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Are these the 8 most beautiful classic sailing yachts of all time?

Moonbeam of fife iii, 1903.

The 30 metre, gaff cutter Moonbeam of Fife III epitomises beautiful classic yachts at their finest. Launched in 1903, Moonbeam of Fife is still going strong on the classic yacht regatta circuit despite being more than a hundred years old. The William Fife-designed yacht is constructed in wood with an oak hull and superstructure, while her interior joinery is well-kept mahogany. The historical yacht Moonbeam of Fife III is currently for sale .

Tuiga, 1909

Built by the renowned William Fife shipyard in Fairlie on the Clyde estuary in Scotland, Tuiga was commissioned by the Duke of Medinaceli, a close friend of the King of Spain, Alfonso XIII, and has had 10 owners in 106 years. HSH Prince Albert II decided to buy her in 1995.  Tuiga  has been participating in classic yacht regattas ever since and is now the flagship of the Yacht Club de Monaco, crewed by YCM members.

Mariette, 1915

The classic 42 metre twin-masted schooner _ Mariette of 1915  _was built by Herreshoff in the United States 100 years ago. Age has not withered her, but  Mariette of 1915  has undergone a few refits in the Pendennis yard at Falmouth in recent years: in 2010 and again in 2012 in preparation for the Pendennis Cup, in which she took first prize in the St Petroc Traditional Class as well as being crowned overall winner. In 2014 she returned to Falmouth once more for minor works.

Creole, 1927

Now owned by the Gucci family, this beautiful wooden schooner has had a colourful history. Commissioned by wealthy American Alan Cochran and launched in 1927,  Creole  has had a number of different owners and also been called Vira. When she was known as  Magic Circle , she was transformed into a minesweeper during the Second World War, having previously competed in a number of regattas and attended previous America’s Cup events. In the 1970s she was used by the Danish government for sailing training in the rehabilitation of drug addicts before being bought by the Gucci family in 1983.

Endeavour, 1934

Arguably the world’s most famous J Class,  Endeavour  was the British challenger in the 1934 America’s Cup , but was beaten by the Harold Vanderbilt-owned Rainbow . Endeavour was commissioned by Sir T.O.M. Sopwith, who was keen to ensure that this yacht was the most advanced design possible. With his experience designing aircraft, Sopwith applied aviation technology to Endeavour ’s rig and winches and spared nothing to make her the finest vessel of her day.

She swept through the British racing fleet and into the hearts of yachtsmen around the world, winning many races in her first season. Though she did not win the America's Cup she came closer to doing so than any other challenger.

Since 1934, she has often led a perilous existence, even being sold to a scrap merchant in 1947 only to be saved by another buyer hours before her demolition was due to begin. In 1984, American yachtswoman Elizabeth Meyer bought Endeavour and she was transformed and rebuilt by Royal Huisman. Endeavour sailed again on June 22, 1989, for the first time in 52 years. J Class yacht  Endeavour  is now for sale .

Elena, 1910

In 1910, Morton Plant commissioned 55 metre  Elena to be designed by American naval architect Nathanael Herreshoff, the so-called “Wizard of Bristol”, who made his name designing sailing yachts for America’s elite. Plant's brief was to the point: he wanted a schooner “that can win”.

Herreshoff gave Elena a slightly deeper keel than preceding designs of that time, lowering her centre of ballast, which improved her windward ability. Elena won most of her early races against the cream of the American schooner fleet and in 1928 came her crowning glory, victory in the Transatlantic Race. In 2009, she was rebuilt using the original plans for the first Elena.

Black Swan, 1899

Originally designed by Charles Nicholson and built in 1899 at Camper and Nicholson in Gosport, England, Black Swan started life as Brynhild with a yawl rig. She won a number of races at the beginning of the 20th century, including the King’s Cup. Over the years, she has undergone several changes and different rig configurations, and at one stage she was renamed Changrilla . She was rechristened Black Swan in the 1960s and, today, after an extensive restoration project at the Beconcini yard in La Spezia, Italy, she is now carrying a gaff-rig, designed by the Faggioni Yacht Design Studio and built by Harry Spencer.

Mariquita, 1911

Another beautiful classic yacht from Fife, Mariquita was launched in 1911. The 38.16 metre sailing yacht was designed and built for the industrialist Arthur Stothert. As part of the 19 metre Big Class racing that re-emerged in 1911, this gaff-rigged cutter is said to have inspired the J Class yachts that came after her.

She raced competitively against her brethren from 1911-1913, but by the 1950s, Mariquita was the last in the 19 metre class remaining. She was restored in 1991 and received a further refit in 2004. A star on the classic yacht racing scene, Mariquita is now for sale .

