Custom Cutter

Red Robin (1939)
Beam: 8' 9"
Draught: 6' 7"
Designed by H.S. Rouse, Vice-Commodore of the Hong Kong Yacht Club, who had raced yachts of his own design in 1928-9 against the pioneering yacht designer John Illingworth, who was then serving as a Lt Cdr with the Royal Navy's submarine flotilla and racing his gaff yawl Queen Bee. In those halcyon years, before the outbreak of the Second World War and the end of empire, "Uncle Rouse", as Illingworth called him, designed a series of fast cruising yachts for men on the China Station.
But when the smoke of war had cleared and the British Empire was gone, only ten Rouse yachts were still listed in Lloyds 1959 Register of Yachts. Thanks to Chinese craftsmanship, two of them were to become very famous in the post-war era and at least half a dozen have survived into the second millennium.
The best known of the Rouse yachts has been Tzu Hang, the 46 foot ketch, built by Hop Kee in 1938. She survived fifteen years of world cruising in the hands of Miles and Beryl Smeeton and underwent a terrifying pitchpoling and later capsize off Cape Horn in 1956.
Then there was Rouse's own 47 foot cutter, Golden Dragon, completed in 1938 at Wing On Shing yard, and raced in Europe after the war. Sailing off the Crouch in 1970, she won the Houghton Cup, Britain's oldest offshore race. Golden Dragon was eventually owned by the naval historian Dudley Pope, author of the Lord Ramage novels
 
We have owned Red Robin for approximately 9 years and sadly the time has come to find her a new custodian. During our ownership we have undertaken major restoration work including replacement Keel Bolts and Galvernised Floors. 
Red is Teak on Oak frames and is overbuilt to a very high specification. 
She is ready to be used and enjoyed but as with any wooden boat there is room for improvement. She would benefit from a Hull repaint, some interior improvements and a new suit of sails plus running rigging. 
She is a wonderful cruising boat and benefits from an unusually large cabin for a 35ft classic boat; she was clearly designed for someone over 6ft tall. A great Family classic Sailing Boat capable of blue water cruising and competitive sailing. 
We are open to all sensible offers and welcome any questions.