Moonbeam III was commissioned by the London lawyer Charles Plumtree Johnson, a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Thames Yacht Club, to race on the East Coast of England. The yacht was designed and launched in April 1903 by William Fife III.
It is the third of four boats bearing the same name, launched between 1858 and 1920. Built in teak planking on an elm frame, she was originally designed with a yawl rig (2 masts), but is now rigged as a gold cutter.
Moonbeam III belongs to the category of traditional yachts, which combine performance and elegance. She is the first of a series of fast, auric yawls designed by Fife to fit the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) rules, which were revised in 1900. The architect imagined a yacht combining a large sail area and a substantial interior, in flamed mahogany and upholstered leather, which gave her a proud appearance.
After having known several owners, she joined the Mediterranean, where she won the "Course Croisière Méditerranée" in 1927 and 1928, under the name of Eblis. Félix Amiot, a pioneer of aviation, then became her new owner, but put her on dry land for 24 years in Cherbourg. Then, in 1979, she went to England and Southampton, for a 10 years restoration, carried out in the former Camper & Nicholson shipyards.
In 1989, she was sold at auction and left for the Mediterranean, to Saint-Tropez, her home port still today. Since then, she has participated in the largest gatherings of vintage sailboats.
We saw him in Bénodet in 1998 for the 100th anniversary of Pen Duick (Eric Tabarly's Fife design), in Cowes in 2001 for the America's Cup Jubilee, in Fairlie in Scotland for the Fife Regatta in 2008. That same year, he broke the record for the Coupe des deux Phares and won the Voiles de Saint-Tropez. He also participates in the classic regatta circuit in the Mediterranean where he races in the Epoque Aurique or Big Boats class. Easily recognizable thanks to its sail number 88, it is renowned for its excellent results and the professionalism of its crew.
Moonbeam III underwent a complete refit in 2004 at the Monaco Marine shipyards, completed by a refit of the interior fittings at Fairlie Restorations in Hamble, England, in 2006, in strict accordance with the original plans.
Technical specifications
| Architect | William Fife III |
| Job site | W. Fife & son |
| Launch | 1903 |
| Catering | 2006 |
| Overall length | 31 m |
| Floatation length | 19 m |
| Bau max | 4,72 m |
| Draft | 3,65 m |
| Moving | 60 t |
| Motorization | 135 HP (Perkins) |
| Sail surface | 430 m2 (plus 360 m2 under spinnaker) |
Estimate: 500,000 Euros 1,500,000 Euros / 560,000 Euros 1,680,000 $, without reserve price
ARTCURIAL AT RETROMOBILE
The official auction of the Retromobile Show, organized by Artcurial Motorcars, is one of the most important in the world for classic cars. Collectors and enthusiasts from all over the world meet in Paris for this unique event.