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Zaoli Classic

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Tuiga is one of the very few remaining 15-Metres designed following the International Rule. She was designed by William Fife in 1908 and launched the following year in his shipyard for the for the Duke of Medinacelli, who wanted to race together with other noblemen against the King of Spain Alfonso XIII. When the outbreak of World War I cut the racing season short, and then their class was soon cancelled, the 15-Metres fell into degradation and abandonment much sooner than other yachts.

Tuiga was sold just after the end of the war, and then she underwent several changes of ownership and name. In 1935, under the name Kismet she ended up first in real time at the Fastnet race, that was won by Stormy Weather. She was then brought to Scotland where she stayed far from the theatre of World War II, thus avoiding destruction and seizure.

However, when she was brought to the Mediterranean Sea in the early 1970s to be used as a charter yacht, she had changed beyond recognition. In 1989 she was finally brought to the English shipyard Fairle Restoration, specializing in the restoration of Fife yachts, and when she came out four years later she had regained her original beauty, even if the interior layout and furnishing were altered. Today she is the flagship of Yacht Club de Monaco.

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Is this the finest classic yacht of all time?

The finest classic yacht of all time? Stupid question of course, but fun to try to answer it. Here, from CB300, is our best classic ever

This article is taken from CB300.  Subscribe here

We’re sat around a table after lunch, small black coffee to hand, and the idea comes to mind that for our 300th issue (June 2013) we should feature the ultimate classic boat, writes Dan Houston . And of course the idea is a bit mad – ah, I admit it was mine; how can you take one boat, one design, from out of the pantheon of so much beauty and floating grace and say she’s the best? To those who love working boats it will be different to those whose predilection is for a small steamboat…

But while this issue celebrates the diversity of classic boats of all sizes and provenance we are going to say that for us, at this point in time, the 1909 Fife design Tuiga – well she’s got to be the all-time classic. The 15-M gaff cutter exudes a grace under sail that can take your breath away and her lines in harbour perform some kind of massage to the eyes; her lofty rig is all about the transference of power into speed; her deck furniture and the simplicity of fittings there – no winches – speak of the seamanship of a bygone era. In fact it’s the very simplicity of her look that draws you in. It seems to have a narrative quality as you stare and begin to work out how it would be to sail such a boat.

Of course many boats have these attributes; an Essex Smack will create similar feelings. But Tuiga is here not just for her superlative looks. She was one of the first boats to be restored to sail at a time when plastic yachting had all but taken over. She has stood, both sailing and in-harbour, as a bastion of living history that says it doesn’t all have to be of the modern age; she helped to create the breadth of the classic boating movement. There was a kind of collective gasp that went around the world when she came out of the yard at Fairlie Restorations on the Hamble in 1993. How could so much beauty be resurrected? She was perfect, she was strong and to prove it she soon had Eric Tabarly, scion of both the old and new worlds of sailing, attentively holding her tiller in places like Cannes and Monaco, racing her like a thoroughbred till metaphorically the veins were standing out… on pretty much everyone involved.

Gracing the Nioulargue I was a reader then and I kept that June ’93 issue, number 60 – it’s on the desk now 20 years later. She appeared in magazines from Yokohama to the Costa Brava, proclaiming to a wider audience of would-be aesthetes that something was afoot at places like those races around the Nioulargue Buoy of St Tropez. And of course soon photos of her were zinging brightly through the soft optic cables of the newly established internet and it all became a bit more democratic.

It’s also that very accessibility that brings Tuiga to the fore. After all she is one of four 15-Metres, along with The Lady Anne , Hispania and Mariska . Tuiga was restored by the visionary classic car and yacht enthusiast Albert Obrist. She was the first boat to be restored by the newly-founded Fairlie Restorations – but Obrist passed her to the Yacht Club de Monaco after two years and since 1995 she has been sailed by club members. This means that technically there has been easier access to her than other boats of her like and it’s hard to think of any boat which has been run like that and has had so much impact over such a long period. But of course we’ll run your letters – we welcome them!

Tuiga celebrated her centenary in 2009 with celebrations and felicitations, which included some paintings by Jack Vettriano and a lavish square book by Drs Daniel Charles and Wm Collier; John Leather (posthumously), and Ian Nicolson. In it Albert Obrist relates how he appreciates craftsmanship: “I still don’t know anything about sailing, but what I like is the beauty of an object,” says the Swiss bottle cap billionaire who sold his collection of 65 restored Ferraris to Bernie Ecclestone in the late 1990s.

