Boat of the Year - Elliott 1600 Tourer offered for sale by original owners

Celadon - an Elliot 60 reaching in light airs © Photo supplied

Greg Elliott's Tourer series are some of the most sought-after boats in New Zealand and the world. For cruising - be it coastal or trans-oceanic - they are as good as yachts get. They're sailor's boats. Perhaps one of the best examples of the Tourer series is Celadon, a 1600 that won Boating NZ magazine's Boat of the Year 2009.

Elliott has designed some of the world's most renowned racing yachts including the Transatlantic record-setter Mari Cha and Syndey-Hobart legends Maximus, Ragamuffin and Loyal. With his Tourer series, Greg mixes this performance pedigree with the level cruising comfort only found on pilothouse yachts - a formula that gives real ocean-going performance with full cruising amenities.

Celadon is a brilliant sailing yacht, perfectly set up for short handed coastal or oceanic sailing. - photo © Celadon

An added attraction of the pilothouse configuration is that it gives both protection from the elements and a voluminous lounging area. The Tourer series is designed to take full advantage of this by integrating the cockpit and pilothouse on a similar level, creating a natural indoor-outdoor flow and delivers a stunning 360-degree view outside whilst seated inside the saloon.

The Elliott 1600 Tourer is a luxurious, performance, pilothouse, offshore cruising yacht easily handled by two people. Every step has been taken to remove any stress that might usually be associated with a boat this size. Owners can enjoy the space, pace and luxury of a big boat, without any of the hassles that come with sail handling, anchoring or marina manoeuvring in a craft in the 50-foot range.

Celadon has a motoring range of 850nm. - photo © Celadon

The mainsail, genoa and gennaker are all deployed and tucked away by furling - so being shorthanded doesn't mean missing out on making the most of some brilliant sailing conditions. There are eight buttons at each helm station, allowing the helmsman - or woman - to control the main, genoa, vang and backstay without moving from the steering wheel.

For getting in and out of tight spots or marina berths, the bow thruster is deployed. When it's not in use, the thruster swings up into a cavity, neatly sealed over with a section to match the hull shape, so it doesn't impact at all on the yacht's hydrodynamics.

The mainsail easily raised and lowered from the cockpit using the Leisurefurl boom. - photo © Celadon

Another cleverly moving underwater appendage is the lifting keel. When anchoring, the keel can be lifted hydraulically, reducing the draft down to just 2m so that she can get as close to the beach as most 40 footers. But when sailing, the keel bulb can be lowered to achieve a draft of 3.5m. The beauty of this is that it makes her light but very powerful - there are plenty of 55-foot race yachts that wish they weighed 14.5 tons with a 3.5m draf

One of the most integral yet subtle pieces of equipment onboard is the exceptionally clever and accurate compass and wind instrumentation. These quickly and precisely read what the breeze and the boat are doing and feed a simple set of instructions to the autohelm. The result is that - much like a good human helmsperson - the autopilot can keep the yacht on course by making only the smallest adjustments, making for smooth sailing and less wear and tear on the gear.

The walkthrough cockpit has large storage lockers on both sides. - photo © Celadon

Finding a yacht of this size that has been better maintained than Celadon is a tough ask. She was commissioned and owned by a two-family syndicate that includes Richard Macallister, Whitbread sailor and owner and founder of marine supply company Kiwi Yachting, and his wife, Isabel. The Macalisters have been in partnership with Chris Urry, NZ representative in the Soling at the 1976 Olympics and his wife, Sally.

Being owned by a syndicate, especially one of such experienced and fastidious sailors means that upgrades to equipment and regular maintenance have always been taken care of because the time and monetary investment was shared.

The deck plan is uncluttered and well presented. - photo © Celadon

Celadon's purpose is for comfortable and enjoyable coastal or offshore cruising and she has the interior to fit the bill. As is signature with the Elliott Tourer range, the main saloon flows aft into the large cockpit area and out through the open transom, all on one level. The saloon is light, bright and airy, with a 360-degree windscreen and overhead hatch windows. The interior is finished in white semigloss and clear coated teak floors.

Celadon's saloon features the classic pilothouse 360 degree windows - photo © Celadon

Entertaining and dining are easily handled at the spacious dining area, which easily seats six. Opposite is the navigation station and large galley with full-size gas oven, four-burner stovetop, fridge, freezer and trash compactor - none of the usual hassle with long passages aboard, it's like being at home.

Accommodation is enough to sleep eight. To port, a double quarter-berth with washbasin and head. And amidships are two cabins with twin bunks to starboard and a double berth to port. The owner's cabin is in the bow with a double v berth, sharing a shower and head with the two mid-ships cabins.

Celadon is a remarkable vessel, truly one of the best set up performance cruising yachts of her size in the world.

Price: NZ$1,150,000 inc GST enquiries to enquiries to Chris Urry (joint owner) phone +6427 496 8843

Dimensions

Length O.A.: 16.40 m / 5310"'

Beam: 4.78 m / 15'8"

Draft: 2.0/3.5 m / 6'7"/11'6"

Displacement: 14500 kg

Performance

Maximum speed: 10.5 knots

Cruising speed: 8 knots

Fuel consumption: 6 l/hour

Range: 850 nm @ 8.5 knots

Rigging

Rig: Fractional sloop

Masts: Carbon fibre from New Zealand Rigging

Furling: Navtec Leisurefurl boom & Navtec Facnor el furler

Sails: Evolution mainsail, genoa, staysail, Code Zero & MPS Sail area: 80 + 58 m2

Winches: Lewmar

Keel: Lifting keel

Machinery

Engines: Yanmar 110 hp

Engine hours: 1000

Generators: Northern Lights (new 2018)

Generator hours: Circa 200

Propulsion Steering: Lewmar whitlock Twin wheel wire steering

Propellers: 3-bladed Max prop

Gearbox: Yanmar

Auxiliary Equipment

Bow thruster: RMC Swingthruster

Water maker: HRO

Black/grey water system: Sealand

Tankage

Fuel: 620 l

Consumption (approx): 6 lph @ 8.5 knots approx.

Fresh water: 620 l

Grey water: NA

Black water: 108 l

Electrical System Batteries: 24V

Voltage: 12v start and 12 and 12 v house (new 2021)

Shore power: Yes

Inverter: Yes

Navigation Equipment

Depth sounder: Nexus

Autopilot: Nexus

GPS: Nexus

Instrumentation system - Wind, ship speed, water temperature: Nexus NXR

Communication and Satellite Equipment

EPIRB: 406 VHF: Ocean Signal RescueMe

VHF hand held radio: Nexus NX1000

Entertainment Equipment

TV/ DVD: Majestic Flat screen TV

Music system: Majestic

Stereo / CD/DVD player

Domestic Appliances, Equipment and Laundry

Refrigerator: Isotherm

Freezer: Isotherm

Oven: Force 10 - gas

Stove: Force 10 4 burner - gas

Trash compactor: Insinkerator

Accommodation

8 guests in 4 cabins

All interior panels, doors, cabins, galley, bathroom and shower are painted with white semi gloss Polyurethane paint. Clear finished teak timber floor in saloon and cabins with rubber tiled floor in shower and bathroom.

Deck Equipment Anchors: 25 kg Delta with 30m 10mm chain & 55m nylon rope

Windlass: Lewmar V4

Passarelle: No

Bathing ladder: Yes

Winches: Lewmar - 1 x 64 electric, 1x 64, 2 x 54 & 2 x 48

Price: NZ$1,150,000 inc GST enquiries to Chris Urry (joint owner) phone +6427 496 8843