Historic ‘Eilean’ sails again in Palma for its 90th anniversary

The legendary 22-metre ketch, built in 1936 by the Scottish shipyard Fife of Fairlie and owned by watchmaker Panerai, is competing until Saturday in the Illes Balears Clàssics regatta in the Large Yachts category.

Eilean is once again setting sail in the waters off Palma for the Illes Balears Clàssics. The legendary 22-metre Bermudan ketch, skippered by Stefano Valiente, is taking part in the Club de Mar-Mallorca regatta in the Large Yachts category during a particularly significant season for the boat, which is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its launch this year.

Launched in 1936 at Fife of Fairlie, one of the most prestigious shipyards in the history of yacht building, Eilean was designed by William Fife III, the third generation of a family devoted to the design of large yachts. Measuring 22 metres in length with a beam of 4.5 metres, her lines were inspired by the legendary J Class yachts, although she never competed in the America’s Cup.

Her name, Eilean, means “small island” in Gaelic. She was commissioned by brothers James V. and Robert W. Fulton of Greenock, who used her to sail along the west coast of Scotland. The Second World War changed the course of her history, and the yacht subsequently passed through the hands of several owners before eventually reaching Antigua in the Caribbean, where she spent many years as a charter vessel.

It was there that she gained fame beyond the sailing world. In 1982, British band Duran Duran chartered Eilean to film the music video for Rio, which went on to become one of the group’s best-known songs. The image of the elegant ketch sailing through Caribbean waters thus became part of popular culture.

The yacht’s story, however, came close to ending in a far less glamorous way. After crossing the Atlantic numerous times, Eilean was involved in an accident when she collided with a merchant vessel. The damage left her abandoned in Antigua while awaiting repairs that her owner could not afford. Over time, her condition deteriorated to the point that her survival was at risk.

Her rescue came in 2006, when Angelo Bonati, then chief executive of watchmaker Panerai and a passionate sailor, discovered the abandoned yacht on the Caribbean island and decided to restore her. Eilean was acquired by the company and transported to Italy, where a lengthy restoration process began.

The project became a genuine exercise in maritime archaeology. The work, carried out by craftsmen at Francesco Del Carlo’s shipyard, lasted several years and sought to restore the yacht without erasing the traces of her original construction. Much of the Burmese teak planking on the hull was preserved, as was the zinc-coated metal structure.

Bronze fittings, the teak cockpit and other original components were also restored. Parts that could not be saved had to be reproduced according to William Fife III’s original designs. Even the deck fittings were documented and digitised to ensure that the reconstruction remained faithful to the yacht’s historic configuration.

Racing has become part of the yacht’s second life. Since her restoration, Eilean has competed in various classic sailing events and was closely associated with the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge circuit. This year she has returned to competition following her last appearance on the circuit in 2018.

Her 90th-anniversary season began in Viareggio on 15th of May and includes a programme taking in some of the Mediterranean’s leading classic sailing venues, with events in France, Italy and Spain. The campaign opened with Les Voiles d’Antibes, with the Illes Balears Clàssics Regatta in Palma forming one of the stops on the schedule.

In Palma, Eilean is competing this week alongside some of the most important historic yachts in the international fleet. Her two masts, elegant lines and enormous sail area remain among her most striking features whenever Eilean takes to the waters of Palma Bay.