Obrist had already restored Altair , the Wm Fife schooner credited as starting the classic yachting renaissance in the late 1980s, when he came across Tuiga , then advertised in Yachting World for a ‘quick’ sale, in Cyprus in 1989. By then she had a bermudan rig with a furling headsail; she had belonged to a Greek couple whose planned circumnavigation had stalled. The boat was tired. She already had a very long history, including time being owned by the yacht fittings designer JS Highfield in the 1920s, renamed as Dorina . Highfield used her to perfect his famous lever, for setting running backstays correctly, equipping just one side to compare its advantages on the older block-and-tackle system.

William Collier recalls meeting Albert Obrist after he had bought Tuiga . “He wanted me to meet Duncan Walker (now heading the newly founded Fairlie Restorations) but at that stage he was stormbound on the Portuguese coast!”

Extreme Cutter Tuiga was rebuilt at the newly-founded Fairlie Restorations by craftsmen from the Southampton Yacht Services team which had restored Altair. She is a “desperately important” boat according to Collier, who now runs GL Watson in Liverpool. “Albert Obrist thought she was the only 15 left in existence but we knew about Hispania and The Lady Anne – so that started the dream, which recently came true of re-establishing the 15-Metre class (CB283). For years she was the only big cutter around apart from Moonbeam III .

“And she’s an extreme cutter. We had to learn to sail her without winches [it takes the whole crew – often 16 people – to hoist her 2,066sqft (192m²) 397lb (180kg) mainsail] and people were astonished when they saw that; it really did have a huge impact. Then I think Eric Tabarly said she was his favourite boat and it went on.

“Another important aspect of Tuiga ’s restoration is that she is semi-composite and no-one was proposing restoring boats like that back then. She has a steel frame for every two out of American red elm. People thought we were mad, and suggested laminating in wooden frames but Obrist was a purist and so she had all new steel frames. And 20 years on she’s proved that it could be done and it was worth doing,” Collier adds.

Tuiga was the star of the 1993 Nioulargue race where she glid past the fine-lined Moonbeam III . And later with the YCM she has taken her message of classic purism further afield. “She’s been a wonderful ambassador for us,” says Bernard d’Alessandri, YCM’s manager, who often helms Tuiga in races.

“She combines a conservative image with something more dynamic and sporting which makes her a good choice for the club. And she’s not as expensive as a modern boat to run. We don’t change the sails every year, as with a modern boat – she doesn’t need new experimental keels… For maintenance she comes out of the water for a month every spring. And then we sail her every week from the end of April until after the St Tropez regatta in October.

“She has a permanent paid captain (Nicolas Rouit) and is sailed by members of the club who can commit some time, but she’s a dayboat for us – we don’t use her offshore or for cruising. But we can take her anywhere; four years ago she went to Rouen and Cowes; last year we shipped her out to Antigua Classics, just for the week of racing and then back, and of course we took her to Cowes for the America’s Cup Jubilee in 2001. That was one of my favourite experiences with her. To be among so many (208) fine classic boats was an incredible thing.”

The sheer, sheer beauty Unfortunately Tuiga is not going to the Clyde for the fourth quinquennial Fife Regatta this June. But organiser Alastair Houston, marine artist, and very likely a distant relation, has known her since her relaunch: “I think she has the most beautiful sheerline of any boat afloat,” he says, adding: “ White Heather II had that same look which is a sheerline with just that right amount of curve. Most Fife boats have it and it’s what makes them so special but Tuiga ’s is just a little more accentuated.

Also it’s allowed to hit you because she has just a toerail, there’s no bulwark in place to detract from the line of the deck meeting the hull planks. It’s the most vital ingredient and it makes her look almost organic. It’s what makes people stop and stare.

“They don’t know why the boat is having that effect, but I do and it’s all because of the perfect clean sheerline – that carries everything. And then you have the details, like the beautifully proportioned deckhouses on top of that and it creates the effect.”

Being lucky enough to have helmed another Fife 15-M – The Lady Anne at one of the Fife Regattas I think the memory will go with me into my box. The boat simply felt alive with energy, her deck seemed to carry a small hum, as though some fabulous propulsive machinery were at work down below, and she surged forward to any increase in wind pressure. One could sense the water sluicing past the rudder, deep below in the darkness of the Clyde and how a nuance of touch would send her head easily up to, or off, the wind.

And Tuiga , from what people say, feels the same. For Bernard d’Alessandri the fact that she can now race with other 15-Ms has made a huge difference: “It’s like match racing and we don’t know who will be the winner because tactics are so important now,” he says. “For me racing the four 15s together at the Monaco Classics in 2011 was just an incredible situation. It was the first time anyone had seen anything like that in more than 100 years. With the relaunching of Hispania in 2010 and Mariska earlier there were four to race at Monaco Classics in 2011. For while The Lady Anne was restored in 1998/9 she was quickly banned from racing (in the Med) because she had carbon fibre laminated inside her hollow wooden mast (CB170).

