Telephone: 44 (0) 1243 572551
Mobile: 44 (0) 7901 900442
E Mail: gordon@gordoncurrey.com

Captain Currey Brokerage est 1948

for Specialist Fairey & Classic Boat Sales

Huntress 23 - picture 1
Huntress 23 - picture 2
Huntress 23 - picture 3
Huntress 23 - picture 4
Huntress 23 - picture 5
Huntress 23 - picture 6
Huntress 23 - picture 7
Huntress 23 - picture 8

Huntress 23


                              Fairey Huntress 23ft

LOA                        23ft

Beam                     8’ 3”

Draft:                     2’ 10”

Build No:               33    Early 1960's

Hull & Deck:          Hot  Moulded & Marine Plywood

Model:                   Ray Hunt  design:     ‘Huntress’

Builder:                 Fairey Marine, Hamble, Hants


Design  & Construction
Fairey  Marine Hot  moulded  shell  with marine plywood scantlings.   The world famous deep Vee hull form was the brainchild of Raymond Hunt pre second world war and spotted by Charles Currey & Colin Chichester Smith out on long Island sound whilst sailing, in summer 1938.

With advent of Fairey Marine's success with dinghies,  it was decided to enter the fledgling powerboat market in mid 1950's.  Ray Hunts design was brought over and the Huntress was born.  A lack of suitable engines held back the project, but the new Perkins six cylinder running on diesel oil along with the latest Borg Warner Velvet drive gearbox, adapted from the fork lift  truck, suddenly made the planning Huntress 23ft fast launch a 'must' for the rich & famous of the day afloat.

Constructed using the unique hot moulded Fairey Hull (shell) system of laminations (veneers) using 2.5mm thick Agba (Cola Blanka, - a type of mahogany from Portuguese west Africa, with the correct low resin content for gluing & veneering). The shell had different thickness of veneers on the bottom and top sides, in the case of Naval boats this was increased to give a more robust hull.

These veneers were stapled individually to a wood block mould, as layers progressed the staples were removed and glue applied, the hull is continuous from gunwale to gunwale around the keel. A thick rubber bag was placed over the assembled shell and pushed into an autoclave (oven). Steam was applied to the sealed oven at 100 deg C, the pressure on the bag forced the veneers together giving good contact, the Bordon Chemical special glue was activated by the temperature and after only 30 minutes, the 'cured' hull was removed. The dinghies Albacore, Firefly, Falcon & Duckling required only 20 minutes being fewer lamination's.


Scantlings & Cabin
Standard Fairey Huntress for her year.


Machinery
Volvo TAMD 41D   200HP.     She has been re-engined, with a modern Volvo six cylinder marine engine and Volvo marine gearbox, both models adequate for a Huntress. The engine has been run ashore periodically during her laid up years.


Trailer- included 
Purpose made trailer, ball hitch.  Current owners say the wheels,brakes & bearings have been serviced.


Summary
Hull number 33, very original boat, with the great advantage of a modern marine Volvo diesel engine & gearbox.  The current owner was in the middle of a refit, when sadly advancing years stopped completion. She has a full file of ships papers & history, also engine manuals.    Included is a 1996 survey by Rossiter's of Christchurch on their purchase.   

She has been in the family dry boathouse undercover for some years and is a perfect opportunity to buy a finishing project Huntress - very much what is called 'a rare barn find'.

Viewing is by arrangement, but no restrictions on which day of the week, within reason 




Designed
& Built by