The Southampton headquartered ship repairer and marine engineering services provider, SMS, has launched the classic 1930’s superyacht Alicia from its covered 60m dry dock in the heart of the City.
She joins other distinguished yachts as the company completes another significant classic superyacht restoration now uniquely placed in the UK restoration, refit and repair market.
In recent years the company has completed refits on Shemara for Sir Charles Dunstone and Lady A owned by the BBC Reality TV host, Lord Sugar.
Having formerly sailed under the name RS Eden, she was launched as Janidore in 1930, just prior to the Depression. Designed by John H. Wells she was built by the Defoe Boat and Motor Works of Bay City, Michigan and was one of eight yachts to be built by the East Coast yard.
Alicia has a colourful history and enjoyed a succession of owners who cruised on the yacht under a number of names along the Pacific coast, Caribbean, US East Coast and subsequently the Mediterranean.
The yacht was completely rebuilt and lengthened in Miami in 1966, under the name Niki I, following which she returned to the Mediterranean. In 1991 the yacht was renamed Fulmara.
After a very successful charter career as Fulmara, she was purchased in 2005 and underwent a thorough refit with a significant interior and exterior restyling, returning the vessel to her original style of the 1930s era, with the aim of retaining as many existing details as possible reflecting the elegance of a bygone age.
At that time a clipper bow was added along with an extensive rework of her interior, superstructure and systems.
In 2015 she arrived in Southampton to begin an extensive period of restoration works intended to return her to the splendour of the 1930s.
Now after three years, Alicia is undertaking her commissioning and sea trials in and around the Solent before leaving the Ocean Quay yard for the Mediterranean were she will then join over 300 of the world’s most beautiful modern and classic yachts for the 20th Les Voiles de Saint Tropez in September.
SMS, has developed an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the commercial marine, defence and Superyachts sectors. In addition the business has a proven pedigree for major yacht refits and classic yacht restorations.
The shipyard is known for transparency and honesty working directly with the Owner. This they say ensures the very best value for money and complete control of the project; Owners are therefore ‘masters of their own destiny’ which is so very important to all those involved. In this case it was the Owner’s vision that has inspired the growth and creation of a business as opposed to just another project; we’re extremely grateful and look forward to very many future successful projects”.
With regards to working with the SMS team the Owner of Alicia commented: “the team and management have been superb to work with from day one. They’ve demonstrated flexibility, focus and commitment – and a real eye for the detail. I’m humbled by the energy and enthusiasm from the guys on the tools. I couldn’t have asked for a better, more engaging, team.
Refitting Alicia in the UK was the right call and it has been an absolute delight; the end result will be something that we can all be very proud of – she’s fantastic, she’s British – and she’s truly unique. For many years to come she’ll be a big part of our family”.
Specification:
- Length Overall 49.86 m
- Length Waterline 47.74 m
- Rule Length 47.15 m
- Breadth (Moulded) 7.35 m
- Depth Overall (excl. masts) 11.16 m
- Depth Overall (inc. masts) 21.31 m
- Top Speed 14 knots
- Cruising Speed 10 knots
- Range @ Cruising Speed 2500 nm
- Class Lloyds Register 100 A1 SSC G2A MONO SRY MCH UMS
- Flag LY3, Cayman Islands Shipping Registry
- IMO Number 9092111
- Official Number 80098
- Gross Tonnage 397gt