The Lady Anne ’s carbon was blamed for giving her too much power, evidenced by how she sailed away from Tuiga in some races and she had to cut her rig down and reduce somewhat before she was allowed back into the fold, 10 years after cruising in the wilderness or racing at the Fife Regattas in 2003 and 2008. Most experts agree that of the three 15s Mariska is the least original: “She’s re-engineered into a Third Rule shape to be three tons lighter,” dismisses Duncan Walker. The Lady Anne is very original in terms of her lines but she is basically an all-new boat; Hispania had a new hull but her interior is probably the most original. And Tuiga is probably somewhere in between with some of her original interior but the layout being modified in her restoration.

Issue 60 describes Tuiga ’s restoration and history from when she was built in six months by Fife’s Fairlie yard, number 569, for the Duque de Medinaceli of Santander to race against the King of Spain’s Hispania .

One aspect of the 15-Ms that seems to gain everyone’s respect is how few crew – typically eight – crewed the yachts in their heyday. Even today with upwards of 16 experienced hands on deck, things can get pretty hairy once the wind is up. Dr Patrice Clerc makes this point in the centenary book, citing how a gybe with Eric Tabarly at the helm led to the mainsheet trimmer crewman, none other than Prince Albert, Monaco’s monarch, losing the skin off the palms of his hands as the mainsheet broke free and tore out off his grip while sailing at the Cannes Film Festival. “ Tuiga is a wild bronco who can’t be fooled,” he quips. Yes and she’s fabulous, utterly fabulous.

Dan Houston

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Moonbeam of Fife III, 1903

Built at Fairlie by Fife

The 30 metre, gaff cutter  Moonbeam of Fife III  epitomises beautiful classic yachts at their finest. Launched in 1903,  Moonbeam of Fife  is still going strong on the classic yacht regatta circuit despite being more than a hundred years old. The William Fife-designed yacht is constructed in wood with an oak hull and superstructure, while her interior joinery is well-kept mahogany. The historical yacht  Moonbeam of Fife III  is currently for sale.

Tuiga, 1909

Built by the renowned William Fife shipyard in Fairlie on the Clyde estuary in Scotland,  Tuiga  was commissioned by the Duke of Medinaceli, a close friend of the King of Spain, Alfonso XIII, and has had 10 owners in 106 years. HSH Prince Albert II decided to buy her in 1995.  Tuiga  has been participating in classic yacht regattas ever since and is now the flagship of the Yacht Club de Monaco, crewed by YCM members.

Mariette, 1915

Built by Herreshoff

The classic 42 metre twin-masted schooner _Mariette of 1915 _was built by Herreshoff in the United States 100 years ago. Age has not withered her, but  Mariette of 1915  has undergone a few refits in the Pendennis yard at Falmouth in recent years: in 2010 and again in 2012 in preparation for the Pendennis Cup, in which she took first prize in the St Petroc Traditional Class as well as being crowned overall winner. In 2014 she returned to Falmouth once more for minor works.

Creole, 1927

Built by Camper & Nicholson

Now owned by the Gucci family, this beautiful wooden schooner has had a colourful history. Commissioned by wealthy American Alan Cochran and launched in 1927,   Creole  has had a number of different owners and also been called  Vira.  When she was known as  Magic Circle , she was transformed into a minesweeper during the Second World War, having previously competed in a number of regattas and attended previous America’s Cup events. In the 1970s she was used by the Danish government for sailing training in the rehabilitation of drug addicts before being bought by the Gucci family in 1983.

Endeavour, 1934

Arguably the world’s most famous J Class,   Endeavour  was the British challenger in the 1934 America’s Cup, but was beaten by the Harold Vanderbilt-owned  Rainbow .  Endeavour  was commissioned by Sir T.O.M. Sopwith, who was keen to ensure that this yacht was the most advanced design possible. With his experience designing aircraft, Sopwith applied aviation technology to  Endeavour ’s rig and winches and spared nothing to make her the finest vessel of her day.

She swept through the British racing fleet and into the hearts of yachtsmen around the world, winning many races in her first season. Though she did not win the America’s Cup she came closer to doing so than any other challenger.

Since 1934, she has often led a perilous existence, even being sold to a scrap merchant in 1947 only to be saved by another buyer hours before her demolition was due to begin. In 1984, American yachtswoman Elizabeth Meyer bought  Endeavour  and she was transformed and rebuilt by Royal Huisman.  Endeavour  sailed again on June 22, 1989, for the first time in 52 years. J Class yacht   Endeavour  is now for sale.

