Cambria: A True Legend

Kusadasi Marina has recently been host to one of the most famous yachts currently sailing.

Built in 1928 by William Fife at his Fairlie yard on the Clyde Cambria was built for the immensely rich newspaper magnate Sir William Berry.

Sir William wanted a gentleman's racing yacht that could compete on equal terms with the best of the day. These yachts included King George V's Britannia, Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock V, Sir T.O.M. Sopwith's Endeavor, and Mr. W.L. Stephenson (of Woolworth's) Velsheda. Other legendary names of the day include Lulworth, White Heather and Westward.

Her brief racing career over, Cambria was sold to Sir Robert McAlpine in 1934. He changed her name to Lillias and bought her to the Mediterranean.

On his death in 1936 she was purchased by Mr. H.F. Giraud and moved to IIicia near Cesme where she became a cruiser. She sailed round the Eastern Mediterranean with the Ottoman jet set aboard.

Regular guests in those days were Shah Reza, King Fiesel and Kemal Mustafa Ataturk, the creator of modern Turkey. Savarona, the presidential yacht, was often to be seen rocking at anchor alongside Lillias.

The yacht ended up in Townsville, Australia, in the Great Barrier Reef area, where she was discovered in 1994 by the Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.

The lines of Fife's design and the vessel's history immediately seduced three yachtsmen of great fame: John David, Denis O'Neil and Iain Murray, the latter the designer of America's cuppers (Kookaburra I etc).

The challenging restoration, undertaken by the Norman Wright boatyards in Brisbane, Eastern Australia, perfectly achieved the declared objective of returning the vessel to her original appearance while maintaining high standards of safety and sailing efficiency.

Under the supervision of Iain Murray the Honduras mahogany skin was restored, several planks having to be replaced together with numerous steel frames, while the entire hull was fixed with 6000 stainless steel rivets.

The engine, a Cummins 300 HP installed four years after launching (racers never carried excess weight), was reconditioned and the teak deck replaced.

Complete dismantling of the interior revealed that the mahogany had survived in excellent condition: 85% was reused, faithfully following the original layout, the only concession being an extra cabin in place of the large private suite created for Sir William Berry.

On deck, seven discreet winches (back then there were a dozen paid hands to do their work) mean she can be raced with a crew of only 19.

Not only her name but also her rig was returned to the original with conversion from ketch to cutter.

The interior, very elegant with shiny mahogany, fine velvets and buttoned leather, provides four cabins for eight lucky guests who can relive the atmosphere of 30's style yachting.

After participating in the America's Cup Jubilee in 2001, together with the elite of the world's most beautiful yachts, a spellbound Cambria followed the classic racing circuit and then settled on the French Riviera.

Cambria sits patiently waiting for her owner and his family to join her from Germany. Captain Chris and crew, Dave, Chuck, Tash, George and Andy, have been getting her ship-shape ready for a cruise round the Greek Isles before heading off to join the remaining J-Class yachts in the classic race circuit.

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