Cheverton 'CARAVEL' brief history.
In 1949 the young designer David Cheverton entered a Yachting World design competition for a 'People's Boat'
His entry, 'Quiver', won second prize and so impressed local gynaecologist Dr J J O'Donaghue that he commissioned a boat to be built to the design.
This craft was completed in 1958 and became the first Caravel (Mk l) and others were built at the firm's premises at West Medina Mills, the old cement works near Cowes.
A Caravel was exhibited at the Olympia Boat show in 1959 and the design went into limited production.
As ever the designer thought up improvements and by the 1962 Earls Court Boat Show the Mk ll was exhibited incorporating a three-quarter rig and a laminated coach roof with raised doghouse.
Many of these successful craft were built but fashions changed and in 1964 the Mk lll was introduced using the same hull. The rig reverted to masthead as in the original Mk l design.
Only two or three Mk lll craft were built as shortly after her introduction swingeing VAT was applied to leisure craft and the firm switched its production to commercial craft and became known as Cheverton Workboats.
Apart from file copies of sales brochures sadly very few records of these craft have survived. The boats were too small to feature in Lloyds Register of Yachts of the day and due to Keith Beken's non-availability on extended overseas trips at this time the company commissioned local photographer Roger Smith to take most of their pictures afloat.
Efforts to trace Roger or his library proved futile a year ago.
P Methold 11.5.10
Mk I 1958-1961:
LOA 22'10", beam 7'5", Sail area 228 sq ft.
Masthead rig 4½ tons TM with flush coachroof, four berths and (usually) inboard auxiliary engine
The Mk I was built using the conventional carvel method. African mahogany was used for the planking with caulked seems on oak ribs.
LOA 22'10", beam 7'5", Sail area 228 sq ft.
Masthead rig 4½ tons TM with flush coachroof, four berths and (usually) inboard auxiliary engine
The Mk I was built using the conventional carvel method. African mahogany was used for the planking with caulked seems on oak ribs.
Cheverton Caravel MKII
Eddie Mays Photography
Some of the brochures for the Caravels.
Mk ll 1961 - 1964
LOA
LWL.
Beam
Draft
Displacement
Ballast
Headroom (max)
Berths (total)
Sail area
Three quarter rig with alloy mast, 5 tons TM with raised doghouse, four berths and inboard auxiliary (normally diesel Volvo-Penta MD1)
LOA
LWL.
Beam
Draft
Displacement
Ballast
Headroom (max)
Berths (total)
Sail area
Three quarter rig with alloy mast, 5 tons TM with raised doghouse, four berths and inboard auxiliary (normally diesel Volvo-Penta MD1)
Cheverton Caravel MKI
Construction.
The MkII and MkIII was built using the strip plank edge-on-edge method. Kiln dried African mahogany was used with a maximum moisture content of 13%.. The planks were glued and edge nailed through two and into the third with galvanised nails. Frames were laminated African mahogany, again glued with Resorcinol glue - the best available at the time. After fairing up the hulls were coated with Epoxy paint inside and out, to preserve the watertight integrity, before final painting
A feature of Cheverton boats was that any wood screws used in hull construction were silicon bronze to eliminate the risk of de-zincifation which occurred with brass screws.
All plywood used in the construction was mahogany faced marine ply to BSS 1088, again the best available at the time.
The MkII and MkIII was built using the strip plank edge-on-edge method. Kiln dried African mahogany was used with a maximum moisture content of 13%.. The planks were glued and edge nailed through two and into the third with galvanised nails. Frames were laminated African mahogany, again glued with Resorcinol glue - the best available at the time. After fairing up the hulls were coated with Epoxy paint inside and out, to preserve the watertight integrity, before final painting
A feature of Cheverton boats was that any wood screws used in hull construction were silicon bronze to eliminate the risk of de-zincifation which occurred with brass screws.
All plywood used in the construction was mahogany faced marine ply to BSS 1088, again the best available at the time.
Mk lll - 1964 onwards.
LOA 24'9", Beam 8', sail area 271 sq ft
Masthead rig with alloy spars, 6 tons TM with raised doghouse, four berths and auxiliary inboard.
LOA 24'9", Beam 8', sail area 271 sq ft
Masthead rig with alloy spars, 6 tons TM with raised doghouse, four berths and auxiliary inboard.
Double tap to edit
Construction.
The MkII and MkIII was built using the strip plank edge-on-edge method. Kiln dried African mahogany was used with a maximum moisture content of 13%.. The planks were glued and edge nailed through two and into the third with galvanised nails. Frames were laminated African mahogany, again glued with Resorcinol glue - the best available at the time. After fairing up the hulls were coated with Epoxy paint inside and out, to preserve the watertight integrity, before final painting
A feature of Cheverton boats was that any wood screws used in hull construction were silicon bronze to eliminate the risk of de-zincifation which occurred with brass screws.
All plywood used in the construction was mahogany faced marine ply to BSS 1088, again the best available at the time.
The MkII and MkIII was built using the strip plank edge-on-edge method. Kiln dried African mahogany was used with a maximum moisture content of 13%.. The planks were glued and edge nailed through two and into the third with galvanised nails. Frames were laminated African mahogany, again glued with Resorcinol glue - the best available at the time. After fairing up the hulls were coated with Epoxy paint inside and out, to preserve the watertight integrity, before final painting
A feature of Cheverton boats was that any wood screws used in hull construction were silicon bronze to eliminate the risk of de-zincifation which occurred with brass screws.
All plywood used in the construction was mahogany faced marine ply to BSS 1088, again the best available at the time.
Cheverton 'CARAVEL' brief history.
In 1949 the young designer David Cheverton entered a Yachting World design competition for a 'People's Boat'
His entry, 'Quiver', won second prize and so impressed local gynaecologist Dr J J O'Donaghue that he commissioned a boat to be built to the design.
This craft was completed in 1958 and became the first Caravel (Mk l) and others were built at the firm's premises at West Medina Mills, the old cement works near Cowes.
A Caravel was exhibited at the Olympia Boat show in 1959 and the design went into limited production.
As ever the designer thought up improvements and by the 1962 Earls Court Boat Show the Mk ll was exhibited incorporating a three-quarter rig and a laminated coach roof with raised doghouse.
Many of these successful craft were built but fashions changed and in 1964 the Mk lll was introduced using the same hull. The rig reverted to masthead as in the original Mk l design.
Only two or three Mk lll craft were built as shortly after her introduction swingeing VAT was applied to leisure craft and the firm switched its production to commercial craft and became known as Cheverton Workboats.
Apart from file copies of sales brochures sadly very few records of these craft have survived. The boats were too small to feature in Lloyds Register of Yachts of the day and due to Keith Beken's non-availability on extended overseas trips at this time the company commissioned local photographer Roger Smith to take most of their pictures afloat.
Efforts to trace Roger or his library proved futile a year ago.
P Methold 11.5.10
Some of the brochures for the Caravels.
24'6"
19'
8'
3'8"
3 tons
2700 Ibs
5'8"
4
267 sq ft
Cheverton Caravel MKIII
Cheverton