Elena, 1910

Built by Herreshof

In 1910, Morton Plant commissioned 55 metre   Elena  to be designed by American naval architect Nathanael Herreshoff, the so-called “Wizard of Bristol”, who made his name designing sailing yachts for America’s elite. Plant’s brief was to the point: he wanted a schooner “that can win”.

Herreshoff gave  Elena  a slightly deeper keel than preceding designs of that time, lowering her centre of ballast, which improved her windward ability.  Elena  won most of her early races against the cream of the American schooner fleet and in 1928 came her crowning glory, victory in the Transatlantic Race. In 2009, she was rebuilt using the original plans for the first  Elena.

Black Swan, 1899

Originally designed by Charles Nicholson and built in 1899 at Camper and Nicholson in Gosport, England,  Black Swan  started life as  Brynhild  with a yawl rig. She won a number of races at the beginning of the 20th century, including the King’s Cup. Over the years, she has undergone several changes and different rig configurations, and at one stage she was renamed  Changrilla . She was rechristened  Black Swan  in the 1960s and, today, after an extensive restoration project at the Beconcini yard in La Spezia, Italy, she is now carrying a gaff-rig, designed by the Faggioni Yacht Design Studio and built by Harry Spencer.

Mariquita, 1911

Built by Fairlie

Another beautiful classic yacht from Fife,  Mariquita  was launched in 1911. The 38.16 metre sailing yacht was designed and built for the industrialist Arthur Stothert. As part of the 19 metre Big Class racing that re-emerged in 1911, this gaff-rigged cutter is said to have inspired the J Class yachts that came after her.

She raced competitively against her brethren from 1911-1913, but by the 1950s,  Mariquita  was the last in the 19 metre class remaining. She was restored in 1991 and received a further refit in 2004. A star on the classic yacht racing scene,  Mariquita  is now for sale.

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Zbynek and Susanne Zak - The Westward Cup 2010 - and Linda and Michael Campbell Westward Cup Regatta Prizegiving photo credit RYS.

Classic sailing yacht Tuiga was built in 1909 for the Duke of Medinacelli, who was a friend to the King of Spain, and was designed identically to the King’s yacht, ‘Hispania’. This was so that they could then race on equal terms against each other. However, Tuiga collected a long line of second places allowing rumours to spread that indicated the Duke was ‘holding back’ so as not to beat the King and cause an embarrassing situation. She was the first 15-Metre to be restored at Fairlie Restorations and has been owned by Monaco Yacht Club since 1993.

Sailing Yacht MARIETTE - photo by Chris Boynton

The RYS Race Committee plotted a 30nm course that took the Westward Cup fleet up to the Needles for a rare photo opportunity for those lucky enough to be in the vicinity and then home to Cowes by mid-afternoon, setting an average speed around the course of 7.4 knots.

The 15m Fife-designed Tuiga took the final day’s line honours, also winning overall and therefore being the first beneficiary of the Westward Cup. Mariquita, the sole survivor of the 19m Class built in 1911, was second over the line, followed by Mariette, built in 1915 and 138ft and then the stunning Eleonora, the 160ft replica of Westward, launched in 2000.

A Glorious Prize Giving In beautiful early evening sunshine, the RYS hosted the Regatta Prizegiving at their Pavilion, attended by Commodores and representatives from the participating yacht clubs and the competing yachts, the yacht captains, crews, sponsors and guests.  Pride of place went to the exquisite Westward Cup sitting graciously in the centre of a display groaning with silverware, including some lovely Armada dishes presented on behalf of each of the participating yacht clubs, and Boat International trophies.

A distinguished group comprising the yacht owners or their representatives stood alongside the Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, Michael Campbell and his wife Linda; Bob Towbin of the New York Yacht Club, and his wife Lisa; Captain Simon van der Byl, Rear Commodore Yachting RYS, and his wife Suzy; and Alice Widdows, Events Director of Boat International Media. Joining them all were Eleonora’s owners, Zbynek and Susanne Zak.

Sailing Yacht TUIGA - photo by Chris Boynton

Captain Simon van der Byl introduced the proceedings by thanking everyone who has been instrumental in making this very special Regatta come to fruition. The Westward Cup Regatta was organised by three of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world, the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) and two partner Clubs, the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) and Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) and in collaboration with Boat International Media.

MARIETTE Photo by Chris Boynton

However it was the dream of one man, Zbynek Zak, the owner of the largest of the four yachts, Eleonora, that ignited the passion behind bringing this Regatta to life and to Cowes in 2010. The Westward Cup was initiated to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the launch of the racing schooner Westward in 1910.

