Custom Luke Powell Pilot Cutter

HESPER is a new replica of an Isles of Scilly pilot cutter, and the seventh of eleven similar boats built in the UK by the king of Pilot Cutters; Luke Powell.  She is designed for speed, comfort, and to be handled by a small crew.

Launched in 2004, she was designed as a comfortable and spacious boat that could be cruised easily by two or a capable young family. Her rig is traditional but simple in design and can be reefed easily. The jib is on a continuous furler for easy stowage after a sail. Her systems are simple but more than adequate with a new gas stove in the galley, new diesel engine installed in 2023, secondary chart plotter in the nav station and other updated systems in the last two years.  

HESPER has cruised from the UK to the Azores, to the Arctic Circle, from the Baltic to Ireland and since coming to the US, has most recently visited Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Any new owner can be well assured of the sailing qualities and range of this boat.

HESPER is one the most well-presented and best equipped pilot cutters afloat. She is a stunning yacht in immaculate, absolutely sound, and turn-key condition.  And not to mention possibly the fastest of all the pilot cutters Luke Powell has built!

SPECIFICATIONS:

Length on Deck             44.6’

Length overall                60’

Waterline Length           38’'

Beam                              13’

Draft                               7’6”

Engine                            65hp Nanni (New in 2023)

Build date                       2004

Berths                             6 + 2 settee berths.

Displacement                 20 tons

 

CONSTRUCTION:

Hull

Hull construction is of bronze screw fastened 1 5/8” larch planking with 1 3/4” oak used in the top three hull strakes. Closely spaced double sawn oak frames are bronze riveted together and joined to grown oak floors across the Opepe keel with bronze bolts.  The 4-ton external ballast keel is lead, fastened with bronze bolts. An additional 3 tons of internal lead ballast is securely fastened in the bilges. 

During the 2023 refit HESPER’s sternpost was replaced with Oak at a reputable yard in Maine. The hull is incredibly solid, well built, and in perfect condition. 

Decks and cockpit

HESPER’s wide un-cluttered decks provide comfort and ease of sailing. Decks are straight laid, bronze fastened Opepe, traditionally caulked and finished with TDS.  The cockpit is self draining and comfortable with 12” Garmin chart plotter in plain sight to guide you.  All sheets lead back to the four cockpit winches for ease of handling. 

Bulwarks are on oak stanchions passing through the cover boards and topped with a heavy cap rail and cleats for mooring lines. The bulwarks are high enough to give protection from seas and provide a sense of security when on deck.

Tiller steering to a large oak rudder post and keel hung rudder.  

Superstructure

Small coach roof with white painted solid wood coamings with bronze opening portholes and a straight laid Opepe coachroof deck. A varnished scuddle hatch mounted on the coachroof for access below via the companionway.  Louvered washboard and a spare solid bad weather set of drop boards close up the companionway. Forward of the coachroof is a beautiful varnished opening skylight providing superb light and ventilation to the main saloon.  There is a conventional hatch forward for access to the fore peak. 

Rig

Completely refurbished in 2025, the powerful gaff cutter rig flies from a solid Douglas fir keel stepped mast with a fidded top mast.  Douglas fir bowsprit, (can be run in for docking in tight spaces,) boom and gaff with leathered oak jaws.  The spars were originally varnished and have been painted to reduce maintenance

The well maintained standing rigging is traditional galvanized wire, parceled and served then painted with Stockholm tar and varnish.  The lower ends are seized around Lignum Vitae deadeyes with lanyards to external galvanized chainplates.  Running backstays on tackles. All removed and serviced in the winter of 2024/25.

All metal mast and deck fittings are in galvanized steel.

The mainsheet comes to a galvanized horse fixed to the horn timbers and the tail is taken to cavel cleats on the bulwarks..

All running rigging has been replaced in 2024 with New England ropes died 3 strand spun polyester line. Ash blocks throughout.

Sails

The sails are in very good condition. A new Jib and Jib tops’l have one season on them. The main, built by  James Lawrence sail makers in Brightlingsea Essex was built in 2015 but is in very good condition. The topsails and staysail are all in similar condition with plenty of life in them. 

Winches

All winches are bronze Lewmar self tailing.

2 x Lewmar 58 primaries

2 x Lewmar 48 secondaries

2 x Lewmar 50 mast winches mounted on the boom for reefing.

 

MACHINERY

Engine

A new 2023 65 hp Nanni diesel engine coupled to a rebuilt Hurth gearbox with single lever control via an Aquadrive unit and thrust bearing to a centerline stainless steel shaft and a 3 blade bronze propeller set in a rudder aperture.  6 knots cruising speed, 7.5 knots max. 

Batteries

2 x 12V 8D AGM domestic batteries.

1 X 12V 4D AGM domestic battery.

1 x 12V 105ah engine start battery.

