“The coolest boat of all time is called Niñita, and is a Starling Burgess 60ft schooner,” says Sam Davies. “It’s a really amazing, beautiful boat.” The custom-built Niñita has been a familiar fixture on the offshore racing circuit for two decades, with Davies’ parents sailing to stopover ports around the world.

“She was my parents’ house for nearly 20 years. I never lived on board, but for me, that’s home. Wherever I’ve lived, they’ve come to look after my son. It’s like the grandmother ship.”

Niñita features a bath and woodburning stove. Her seakindly lines are drawn from W Starling Burgess’s long-keeled schooner Niña, which won the 1928 Transatlantic Race, and the 1962 Newport Bermuda Race.

“The original boat was designed as a racing yacht and fully stripped out. It was totally different from the interior of my parents’ boat,” explains Davies.

Photo: Alain Milbeo, courtesy of Sandeman Yacht Company

“They’ve had some cool adventures: the Baltic Sea, the Azores, Madeira, and Lanzarote. But now it needs to find a new family so they can take it on new adventures.” (Niñita is listed with Sandeman.)

Make sure you check out our full list of Coolest Yachts.

Niñita stats rating

Top speed: 15 knots
LOA: 17.9m/59ft
Launched: 2004
Berths: 4-6
Price: £450,000
Adrenalin factor: 50%

Sam Davies

Sam Davies is competing in her fourth Vendée Globe this year, and her sixth round the world attempt, having also skippered Team SCA in the 2014 Volvo Ocean Race and crewed on Tracy Edwards’ Jules Verne bid aboard Royal Sun Alliance in 1998. She raced in the 2022 Ocean Race and has also competed in the Figaro and Mini Transat.

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