She was designed and built by one of the most successful yacht designers, Nathanael G. Herreshoff, in Bristol, RI, USA. She was one of the fastest and most famous of the Big Class racing yachts, regularly competing in Cowes and most successfully against King George V’s yacht Britannia, and other Big Class yachts.

Built in Holland at Van der Graaf Shipyard in steel, sailing yacht Eleonora was launched 90 years to the day of Westward’s launch, on 31 March 2000.

Tragically, yacht Eleonora suffered a major blow to her racing capability when she lost her two top masts last weekend when out practice racing before the start of the regatta on Tuesday.

The drastic outcome of losing around 45ft of mast and 50% of her sail plan put paid to this stunning Big Class yacht being able to race on an equal footing. However the owners maintained a full programme of competition and gave the thousands of spectators over the week plenty to cheer about as she elegantly manoeuvred around the Solent and was moored off Cowes for everyone to enjoy seeing each evening.

Westward Cup Photo by Kos Photographs

Mr Zak spoke with great charm and heartfelt emotion as he paid tribute to and thanked everyone involved in bringing his dream to life. He described the Regatta as being “a dream that has come true and produced an exceptional week of sailing, an exceptional week of organisation and an exceptional week of hospitality wherever we went in Cowes but especially from the host, the Royal Yacht Squadron.” Mr Zak went on to say how, despite their evident sadness and disappointment about the damage to their yacht, “when we come back it will definitely be with longer masts,” a lighter note that drew much applause.

Westward Cup Kos Photographs

The individual Yacht Club Race Day prizes were presented as follows: The New York Yacht Club Race Day, Tuesday 6th July:  1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita. The Boat International Race Day, Wednesday 7th July: 1st Mariette, 2nd Tuiga, 3rd Mariquita. Thursday 8th July was a Lay Day. The Yacht Club de Monaco Race Day, Friday 9th July: 1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariquita, 3rd Mariette. The Royal Yacht Squadron Race Day, Saturday 10th July: 1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita.   All yachts received a set of Westward Cup engraved glass tumblers, as did the individual members of the large RYS Race Team in acknowledgement of their superb teamwork on and off the water throughout the week.

Classic yacht MARIQUITA at Westward Cup Regatta 2010 - photo by Chris Boynton

A special prize of a painting of Westward was presented to a representative from the winning schooner, Mariette, by its artist Marc Berthier.

The overall Regatta prizes were then presented as follows:

Overall winner of the Westward Cup was Tuiga. 2nd place overall went to Mariette and 3rd overall to Mariquita. The RYS Commodore then wrapped up proceedings by thanking everyone for taking part and saying that he was looking forward to welcoming everyone back for the next iteration of the Westward Cup in 2011.

Yacht ELEANORA in the Westward Cup 2010 photo by Chris Boynton

About the Westward Cup Yachts:

LOA 49.5m (160ft) LWL 29.3m (96ft 1in) Beam 8.2m (27ft 1in) Draught 5.2m (17ft 1in) Sail area 1,115m2 (12,000ft2) Displacement 214 tons

Yacht MARIQUITA

Mariquita (Spanish for ‘ladybird’) is the sole survivor of the 19 Metre Class, whose racing career flourished for two brief seasons before the First World War. Designed and built by William Fife at his Fairlie yard in 1911, Mariquita along with Corona, Norada (Nicholson) and Octavia thrilled the racing public from Kiel to the Clyde, where they arrived having braved a North sea gale. After the collapse of the class, Mariquita went cruising and eventually, minus her keel and rig, became a houseboat at Pin Mill, Suffolk. She was rediscovered in 1991 by William Collier, and restored on the Hamble by Fairlie Restorations in 2004. A winner at Imperia she attended the Fife gathering on the Clyde in 2008.

LOA 38.1m (125ft) LWL 20.1m (66ft) Beam 5.3m (17ft 4in) Draught 3.7m (12ft) Sail area 585m2 (6,260ft2) Displacement 79 tons

Yacht MARIETTE

Built in 1915, Mariette was designed by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff for J Frederick Brown of Boston, a successful wool merchant, who raced and cruised her along the North and Shore Shores of Boston from 1916 to 1927. Renamed Cleopatra’s Barge under Francis K Crowninshield’s ownership, she was requisitioned by the American Navy during the war and declined thereafter. She was brought over to Europe in 1975 and underwent various major refits in 1980 and again in 1995. Thomas Perkins of San Francisco is credited with restoring her to her glorious Gaff rigged specification. Mariette is a regular and successful competitor in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and European classic events.

