For sale – A rare opportunity to buy a 22 ft o.a traditional Stroma Yahl. A brand new, ready-to-launch, classic sailing boat with an inboard engine. Built by legendary traditional Scottish boat builder Peter Matheson on Clydeside, Glasgow, inspired by The Aegre, a Shetland boat that was sailed from NW Scotland to the South Pacific in 1973-4.
Hello, my name is Peter Matheson. I am a professional boat builder and have built over 170 boats, ranging in size from six feet to a 42-foot Murray Peterson Schooner. (Flower of Caithness), trawlers and fishing boats as well. Many of them were based on the double-enders common to the northern waters of Scotland—safe, seaworthy boats.
I built the American Lady over a period of more than two years on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow. I based this vessel on a boat which was built in Wick, Caithness, not far from my then home in Scarfskerry on the shores of the Pentland Firth.
The boat, which was built in Wick by a Shetland boatbuilder and was, I believe, influenced by the local ‘Stroma’ yahls, was The Aegre. A vessel which was written about in Nicholas Grainger’s fantastic book ‘The Voyage of the Aegre’. This story and this boat inspired me to build the American Lady.
The Aegre voyage, which took the boat from the North of Scotland across the Atlantic, the Caribbean and most of the way across the Pacific to American Samoa, has proved that these vessels must be amongst the best sea boats for their size in the world. The voyage was a much bigger undertaking than the much-publicised Captain Bly or Ernest Shackleton’s voyages
I built the American Lady in a workshop that was constructed for me by French volunteers, after my original workshop was destroyed by fire.
These young French people built this replacement workshop for me and did not charge anything for their labour. This kind gesture allowed me to continue building these traditional boats. Local well-wishers and friends of my daughter replaced all my equipment. Herself a skipper of one of my boats.
The American Lady is based on the lines of The Aegre, but her beam has been increased by around 12 inches to give more room for fishing
The American Lady has been built on a 4-inch sided by 7-inch moulded keel stem and sternposts. There are heavy aprons fitted to the stem and to the sternposts. All these are bolted with bronze bolts. Bolts through the floors are 316 Stainless steel. The nails holding the garboard on are heavy bronze Gripfast Nails as are the nails in the hood ends of the planks. Planking is of a rather heavy 3/4 inch Larch. Framing is 2 inch by 2 inch at 16 inch or so centres and is bolted through the 2 inch by 2 inch bilge keels. The boat is designed to work off a beach if required
Although the hull of the American Lady was inspired by and based on The Aegre, the layout on board is that of a Danish Eel drifter from about 1900. But without the wet well. A ‘Yanmar’ diesel engine has replaced this well, and there is a small cabin forward to enable the crew to make a meal. The coach roof provides seating for fishing by rod, etc.
The deck is supported by a framework of beams and is decked with Pitch Pine a very durable wood.
At the side of the main deck is the wash strake. This is about 5 inches high and prevents anything going over the side. It also increases the freeboard. This strake is capped with a hardwood rail. There is a small cockpit right aft for when the boat is sailing. Hardwood capping surrounds both this cockpit and the main cockpit. There are hardwood posts both fore and aft for mooring the boat. She will also be fitted with a bowsprit. The blocks will be made in the workshop. as will all of the rigging.
The hatch is quite large and gives easy access to the cabin. The cabin has opening windows at the back which will give access to the instruments which will include Plotter. Radar. Fish finder and V.H.F.. There will be a small cooker in the cabin and two bunks are fitted. There is not a lot of room. Steps are provided from the cockpit floor up to the main deck and down to the cabin.
The larch is homegrown. Most of the hardwood used in the construction is ‘Cherry wood’. This has been varnished, as has the main hatch.
I’m not very good at drawing, but the diagram below shows the general layout. The mast is a bit further forward than shown. The boat would be ideal for someone interested in experimenting with fishing gear, fishing and of course sailing. She might interest someone in Denmark, there are a lot of such boats there. Most are a bit bigger. I spent a lot of time in Denmark and seen many similar boats.
The sailing rig (a boomed standing lug mainsail with inner jib and flying jib set on a bowsprit), is identical to The Aegre (see diagram). The mast and spars are of American Douglas Fir which as with most of our wood is imported.
The sails which are made with measurements from The Aegre, come from China. High quality and a fair price. Half the British price and a superior quality.
This rig served Nick and his lady very well whilst sailing The Aegre halfway round the world.
These boats are unique and are clearly very safe and seaworthy. They have proved themselves over hundreds of years and thousands of miles. Nick Grainger and The Aegre have certainly proved their seaworthiness.
American Lady:
- Length overall (excluding bowsprit) 22 ft
- Beam: 8 ft 2 in
- Draught (Anticipated): 3 ft
- Planking: ¾ in Larch
- Frames: Larch (oversize)
- Deck: Pitch Pine
- Bilge keels: 2 in x 2 in
- Cabin and hardwood used elsewhere: Cherry
- Mast and spars: Douglas Fir
- Engine: New Yanmar diesel, 2 cylinder, 16 horsepower
- Rig: Sloop with boomed standing lug mainsail, jib and flying jib (set on bowsprit)
- Sails: Dacron
The vessel is suitable for light trawling, angling etc. as well as being suitable for long distance sailing.
Offers are invited for the American Lady in the order of £35,000.
Peter the boatbuilder
For further information and to make Peter an offer for the American Lady, please get in touch with Peter at clydesideboatbuilders@yahoo.co.uk
View a short video introduction to Peter Matheson here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qov5CR72Q8
An extensive photographic record of the building of the American Lady can be viewed here. https://nicholasgrainger.com.au/the-aegre-inspires-a-new-build/
Listen to Peter Matheson and his building assistant Murray Morrant being interviewed by Nick Grainger, broadcast on Sunny G Radio in Govan, Glasgow, 24 Sept 2024. https://www.mixcloud.com/SunnyG103/book-boat-24-sept-2024/
Learn more about Clydeside Traditional Boatbuilders here https://www.facebook.com/p/Clydeside-Traditional-Boatbuilders-100039790637233/