Charging from three sources; shore power charging via a 60A Victron charger unit, when the main engine is running, a 120 amp alternator to charge the engine and domestic battery banks. Battery crossover switches for all circuits.

Tanks

Stainless steel tanks located outboard either side of the engine with a total capacity of 145 gallons.  A Racor 500 filter, three way valve control which tank the diesel is pumped from and to giving total control of the fuel system.

Stainless steel water tanks either side in the saloon with a total capacity of approximately 80 gallons.   New carbon and secondary filters coupled to a new 65psi 12v electric pump and pressure tank provide ample fresh water.

An electric seawater pump provides water to the galley sink for washing and also to the new Jabsco electric toilet in the head. (yes, there is a backflow valve)

Whale Gusher manual bilge pump and 2 automatic electric bilge pumps with high water alarm. 

All seacocks are Blakes in cast bronze.

 

ACCOMMODATION

Berths

6 berths plus the saloon settees.  All cushions and mattresses have been replaced in the last three years. 

Double quarter berth to starboard, pilot berth to port and four single births forward. .

Saloon

Large and comfortable below with freshly painted bulkheads and varnished oak trim.  Hesper has just had a cosmetic refit down below and is now looking absolutely superb.  With lots of headroom even under the beams between the coachroof and skylight, the saloon has comfortable seating for 6 around the centreline varnished oak drop leaf table and lots of storage lockers, especially under the pilot birth behind the port settee. A new Newport diesel cabin heater mounted on hand painted Portuguese tile on port bulkhead provides good heat below. Bronze electric light fittings and brass switches throughout.

Steps down over the sound insulated engine box from the companionway straight into the vary spacious and well laid out  galley area to port.  To starboard is a forward facing full sized chart desk with all the electronics and navigation instruments. Red LED night-time sailing interior lights. Generous shelving for books in the saloon and at the nav station.

Forward of the main saloon is a passageway to starboard of the mast with the sail/gear locker to starboard and the head to port.

Throughout the interior the sole boards are simple yet effective scrubbed larch boards.

There is a 6 gallon Isotherm hot water heater run off the engine that heats up quickly when the engine is on. 

Huge lazarette aft to port for storage of all gear.

Heads

Separate heads compartment to port with a new Jabsco electric flush head with a full sized porcelain bowl. Large stainless steel black water holding tank to starboard under the gear locker with manual discharge overboard and deck pumpout point. The pull out faucet head provides a hot freshwater rinse into the GRP shower tray which drains to a grey water sump tank and empties automatically overboard. Built in cupboard and shelving.

Galley

L-shape galley with double stainless sinks and a gimballed GN Enspace levant three burner stove with oven and broiler behind a crash/handle-bar. Top loading Waeco fridge/freezer and stainless steel worktops. Large cupboards under. The sinks have taps for pressurised hot and cold fresh water, sea water and filtered drinking water, all supplied by the 12V electric pumps. Discreet and effective LED lighting

Good storage behind the galley under the deckhead plus lockers underneath and drawers and open shelving at hand.

 Equipment

Ritchie Globemaster steering compass

Garmin VHF

Garmin chart plotters

Furuno A150 AIS

Garmin radar

AquaSignal navigation lights all with LED lamps

Lifering and throw rope

Offshore Flare pack

Offshore medical kits

110lb Bruce anchor, 70lb folding P.E Luke fisherman anchor,

200’ of ½” chain x2 one rhode for each anchor

Lewmar 3000 electric anchor windlass

Catspaw clinker built sailing dinghy with sail,rig and oars

Fenders

Mooring warps

Mainsail cover

Skylight cover

 

RECENT WORK:

 

Winter of 2023:

   -New sternpost and 28 new planks aft. 

   -New 65 hp Nanni diesel. 

 

Winter/ spring of 2024 when I purchased the vessel: 

     -Replaced all running rigging with New England spun polyester died three strand lines. 

     -New stainless galley stove pan

     -Cleaned and painted all vertical bulkheads in the interior

     -New salon cushions as well as pilot birth and double quarter birth mattresses. 

     -Electrical system simplified and made more efficient (more work needs to be done)  

     -New Dickinson Newport diesel cabin heater and tile heat backing.

 

Winter of 24/25

     -Entire rig pulled and painted/varnished.

     -New wiring in the mast and spreader lights were added. 

     -Upper ends of all shrouds were stripped and inspected. 

     -All upper ends were re-served and leathered. 

     -Seizings were replaced where needed. 

     -Propeller reconditioned

     -Hull painted with Epifanes (black hull) and easypoxy on all the (white) surfaces. 

     -New sheet leads routed into the deck

     -All varnish got 4 coats. 

     -New Jib and Jib top (Oceanus)

     -Main sail was re-roped with 5/8 spun polyester line. 

     -All sails in good or new condition.