LOA 42.06m (138ft) LWL 24.38m (80ft) Beam 7.19m (23ft 7in) Draught 4.8m (15ft 9in) Sail area 750m2 (8,060ft2) Displacement 165 tons

Yacht TUIGA

Tuiga was built in 1909 for the Duke of Medinacelli, who was a friend to the King of Spain, and designed identically to the King’s yacht, Hispania. This was so that they could then race on equal terms against each other. However, Tuiga collected a long line of second places allowing rumours to spread that indicated the Duke was ‘holding back’ so as not to beat the King and cause an embarrassing situation.  Yacht Tuiga was the first 15-Metre to be restored at Fairlie Restorations and has been owned by Monaco Yacht Club since 1993.

LOA 27.36m (92ft) LWL 15.68m (48ft 11in) Beam 4.15m (14ft 1in) Draught 2.95m (9ft 10in) Sail area 390m2 (4,014ft2) Displacement 50 tons (original)

Day 4 | 9th July 2010 of the Westward Cup Regatta There was all to play for today when the breeze finally kicked in and saw the four competing yachts in the inaugural Westward Cup Regatta jostling for line position and eventually getting the gun at 1130hrs. Meanwhile, the crowd of spectators in Cowes were treated to some wonderful close ups of these beauties as they were milling around awaiting their orders, right in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The RYS Race Committee set a more taxing course for the boats and their crews today, sending them to WEST LEPE – SOUTH BRAMBLE – PRINCE CONSORT- HAMSTEAD LEDGE – SOLENT BANK – SOUTH BRAMBLE – PRINCE CONSORT – EAST LEPE – SOUTH BRAMBLE – PRINCE CONSORT- FINISH, a distance of approximately 32 miles.

After settling into their positions, it was Tuiga who was first over the line and she continued to lead the field throughout the day. She is the smallest and lightest of the four and the course certainly suited her as the wind increased up to Force 5, making the crews on all the yachts work harder than usual. The wind and the tide were responsible for requiring numerous tacks and gybes as the fleet made their way around the course. There was little time for any rest on board!

This is the third of four days’ racing for the competing yachts in this fabulous new series that concludes tomorrow.

The days results on corrected time were: 1. Tuiga         04h 48m16s 2. Mariquita   05h 13m 35s 3. Mariette     05h 30m 23s 4. Eleonora    06h 10m 57s

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Classic sailing Yacht Tuiga wins overall in the Cowes Westward Cup Regatta 2010".

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William Fife “Tuiga”

Fife “Tuiga” Specifications:

LOA: 76′ 0″ LWL: 49′ 0″ Beam: 14′ 1″ Draft: 6′ 7″ Displ: Sail Area: 4,428 sq ft Hull Number: 569 Rig: Gaff Cutter Designer: William Fife III Built by: Fife, Fairlie, Scotland Year Built: 1909

Designed in 1909 for the Spanish Duke of Medinacelli. “Tuiga” was built to the same design as King Alphonso XIII’s “Hispania” and both yachts were launched in 1909. “Tuiga” was built in Fairlie, and “Hispania” her royal sister was built in Spain at Karrpard. In the early years “Tuiga” won her fair share of victories, but was often beaten by “Hispania”

Related posts:

• William Fife “Sayonara”
• William Fife NAN OF FIFE
• William Fife “Adventuress”
• William Fife 6 Metre “Sunshine”

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TUIGA yacht NOT for charter*

28.01m  /  91'11 | fife | 1909 / 1993.

Owner & Guests

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Lloyds Register classification
• Sleeps 4 overnight

The 28.01m/91'11" sail yacht 'Tuiga' was built by Fife . This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of William Fife and she was last refitted in 1993.

Guest Accommodation

She is also capable of carrying up to 4 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Range & Performance

Tuiga comfortably cruises at 8 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 9 knots. She was built to Lloyds Register classification society rules.

*Charter Tuiga Sail Yacht

Sail yacht Tuiga is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Tuiga Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

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Specification

S/Y Tuiga

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28m | William Fife & Sons

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Yacht Club de Monaco | Quai Louis II | + 377 93 10 63 00

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Victory for Tuiga

Victory for  tuiga, les voiles d’antibes.

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Tuiga ship model designed by William Fife in 1909 and restored by the Monaco Yacht Club.

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  More than ninety years of history have accompanied this elegant, William Fife 15-meter International Rule on her marvelous journey from the day of her launch to present day.

Now, thanks to Prince Albert 's passion for the sea, Tuiga is reliving her heyday, competing under the flag of the Monaco Yacht Club .

