The classic yacht scene has been prominent in Palma de Mallorca the month of July and I have been on the island for these significant occasions. Firstly The Superyacht Cup 22-25 June had a gathering of schooners for The Big Class Day Sail. Secondly was the much-anticipated arrival in Europe of the 22m Herreshoff NY 50, Spartan on the boat from Newport. Alice Widdows Regatta Management will be taking Spartan around the Mediterranean for her in augural visit to Europe. She will participate in all of the late summer classic yacht regattas: Palma, Mahon, Imperia, Cannes, and St Tropez. It is going to be hard work and good fun for owner, guests and race crew flying in to each location to take part in this regatta campaign.

Spartan Photo © John Pitocco

 

The Superyacht Cup 2016 The Big Class Day Sail

 

For the first time ever in the bay of Palma de Mallorca eight classic schooners came together for The Big Class Day Sail on Wednesday 22^nd June in celebration of 20 years of The Superyacht Cup. The fleet of classic yachts included the magnificent Elena, Eleonora, Naema, Moonbeam IV, Mariette, Kelpie of Falmouth, Shenandoah of Sark and Germania Nova.

 

The amazing spectacle took place as the fleet thundered together across the bay of Palma from Dique del Oest round Isle de Sech. The conditions were perfect for the course; crystal clear skies and consistent breeze gave the gathering spectators a wonderful few hours of viewing from on and off the water. The media were also out in full force to capture this unprecedented display of the largest classic racing yachts on the circuit.

 

Shenandoah of Sark wins “Concourse d’Elégance”

 

Captain Russell Potter & Alice Widdows,

Alice Widdows & Kate Branagh

both Photo by © Claire Matches

 

Shenandoah © Stuart Pearce

 

A “Concourse d’Elégance” prize of a beautiful glass ships decanter and a Magnum of Moët & Chandon was put up and awarded by Alice Widdows Regatta Management.

 

“I wanted to recognise the herculean effort it has taken the owners, Captains and crews to getting these boats race ready and out on the water. It was a challenging task to pick a winner from this amazing rostrum of large classic yachts. However, one vintage vessel stole the show with her gleaming bright work, decks, detail and well turned out crew, it was Shenandoah of Sark that had the “Je ne sais quoi” factor today”, I said to an extremely jubilant crowd of overly excited classic yacht enthusiasts. “We want to see you all back here for more next year!”

 

Russell Potter, Captain of Shenandoah of Sark graciously accepted the prize acknowledging that the owner had flown in especially for this Big Day Sail. A special mention was made to Charlie Wroe, Captain of Mariette for his enthusiasm in bringing all the big schooners together.

 

 

The Yachts That Took Part:

 

(Selection of images by both photographers)

 

Elena, Eleonora, Naema, Moonbeam IV, Mariette, Kelpie of Falmouth, Shenandoah of Sark and Germania Nova.

 

The timelessly classy 54m Shenandoah is, hands down, one of the most famous and striking of all the classics afloat today. She was built in 1902, has survived two World Wars and has sailed the waters of the Pacific, the Antarctic and the North Atlantic to name a few. She has raced across oceans and circumnavigated the globe many times. Moreover, she is still in a condition which will enable her to go into the next century as gracefully as she sailed into this one.

 

The 55m Elena was built in 2009 by Factoria Naval de Marin as a meticulously re-built replica of the first Elena, drawn up by Nathanael Herreshoff in 1910, the so-called “Wizard of Bristol”. The owner, Morton Plant, gave him a wonderful design brief: “build me a schooner that can win!” Elena finished in front at most of her early races against the crème de la crème of the American schooner fleet. The new Elena slices through the water with the grace reminiscent of a former era and, as a regular racer, has claimed victories on both sides of the Atlantic.

 

The Herreshoff designed 55m Eleonora is an exact replica of the schooner Westward, arguably one of the most famous and best-performing racing schooners in the world. The ultra-fast schooner Westward claimed first against the likes of Britannia, Lulworth and Meteor II in racing events. Eleonora, steel hulled and wooden masted like her predecessor, was built at the Van der Graaf shipyard, and launched in 2000. Since then, she has triumphed in a number of regattas, like Antigua Sailing Week and Les Voiles de St Tropez. She has raced in the Solent in the Westward Cup and has competed in the Round the Island Race in 2012 with Sir Ben Ainslie co-helming.

 

The 60m traditional gaff-rigged schooner Germania Nova (Cover Shot) was built as a true replica of the classic 1908 racing schooner Germania, using the same hull lines, deck- and sail-plans as designed by the acclaimed Max Oertz. The original Germania was built to kick stern and with a top speed of 19 knots, in one year alone, came first in more than half of the races in which she competed. For the new Germania (although a worldly wise traveller) the Superyacht Cup was her very first outing on a race course.

