Owner’s Description
The motor yacht Gleniffer is a rare surviving example of the evolution of power boats prior to the First World War. Still actively cruising for over a century she remains very close to her original configuration. She was designed by Brewer & McBryde of Vancouver, British Columbia. Commissioned for a Mr. J.D. Small, Gleniffer was built in the shipyard of W.S. Bailey and Company, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong, where she was then loaded onto a British steamer in 1912.
Gleniffer is 40 feet long, has a beam of nine foot six inches, and draws three and a half feet. The hull is constructed of Burma teak, fastened with bronze drift bolts and copper-riveted teak and gum wood frames. Designed as a flush-decked cruiser with a canoe stern, as was the style of the day. She originally had an aft open cockpit with no wheelhouse.
She was designed in a time prior to the First World War, before production yachts, when sailing and steam vessel design was evolving experimentally into motor launches. The racy new yacht became one of the early motor boats of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.
Original power was a 25-40 horsepower Lowe Victor marine engine from the U.S.A.
Gleniffer was part of the cargo on the Blue Funnel Line steamship BELLEROPHON, which sailed between China, Japan, Britain, and the Pacific Northwest. Bellerophon was built in 1906.Bellerophon departed Yokohama on April 27th, 1912 for Victoria, British Columbia (two days after the sinking of the Titanic). Onboard, her cargo included the new teak yacht GLENIFFER as well as steel plates, angles and frames from England consigned for the British Columbia Marine Railway Company in Esquimalt, Victoria. These were for the construction of the new Canadian Pacific Railway steamer PRINCESS MAQUINNA, which, when launched in 1913, went on the west coast of Vancouver Island run successfully serving for forty years.
For decades Gleniffer was an active member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht club, participating extensively in many newsworthy events.
Gleniffer has been powered over the years by a six-cylinder Kermath and a Chrysler Crown, and currently has an SD 33 Chrysler Nissan diesel. There is a wood cookstove in the galley for winter heating. The yacht has custom sand cast bronze details, such as the apron stem cap on the bow. The hull has a section of cast lead ballast scarfed into the keel. Gleniffer can be steered from the aft cockpit using the original cast iron tiller. Down below, there is a mahogany galley counter with drawers, and a Lunenburg Foundry wood cookstove. There is a separate water closet for the sink and toilet. The bow dragons are decorative filigree with respect to her Hong Kong origin.
During the winter of 2019/2020 Gleniffer received extensive upgrades and rebuilding. This was done on the ways in the shop of Abernathy and Gaudin in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia. The hull was strengthened with a complete rebuild of the forward deck and beams. The main deck was re-covered with marine plywood, epoxy and teak strip planks. New sapele covering boards were installed. Patterns were made of the original cast iron handrail stanchions, and these were cast in bronze and fitted with brass rails.
During the summer of 2022 shipwright work continued to replace fresh water and electrolysis degradation. The upper aft stern post, rudder stock timber, aft deck and beams, and the aft sheer clamps were removed and replaced better than new.
Slim and dignified, Gleniffer continues actively cruising into her second century from her home port on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada.
For more information on Gleniffer, please visit her website: www.gleniffer.ca
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6 thoughts on “40' Flush Deck Power Cruiser (1912) - GLENIFFER”
Owner’s Description
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6 thoughts on “40' Flush Deck Power Cruiser (1912) - GLENIFFER”
My dad owned Gleniffer for many years. I was born in 1965 and he bought her around that time. After he passed, I contacted the current owner. I really need to dig through the 100s of photos of dad’s and send them to the current owner. There are so many, it’s a bit overwhelming… *sigh*.
She was moored for years at the WVYC. I have good and vivid childhood memories of her, the bunks, the “crib” on the starboard side that was my bed that eventually became life vest storage when I was too big for the crib, noodling around on the rowboat as a kid, the smells, the sounds, the kerosene lamps, trying to climb up the rope ladder from the water… Nice memories.
You’ve done an amazing job taking care of her, she’s more beautiful than ever and she’s blessed to have such a good custodian.
Ingrid, thank you so very much for your kind words and for sharing your fond memories!
I suspect Gleniffer has positively touched the lives of many ; I will do what I can to see that she continues to do so.
Cheers!
Lookin’ good Captain, a rare bird in fine fettle.
What a lovely boat! Really enjoyed your videos her – you’ve done an amazing amount of work to restore her. Thanks for sharing, hope to cross paths someday in the Gulf Islands!
Lovely. After viewing the video, I wonder if those side stay turnbuckles ought to be inboard of the grab rail. A great boat.
Sure doesn’t leave much of a wake.