Peter Harrison, founder of the GBR Challenge for the last America’s Cup and owner of the 115ft Farr-designed ketch Sojana currently competing at Rolex Antigua Sailng Week see previous news story here has bought a new yacht to add to his collection.

Nada is a 1930 original William Fife-designed and built Six Metre which after 20 years of lying ashore in ruins in Antigua was discovered by Woodstock Boatbuilders in Falmouth Harbour.

Harrison purchased the boat and has spent a total of 200,000 US dollars having her fully restored. The team at Woodstocks including Andrew Robinson who’s been heading the project, set about restoration in July last year. Ian Howlett – British Six Metre designer and long-standing chairman of the International Six Metre Association – has also played a major part in the project as a consultant to ensure the boat conforms to the original Metre rule specification.

According to Harrison’s the desire to own a Six Metre is something he’s been thinking about for a long time. The idea is to race the boat at some of the major regattas around the world when he’s not racing Sojana. Commenting Harrison said: “?when we’re not using this boat [Sojana] the crew will race the Six Metre. I know Mark [Fitzgerald the navigator] is really keen so I’ve effectively bought him a toy.”

Having bought the boat Harrision is keen it race it too because he feels there’s a good circuit in all the places where Sojana will be situated such as South of France, Sardinia and Majorca. Harrison continued: “I’ve already had a sail in her here in Antigua but it did come as a bit of a shock after sailing this boat [115ft Sojana] because it’s quite close to the water, and consequently quite wet.”

Interestingly transporting Nada around the world with Sojana is, according to Harrison, no problem at all because apparently she fits perfectly into the Sjoana container. Harrison continued: “We have a container that follows us around with Sojana so we can literally just slot the new boat in so it really is no problem to us at all. With a boat like Sojana we need a travelling workshop with spares and all sorts so the container is just shipped around the world with us.”

Glistening in the Caribbean sun moored off Falmouth Harbour Nada is a real eye-catcher. The quality of workmanship put into her restoration is reflected in her immaculate finish – topsides painted classic ‘Sojana blue’ and hand-layed teak decks. Her AllSpars Howlett-designed alloy rig has been masterminded by Andy Postle from the UK, and sail development was driven by Robbie Doyle of Doyle Sails.

See the July issue of Yachting World for more details on this Classic Six Metre Click here to subscribe.