After her launch in 1909 , Tuiga quickly became one of the stars of the big rallies and then later was subjected to a whole host of changes. Her elegant lines are the work of design genius, William Fife, and were commissioned by the Spanish Duke of Medinacelli . The Duke was very clear about what he wanted: " a boat which would be capable of competing on an equal footing against Hispania, King Alfonso XIII of Spain's craft". And so it was. For over four years, the two boats competed in Spanish, French and English waters.

In 1913, Tuiga was sold, she went from owner to owner with each one making a change here and there to better suit her to his needs. The first installed electricity and reduced her sail surface by 20 per cent in 1923. In 1934, another Tuiga's owners mounted her with a 35-bhp Bergius engine and changed her sail plan from fore-and aft to Marconi. The last act of the idiocy came in 1970 when another owner, decided to get rid of the wonderful rake of her stern.

This marked the beginning of a decline which lasted until 1989, when she was a rediscovered by Albert Obrist , owner of Altair. Tuiga then spent four years at the Fairline Restorations boatyard in England. During this time she was dismantled and meticulously rebuilt piece by piece using Fife's original plans . She was now been fully restored to her former glory and is enjoying a magical new life in the waters of the principality with her new owner, the Monaco Yacht Club , headed by Prince Albert Grimaldi.

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Tuiga sails on by

Back in 2017 we were taking in the views on the Bay of Palma. The timing happily coincided with the start of a 15-Metre regatta and we became upfront and personal with Tuiga , who sailed on by. A Fife 15-Metre and owned by the Monaco Yacht Club she is 92’ overall with just 48’ of waterline.

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Mapping Ukraine’s Surprise Invasion of Russia

By Josh Holder

After two and a half years of fighting a war on their own soil, Ukrainian forces are continuing to advance within Russia, as their surprise invasion of the Kursk region enters its third week.

Beginning early on Aug. 6, Ukraine quickly broke through thinly manned border defenses and has now captured dozens of Russian towns and villages, adding a new twist to a war that had largely settled into grueling, block-by-block fighting in towns in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine has continued

to advance in recent days,

although the pace of its

territorial gains has slowed.

Ukraine took control of a town of about 5,000 people within two days.

to advance in recent

days, although the pace

of its territorial gains

has slowed.

days, although the

pace of its territorial

gains has slowed.

Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project

Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk brought about one of the largest territorial changes since the first month of the war, when Russia rapidly advanced toward major Ukrainian cities. The head of Ukraine’s armed forces, Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, has claimed that Ukraine is in control of about 490 square miles of Russian territory.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has said that the aim is to create a “buffer zone” inside Russia alongside the border. He has given no specifics about the size of the area his military is aiming to seize.

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AS OF AUG. 21

Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project (claimed extent of Ukrainian advance)

At least three bridges have been damaged, which The Times was able to independently verify through satellite imagery and videos posted to social media.

It is unclear how many Russian troops are in the area, but satellite imagery from Planet Labs, a commercial satellite company, shows that Russia has built temporary pontoon bridges to allow its vehicles to continue to cross the river. One could be seen east of the town of Glushkovo on Aug. 17, with vehicle tracks visible nearby. Another was visible further along the river, just north of Glushkovo, on Aug. 21.

On Wednesday, Ukraine released videos of its forces striking these Russian pontoon bridges in Kursk with U.S.-supplied weapons.

Road bridge destroyed

by Ukraine on Aug. 16.

Russia later built a pontoon bridge farther east. Vehicle tracks can be seen near the bridge.

Source: Planet Labs

Although Ukraine’s advances have slowed since the first days of its incursion, it continues to push forward, according to imagery verified by the Institute for the Study of War.

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows that Russia has built new defensive fortifications around 20 miles from Ukrainian positions in Kursk, near the E38 highway. The fortifications include trenches for troops to fire from, and anti-tank ditches, such as the one shown below.

Eight days before incursion

Nine days after the incursion began

New anti-tank ditch

built by Russia

before incursion

New anti-tank

ditch built by

While the Ukrainian military is gaining ground in Russia, it is losing it back home. The Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine is building momentum.

Russian troops are less than 10 miles from Pokrovsk, putting them in artillery range of the city, which had a population of about 40,000 before the war began and is a key transport hub. To the northeast, Russian troops are on the doorstep of Toretsk, and control most of Niu-York, footage verified by the Institute for the Study of War shows.

Military analysts say that one of Ukraine’s likely objectives in invading Kursk was to force Russia to divert troops away from eastern Ukraine to fight in Kursk, but so far the Kremlin has resisted. Instead, it has brought in reinforcements mainly from elsewhere in Russia, prioritizing its military objectives in Ukraine over a rapid response to the foreign incursion.

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