She underwent a significant restoration in south Devon, and in 2004 began cruising in Europe – you can see where she’s been on the ‘Travels’ page.

Ruda is carvel built with pitch pine planking on oak frames, and with teak deck and superstructure. She was fitted with twin Ailsa Craig RF2 16-24hp 4-stroke diesels which for the first eighty years of her life powered her along at a cruising speed of around 6 – 7 knots. Her hull and deck, as well as her teak and Honduras mahogany interior are almost entirely original.

History

Ruda (Lloyd’s official number 166177) was built in 1938 at the yard of H T Stow in Shoreham, W. Sussex as the first boat of their newly designed ‘Adur’ Class of cruiser. She was exhibited at the London Boat Show and was offered for sale at £2,800 (a boat built to the same design but fitted with petrol engines could be ordered for £2,300).

When she was launched at the end of the 1930’s it could have been said that Ruda was nothing remarkable. Indeed, she may even have looked a little old-fashioned when compared with the other hopefuls lined up along the banks of the River Thames for the 1938 London Boat Show. True, she was fitted with electric lighting and could boast a pair of the latest, high-speed diesel engines but everything else, from the rake of her straight stem to her stern, dark interior was decidedly unadventurous. Whatever the reason, Ruda returned home to Shoreham un-sold.

In June 1940 Ruda was requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport, although there is no evidence that she participated in the Dunkirk evacuation. In 1941 she entered service with the Royal Navy to help patrol Britain’s coastline. When hostilities ceased, she was bought back by the yard and had a series of private owners (see ‘History’ section) before being purchased in 1995 by the present owner.