Croix des Gardes was designed by the French naval architect Henri Dervin. She was built by the Bonnin in Arcachon in 1947 with timber hidden from the Germans during the Second World War. With 40 mm teak planking and decks and deck structures on an oak backbone and frames she is a powerful cruising boat. Dervin is well known in France for his smaller Kurum and La Sereine as well as his book on wooden boat construction.

Croix des Gardes’ history between 1947 and the 1970s is vague and her name when launched has not yet been traced. She was previously called  the "Voie Lactée" when owned by a senior figure at Nestlé and then renamed “Croix des Gardes” by Jean Carré. He looked after her from 1970 until his death in 1975.

She was restored in part in 1993-94 at the Cantieri di Imperia, when a new ford diesel was fitted, along with some less than flattering vinyl headlining. Passing on to a Swiss owner, she was mooring Palma and under his stewardship had a new transom, stem and mast between 2001 and 2006. Initially spied by her current BCYC owner in Palma in 2005, she finally changed ownership in 2007.

Rather battered by the Mediterranean sun, she was trucked to northern France, before being sailed back to Ipswich and moved to a barn near Cambridge for the winter of 2007/08. Over the next six months work fundamental structural work comprised new frames and part of the lower stem, a repayed deck, regalvanised floors, return of the forepeak to the original design and a more modern galley. She was relaunched in June 2008 in time for the East Coast Classics at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, and is now based on the Orwell. The restoration is expected to continue for the next few years. Modern systems will be integrated while retaining her traditional layout and original mahogany panelling where possible.

She has an appealing divided layout with accommodation separated from the working cockpit area. The doghouse is accessed from the cockpit and houses a full size chart table, the navigation and electrical systems and two passage quarter berths. The main accommodation is accessed from the main companionway aft of the mast and a forehatch over the original crew’s quarters. Set up for family cruising, the young crew have the crew’s quarters, with the owner’s cabin aft, and the galley and saloon between. Numerous skylights give good light below deck and ventilation when the weather is warm enough.

photograph by Peter Mumford. Beken

 

YACHT DESCRIPTION

 

Owner:	Dr James Kelman
Designer:	Henri Dervin
Class:	One Off
Year Designed:	1946
Year Built:	1947
Builder:	Bonnin Arcachon
LOA:  15.3 m 50.3 ft LOD: 15.3 m xx ft Beam: 3.0 m 11.9 ft Draft: 2.3 m 7.9 ft LWL: 11.6 m 38 ft
LOD/WL Ratio:	xxx
Displacement:	19 tonnes
Thames Measurement:	23.42
Hull Material:	Teak
Hull Construction:	Carvel
Hull Frames:	Oak
Rudder:	Keel Hung
Sail Material:	Dacron
Deck & Superstructure:	Teak
Superstructure Profile:	Coach and Dog
Interior:	Mahogany
Steering:	Tiller
Transom:	Counter
Rig:	Bermudan Cutter
Engine Make:	Ford
Engine HP:	52
Engine Mounted:	xxx
Propeller:	Offset
Propeller Blades:	3
Mast Material:	Oregon Pine
Mast Configuration:	Twin spreaders
Keel Configuration:	Long
Keel Material:	Iron