 

The 24m gaff schooner Kelpie of Falmouth was designed by Francis Sweisguth and built in Maine in 1929. She was completely restored in 2014 to look good and race hard, which she does! She placed fourth during the 2014 edition of the Pendennis Cup, pipping Mariette and Adix to the schooner class overall.

 

The 41m two-masted schooner Mariette of 1915 was also designed by Nathanael Herreshoff, the renowned designer responsible for a whole array of unbeatable America’s Cup defenders. Although this seasoned sail yacht was built 100 years ago, she not only remains in fine form, but also still races at the top of her game. She scored premium slot at the 2012 Pendennis Cup, and claimed a respectable third place in last year’s Transatlantic Race, ahead of all-carbon racers Rambler and Comanche.

 

One of the very few entirely original classic gaff cutter yachts remaining today is the lovely 35m Moonbeam IV, built by William Fife & Sons. She was launched in 1920 and went straight on to win the Kings’ Cup in both 1920 and 1923. The famous French single-handed sailor, Eric Tabarly, described her as “the most beautiful yacht ever built”. She has taken everything there is to win: the Vele d’Epoca, the Trophée Bailli de Suffren, Les Voiles d’Antibes, Calanques Classique, Cannes, St. Tropez, Barcelona and Mahon, as well as the PYTA (Prix du Yacht de Tradition l’Année) and, the Big Boats category of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge.

 

Completing this jaw-dropping scene was the 39m schooner Naema helmed by Toby Brand. She is the largest Alfred Mylne design ever built and is a replica of the, at the time, extremely popular charter yacht Panda, built in 1938. Naema was, like Germania Nova, a first timer on the racing circuit and, no doubt, as eager to show off her racing prowess.

 

 

Mariette wins Classic Division

 

Three of these significant schooners, Mariette 41 metre N.G Herreshoff, Germania Nova 60 metre Max Oertz and Naema 42 metre Graafship NL that went on to participate in The Superyacht Cup. A separate class and courses were created especially for this division taking into account the size and manoeuvrability of these majestic yachts.   After three days of competitive racing it was the stunning classic Mariette of 1915 that cleanly took first prize from her rivals in Class D.

 

Charlie Wroe, Skipper of Mariette commented: “We’ve had three really good days sailing in the bay, leading up to the first race and it went really well. It was lovely sailing and it is really good to see all the boats out there, powered up and going along. We are really happy.”

Mariette photo © Stuart Pearce yachtshot.com

 

Meanwhile in Class C modern classic beauty Tempus Fugit 27.43m Arkin Pruva built and Humpreys Yacht Design had a competitive three days on the water and beat fellow modern classic rivals Heartbeat 24m Hoek Design Truly Classic 78 by Claasen and Gaia 30.62m Spirit 100 to take first in class. No mean feat as Tempus Fugit was up against regular racing modern superyachts Ganesha and the ridiculously fast Sojana.

Tempus Fugit

 

There was a tight battle between Heartbeat and Gaia, in the middle of the class who eventually drew on points after three races.

 

Heatbeat’s owner/tactician enthused “The spirit is good, I just love it, its good racing, tight racing and well organized.”

 

What they lost on the racecourse, Gaia made up in elegance and style with the most colourful spinnaker of the fleet enjoyed by spectators and participants alike.

 

The Future

 

Kate Branagh, organiser of The Superyacht Cup is encouraged by the turnout of this classic division and expressed a keen desire to grow the class at future Superyacht Cup events.

 

The overwhelming response from the industry and media confirms that a gathering of large classic yachts under full sail will capture your hearts and imagination. These yachts are sailed, raced and cherished with boundless passion and purpose by dedicated owners. As a yachting community we are duty bound to find a way to support the continued revival, restoration and rebuild of these historic vessels.

 

 

WHAT   TO   FOLLOW THIS MONTH

 

Regatta Iles Balears Classics      Palma de Mallorca             10-13 August

Copa del Rey Barcos d’Epoca       Mahon, Menorca                24-27 August

 

 

For further information on how to get the most out of racing classic yachts and to download my International Classic Yacht Regatta Calendar 2016/2017 visit www.alicewiddows.com

 

Alice C I’ A Widdows is a Regatta Manager on the classic yacht circuit. A keen yachtswomen and self – confessed island hopping addict, preferably by boat. Meet our Classic Yachting Columnist. alicewiddows.com