Evrika got her name from Archimedes, the ancient Greek mathematician who discovered the basis of water displacement. Legend has it that when Archimedes noticed the level of his bathwater rise…
refit
How two architects refitted a cheap old lifeboat into this Arctic liveaboard cruiser
Stødig is the brainchild of friends Guylee Simmonds and David Schnabel, both 28. Looking at the beautiful spaces they have created in this unassuming 35ft tub, it comes as no…
Champagne Hippy: From sunken wreck to luxury charter yacht in 13 months
Champagne Hippy was never expected to sail again. When the keel ripped off the 82ft Polina Star III in July 2015 it sent shockwaves through the marine industry, and left…
BLT: The inside story of the Quarter Ton Cup winner’s 10,000-hour refit
Owner Sam Laidlaw has enjoyed considerable success in the very competitive Quarter Tonner class. He gathered an impressive collection of trophies in the eight years he raced his Aguila, including…
Flyer: The inside story of this Whitbread winner’s amazing restoration
Flyer is one of those yachts that needs little introduction. Designed for the 1977 Whitbread Race by Sparkman & Stephens for Dutch skipper Conny Van Rietschoten, the 68ft aluminium ketch…
Ester: The classic Swedish racing yacht that came back from the dead
The phrase ‘ahead of its time’ is over-used, but in the case of Ester, a remarkable 50ft racing yacht built in 1901, it couldn’t be more apt. For a yacht…
Fujin: The inside story of this carbon catamaran’s Caribbean refit
After Fujin capsized during the 2018 RORC Caribbean 600 race it would have been understandable if owner Greg Slyngstad had thrown in the towel and walked away. But Slyngstad resolved…
Maiden refit: How Tracy Edwards’ sailing legend was brought back to life
Few yachts, and fewer skippers, become truly famous – famous in the sense that the everyman on the street would recognise them by a single name. Maiden did though, as…
The icon updated: meet the 1970s Swan 48 given a radical new look
Can you improve on perfection? The Sparkman & Stephens-designed Swan 48 is widely considered to be one of the most iconic bluewater sailing designs of all time. To take a…
VIDEO: How a massive makeover turned the Volvo Ocean Race one-designs into mint condition
Small fishing boats lie alongside; seagulls pick their way past fishing pots and nets. The River Tagus winds by. Nothing much happening in this semi-derelict pocket of Lisbon’s outskirts, or…
Yacht refit overseas: it may look cheaper, but is it a good idea to have a refit done abroad?
Yacht refit in a far-flung part of the world can appear to be an attractive proposition, particularly if you can reap the benefit of lower labour rates. However, if it…
Yacht refit 2: how a three-month refit of Zest was worth all the effort and expense
Many owners have found yacht refit to be a protracted process and in some cases have missed more than one season of sailing. This seems to be particularly the case…