Wendy Woo

(ex Spindrift of Beaulieu)

An Invited Friend of The Harrison Butler Association
Built by David Hillyard in 1965

Wendy Woo : Due To Go On Sale, May 2018
Woodenships, the Dartmouth based brokerage, last successfully sold Wendy Woo in January 2017. Since then the new owner, Marianne Dissard, has seen her writing career blossom and has decided that Wendy Woo needs to be sold due to the resulting lack of time to look after a wooden boat. So, some advanced notice that this big 20 ton Hillyard will soon be available through Wooden Ships once again. Last time round they wrote, “She's one the larger boats in the Hillyard range yet she keeps the same design format of a centre cockpit, aft cabin, large saloon and further sleeping accommodation forward. This was the fourth Hillyard for the original owner and he specified some significant improvements on the standard build including teak for the bright work instead of mahogany, perhaps the only post war Hillyard to have this, improved interior joinery and a taller rig for better performance. Given a major refit in present ownership including new rigging and sails, new engine, complete cosmetic refit and all new equipment. She is now an extremely smart and well found yacht, complete with everything required on a cruising yacht and ready to sail away. She has a superb sheltered cockpit, not as deep as most Hillyards but far more comfortable making her very safe at sea and a deck saloon with all round visibility and comfortable seating. The ketch rig is easily handled by a small crew and the addition of modern winches and roller furling head sails make life very easy at sea. There are so many features on this boat which make her the ideal cruising yacht which shows that David Hillyard was a very clever yacht designer who was forging ahead in the industry and laying down markers that would last for many years”.
She was briefly renamed Spindrift of Beaulieu around 2009, but almost immediately reverted to her original name.

Wendy Woo Statistics
Built : 1965 by David Hillyard at Littlehampton, England
LOA : 42' 0"
LWL : 36' 5"
Beam : 11' 7"
Draught : 5' 6"
Displacement : 20 tons TM
Lloyd's Register : N° 307360
Signal Letters : MIDU

Wendy Woo Custodians & Home Ports
Marianne Dissard (2017, 2018...) Ramsgate
Nicholas Gray (?-2014-2017) Kent
Ralph Howick (2009-?) Brighton
Sir David Mansel Lewis KCVO (1992-2009) Burry Port, Wales
Mr & Mrs R Howick (1976-1980-?) Littlehampton 
G Hookings (1975) Falmouth
HF Thomas (?-1966-1974) Falmouth

The late Sir David Mansel Lewis with Wendy Woo in the background.
Sir David's first boat was a Harrison Butler Z4; I've yet to determine which.
In 1971 he bought Nandhi, a 12 ton Hillyard sloop.
In 1992 he 'upgraded' to the 20 ton Wendy Woo.

Wendy Woo Links
• Wendy Woo For Sale with Woodenships, last time round, August 2016

Page last updated : April 2018

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