Britain was once revered around the globe for her shipbuilding, renowned and admired for producing some of the largest, most impressive ships on the seas. When it came to private vessels, we made the likes of banker and prolific boater JP Morgan jealous; motor yachts like Royal Britannia really did rule the waves.
Aristocrats and entrepreneurs alike all got in on the act; it was just as much about status then, as it is in St Tropez today. There were tales like that of Hugh Lowther, the 5th Earl of Londsdale, being so rich from his mines in Cumbria, that he used to own two yachts, both anchored off Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The likes of Campers & Nicholson, now one of the leading yacht brokers, but sadly no longer a yard, became renowned worldwide for producing some of the world’s fastest sailing yachts. Among them, the iconic J Class series made for the tycoons and mega-rich of the day, such as Sir Thomas Lipton, Sir Thomas Sopwith and William Lawrence Stephenson of Woolworths fame.
Today, whilst the industry is nowhere near its pomp of the early 19th century, British yacht building is unobtrusively and inconspicuously on the rise. Motor and sailing yachts are being built to rival their predecessors as another, whisper it, golden age of British yachting could soon be on the horizon.
This may appear odd to those on the peripheral, as a number of the once-famed yards have closed over the last 100-years; but whilst the names may be different, the quality and attention to detail is still very much the same. Broker Charlie Carveles of Yachtmasters comments, “British shipyards have proven to deliver some of the most innovative and outstanding yachts over the last 20 years, continuing to push the boundaries”.
Experts and more importantly, the super rich are once again starting to turn their attention to our fair isle and the yards it houses. Granted, we are not quite near reaching the size of our continental rivals, the Germans, Dutch and Italians, but we are very much on our way.
Names such as Sunseeker in Poole, Princess in Plymouth and Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth continue to fly the British flag, leading the way in reviving our industry. Aside from the yards themselves, there are many other beneficiaries from this growth industry. Law for one, which is crucial in ensuring the potential owner is looked after correctly. John Leonida, partner of superyacht law firm Clyde & Co, says:
“But even if you build in Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey or Germany you are not compelled to submit to their laws. It is not uncommon for the contracts to be governed by English law.”
The UK is also becoming a popular destination for refits, with the often English speaking captains finding it easy to work with the yards. Notable refits in past have been MY Virginian and SY M5, formally one of the largest sailing yachts in the world.
This growth looks set to continue and the latest figures released by the trade association Superyacht UK, put the value of the sector at £492m in 2013/14, and increase of 7.1% on the previous year, with a total of 3,700 individuals being employed by the sector. Rule Britannia.
Notable British Built Yachts:
MY Vava II
The largest yacht to be built on our shores, she’s 97 metres in length and her exterior and interior were design by RWD (Redman Whiteley Dixon). She was launched in 2011 by Devonport shipyard and built for pharmaceutical billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli and his wife Kirsty Bertarelli. Whilst VAVA II is private and not available for charter, she is famous for cruising the globe and has been spotted in every corner, including New York, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and the Caribbean.
MY Alamshar
With an estimated speed of 60 knots, she’s one of the fastest boats ever built. At 50 metres, it has taken around 11 years to be completed for its owner the Aga Khan. With exterior design by Pininfarina, she was built to break the transatlantic record and has spent the last 11 years doing sea trials and trying out different turbine engines. In July 2014 she was finally launched by Devonport. Again not available for charter and still an extremely private boat. No images of the interior have yet been leaked and her current whereabouts are unknown.
MY Sarafsa
Built for one of the princes of Saudi Arabia. She is 82 metres in length designed inside and out by Andrew Winch, she was delivered by Devonport in 2007. Her name and crest on the side and at the stern are solid gold. Sarafsa is also a private yacht only, being used up to four weeks maximum a year.
SY Hemisphere
Built at Pendennis shipyard at 44.2 metres in length, she is the largest Catamaran in the world and was completed in 2011. Available for charter at $280,000 per week, she normally cruises the Caribbean however is currently based in Australia and available for charter in South East Asia and Fiji.
Notable UK Refits:
MY Virginian
Originally built by Feadship in Holland, the 62-metre classic had a full refit at Pendennis shipyard in 2012. The yacht is owned by Lord Anthony Bamford, owner of engineering company JCB and is available for charter at €266,000 per week. In the summer, she is normally spotted cruising west and eastern Mediterranean and in the winter she generally calls the Caribbean home.
SY M5
Formally known as Mirabella 5 and previously the largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world, she has recently undergone a major refit lasting 24 months at Pendennis and has been renamed M5. She was originally launched in 2004.
This article originally appeared in The Gentleman’s Journal.