This year, the standard of classic yacht rebuilds was so high that the judges deemed these should be considered separately in the Classic Rebuilt Yachts category. Two beauties were finalists. While the judges noted that the quality of work on the famous racing boat Moonbeam was “superb”, it was Cariad – a yacht that has been brought back to life twice – that won the overall race. The judges were blown away by the “amazing story” behind the classic sailing yacht. This, in fact, marks the second complete rebuild of the boat, which had been left to rot multiple times in her existence.

The project aimed to restore the yacht to her 19th-century glory. A true rebuild, what remains from the original boat is a small percentage, yet the judges commented that the refit project has been “tremendously faithful to her original design”. One of the original bits still on board is a table that’s said to have hosted a former king of England. The new owner’s overall plan is to race Cariad in the Mediterranean classic regattas. He seems to relish his role as a steward of history, saying, “I have always found it difficult to resist the call of history, especially when I am presented with the chance to preserve

it.”