handle three mast rig replaced the two mast schooner rig and 30 tons, steel box, ballast keel was fitted to replace the lost 62 tons cast lead keel. The planned refit did not fully materialise and the work completed was more, in reality, a preserving - then a refit job.
After having been on the market for a substantial number of years the yacht was acquired by a new owner towards the end of 1992 with the intention to put HEARTSEASE back into shape and sail her again, after a forced rest of more than half a century. The yacht was filled with floatation air bags and towed from Lowestoft to Falmouth where the rebuild was taken in hand by Pendennis Shipyard.
A survey revealed that the condition was such that, to do a proper rebuild job, all the structural steel parts and most of the planking of the hull would have to be replaced. Also deck planking and superstructures were in poor condition. A new keel was needed to support the taller schooner rig and a new engine room was needed to accommodate modern propulsion and system requirements. At the same time it was decided not to rebuild in steel/timber composite, but in steel. Profile and freeboard of the yacht above the waterline was strictly adhered to, but volume underwater was increased to allow for modern systems and accommodation requirements. Styling of deck joinery and interior joinery was carefully copied and parts of the original were used as much as was possible. The gaff schooner rig was replaced by a taller Bermudan schooner rig such as was sported at the turn of the century by some of ADELA's sisters. Bowsprit length and overhang aft of the main boom were maintained, but the gaff foresail has been replaced with a wishbone foresail in an attempt to improve performance and promote ease of handling. The underwater profile was changed to the same concept as was designed in 1991 for the refit of the three mast schooner ADIX.
The vessel was launched on April 17th, 1995, to start her new life under sail, again as ADELA.
For a list of all our designs and refits please check our Yachtlist / list of Designs Dykstra & Partners
