From the classifieds: 1960 Custom 26 Gentleman's Cruiser

Here’s a boat that shouts of a bygone era. Built in Cronulla during the ’60s when shipwrights such as Halvorsen turned out some of the most shapely designs that still draw eyes today, this boat is a time capsule on water.

Look inside, and you’ll see carvel construction featuring longitudinal hardwood planking over sawn timber keelson, ribs and floors and stringers with bilge and sheer clamps. 

“The planking is copper clenched to the ribs and has been professionally built and maintained,” its owner says.

“The keel is sheathed in copper and the garboard (the planks lying closest to the keel) seam is secure and without leaks. The hull is in good condition and has been professionally maintained by shipwrights on an annual basis.”

According to its owner, this 7.9-metre vessel, named Audrey, probably started its life as a mackerel or line fishing boat, but has since been converted to a weekender.

“This vessel is the epitome of reliability and simplicity, with just an engine, gearbox and tiller,” its owner says.

Powering it is a 22hp Nanni diesel engine, likely the three-cylinder direct injection diesel, providing a gentle 6-knot top speed and a low 3.0L/h fuel burn rate.

According to its owner, Audrey has recently been slipped, anti-fouled and serviced, with a rebuild of the gearbox two years ago.

Up front in the cabin is a vee-berth, a chemical toilet and what the owner describes as an integrated coolbox.

The boat is fitted with a 9.0-inch Lowrance Hook fishfinder and chartplotter to aid navigation. It will also come with an EPIRB, V-sheet and flares, and three anchors – an “oversized Delta for easy anchoring, an oversized Sarca anchor as secondary, and a reef anchor for reef holding”.

The price of all this nostalgia tied in with real-world cruising practicality? The owner is asking for $33,000, which is cheap considering Audrey’s storied heritage.