Yet | National Historic Ships

Registration number 1498

Status Registered

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Details

Function Fishing Vessel

Subfunction Dredger

Location Faversham

Vessel type Smack - Oyster

Current use Private use

Available to hire No

Available for excursions No

Construction

Builder Aldous & Sons, Brightlingsea

Built in 1898

Hull material Wood

Rig Gaff Cutter

Number of decks 1

Number of masts 1

Propulsion Motor

Boiler type None

Boilermaker None

Dimensions

Breadth: Beam

10.00 feet (3.05m)

Depth

4.98 feet (1.52m)

Length: Overall

35.97 feet (10.97m)

History

CK469 YET, smack, built by Aldous of Brightlingsea in 1898. Lloyd's Register 12372. LOA 36ft, MB 10ft, DR 5ft, 10.2 tons. Hull is carvel built of pine on oak fastened with iron nails. Hull has pointed bow with plumb straight stem, and counter stern. Has one timber mast rigged as a cutter with gaff sails. YET spent the first 30 years of her life as a working smack based on the Essex Coast mainly on the river Colne. The previous owner purchased YET in December 1938 and owned her for more than 60 years.

In 2000, she was bought by Marion and Barry Tester and subsequently fully rebuilt by their son, boat builder Dan Tester, at their yard at Hollowshore, Faversham, Kent. She was relaunched in 2023, attending her first race a week later at the Swale Match.

YET has been nominated in the Restored Sailing Vessel under 40ft (12.2m) category at the 2025 Classic Boat Awards.

Key dates

1898
Built by Aldous of Brightlingsea for use as a working smack based on the Essex Coast mainly on the river Colne
1938
Purchased by Frank Knights for use as a private leisure craft
1998
Frank Knights completed 60 years of ownership of YET