United Kingdom

John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10513" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Llys Helig32.77m (107'6&quot;)John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd1922">Llys Helig</a>, a 100-year-old yacht originally built by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd (Company)">Thornycroft</a> as a luxury “gentleman’s yacht” in 1922, has officially left Burnham on Crouch on her way to be restored. This is her first trip in over 30 years. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/255426/image/large-59f8d68d4ad4c4f939fe246b34377e8a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/255426"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10513" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Llys Helig32.77m (107'6&quot;)John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd1922">Llys Helig</a> was locally referred to as the “Burnham Titanic'' after she dramatically capsized in the town’s moorings in 2017. Her remarkable survival astounded the local residents, who witnessed her decks and superstructure slowly decay. Initially, the local council, harbour authority and yacht club were adamant for her to be cut up and removed, deeming her to be an eyesore. However, London-based businessman Howard Dawber decided to take on the hefty task of salvaging and restoring the yacht, and bought <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10513" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Llys Helig32.77m (107'6&quot;)John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd1922">Llys Helig</a> in 2018. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/255427/image/large-7c2d8e0001f63dc3b91b5cf89f94bce1.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/255427">With help from the Essex Marina, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10513" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Llys Helig32.77m (107'6&quot;)John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd1922">Llys Helig</a> was raised from the mud and refloated in 2020. Now, she has been loaded into a floating dry dock and transported to Sutton Wharf’s boatyard in Rochford for surveillance and repairs. The tow and repairs are being led by Mike’s Boatyard of Leigh-on-Sea. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/255425/image/large-0ce89d2c59466ea1fa6908d94875d508.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/255425">In terms of specs, the 157 GT yacht measures at 32.73-metres with a 5.82-metre beam. She was initially fitted with twin oil engines by Plenty &amp; Son of Newbury, and was constructed from steel, with a steel and teak superstructure and pine decks. Since her delivery, she has endured many refits, with her original engines being replaced twice with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1451" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Gardner (Company)">Gardner</a> diesels. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/177463/image/large-6b6847c358b08e2367c8a8b3957abbab.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/177463"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10513" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Llys Helig32.77m (107'6&quot;)John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd1922">Llys Helig</a> has lived a long life, and is registered on the list of National Historic Ships. Within her century-long life she has sailed the Mediterranean, worked as a motor-racing hospitality vessel, and served as offices for Pirate Radio Caroline. Before the incident, she spent 30 years being used as a house boat.

100-year old yacht Llys Helig leaves Burnham 

The 100-year-old superyacht Llys Helig has left Burnham after 30 years.

History: 100-year old motor yacht Llys Helig leaves Burnham after salvage

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Although the title may sound like the introduction to a Peter James novel, it refers to the remarkable survival of an almost 100-year-old motor yacht that has recently been salvaged at Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, United Kingdom.It is unusual to report positive news when it comes to elderly yachts in poor condition, but this case offers an exception. To fill in the background to this yacht, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10513" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Llys Helig32.77m (107'6&quot;)John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd1922">Llys Helig</a> was built in 1922 by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd (Company)">J.I. Thornycroft &amp; Co.</a> of Southampton, England, for W. Ernest Corlett.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/177499/image/large-db50fe6bcc3cb8be8c6900a048718d1d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/177499">In terms of specs, the yacht measured 32.73-metres with a 5.82-metre beam and a gross tonnage of 157. Designed by A.T. Wall, the vessel was originally fitted with twin oil engines by Plenty &amp; Son of Newbury and was constructed from steel, with a steel and teak superstructure and pine decks.Fast forward to 1962, the yacht changed hands for the first time in 40 years after being sold to G.K. &amp; A.M.G. Galliers-Pratt. The vessel was then altered and modernised, with the addition of an extra deck to her superstructure. In the meantime, her original engines had also been replaced twice with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1451" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Gardner (Company)">Gardner</a> diesels.&nbsp;These owners kept her until 1965, when she was sold to G.H. Bainbridge who subsequently sold her in 1967 to a Panamanian-based company, Pedromarine Corp., who renamed her Siskebab III. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/177463/image/large-6b6847c358b08e2367c8a8b3957abbab.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/177463">The yacht was reportedly renamed Blue Finn in 1970 when she was based at La Rague on the southern coast of France. In 1971, the yacht was apparently sold to John F. Bennison of Cannes under the registered company Pentonyer Air Navigation Ltd. and renamed Les Autres.The next change appears to have taken place around the mid-1970s when B.W. Ashmore acquired the yacht and set about a gradual restoration by adding an extension to the upper deck. Although Les Autres was usually moored at her berth in Essex at this time, she was reported sunk by Lloyd’s Register in 1975.Three years later it was reported that Les Autres had capsized and was partially submerged following strong gales in the region. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/177461/image/large-cf254509026fd6e28ab81a70ff4bcd7d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/177461">You would be forgiven for assuming that the death knell had finally sounded for this historic icon, but fate intervened once again, circa 2018, when a new owner arrived on the scene with the intention of salvaging and restoring the yacht. She was finally righted and brought on-shore in mid-2020. &nbsp;This article was originally published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/yacht-tenders-and-toys-newspaper" target="_blank">Tenders and Toys edition of The SuperYacht Times newspaper</a>. To receive all future issues straight to your door, <a href="https://shop.superyachttimes.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to the newspaper here</a>.

Rescue of motor Yacht Llys Helig

SuperYacht Times’ in-house yacht historian, Malcolm Wood, recounts the fascinating tale of the 33-metre British-built yacht Llys Helig.