An abandoned yacht in England
During a visit to Glasson Dock Marina in the north of England, the Faure family came across a mysterious abandoned boat, rusted and damaged by time. After a little research, they discovered that it was a 1932 yacht designed by architect Norman Hart and built at the famous De Vries-Lentsch shipyard in Amsterdam. 24-meter displacement hull in riveted 10mm steel, 4.50m beam, 1.80m draught, 6mm thick steel deck, two engines, chimney, exterior helm and a weight of 70 tons. Imposing features.
It's a real coup de coeur for the family! Ludovic confides: "How did such a ship, with such a rich history, fall into total oblivion? We immediately liked her unusual appearance and realized her potential. So, together and without any outside financial help, we embarked on the adventure of restoring it. It is one of the most extraordinary family events we have ever experienced."
The incredible story of Lady Catherine D
Between the 2nd World War, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, cruises from Cannes and its charter for a BBC series, its history is rich.
Originally named ECILA by the 1st purchaser, Sir G. A Brittain, owner of the Austin Morris factories in Dublin, she was initially used as a pleasure yacht and cruised towards the Channel Islands, the Isles of Scilly and the English Channel at the beginning of the 20th century. During the Second World War, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and is said to have taken part in Operation Dynamo to repatriate British soldiers from Dunkirk. In 1953, she was part of the fleet of yachts accompanying Queen Elizabeth II's coronation celebrations in London.
Then, in 1956, he was present in Monaco for the arrival of Grace Kelly for her wedding to Prince Rainier. In the '60s, she sailed on cruises from Cannes. Finally, in 1979, she was chartered for a BBC series.
The boat was never heard from again. In the 1980s, she was finally laid up at Glasson Dock marina, struck off the Lloyd's register of shipping and left to decay. She never moved again. From then on, its only visitors were the few tourists who passed by.
Between yachts and liners
Ludovic tells us what happens next: "We decided to buy the ECILA in 2010 with the aim of saving her from destruction in a marine scrapyard. We Frenchified her in 2012 and renamed her Lady Catherine D, in homage to my grandmother, Catherine Digne, née Reggio-Paquet, the granddaughter of French shipowner Nicolas Paquet, founder of the eponymous Marseille-based company."
The maritime adventure continues with a refit for the Lady Catherine D. "The ECILA was built to +100A1 standard by Lloyd's register and monitored by this organization until the 1980s. Lloyd's is one of the world's leading providers of classification and compliance services for the maritime and offshore industries, enabling, among other things, all successive owners to be identified. The original plans have been preserved in the Amsterdam Museum, as well as in the Greenwich Museum, where her half-hull is on display. Her architecture is very similar to the liners of the 1930s, such as the Nicolas Paquet, built at the La Seyne shipyard and launched in December 1928. The stern is a stern cruiser, with a rudder built below the waterline. Compared with an elliptical stern, this type of stern is hydrodynamically efficient and has a better aesthetic profile" explains Ludovic.
It's a whole family that's lovingly invested...
It is with the help of these plans that Lady Catherine D has been restored to her original appearance. The first restoration work began in England, when the deck and hull were rebuilt. The defective engines were removed. Deprived of propulsion, she was towed to the Honfleur shipyards, where two new engines were installed. These were 225 hp Perkins M215C models. Top-of-the-range engines for their reliability and durability.
With the mechanical part completed, the boat left the Normandy port with a couple of bargemen and Ludovic on board, to cross France via the canals to Port-Saint-Louis. A veritable 3-week expedition, with over 187 locks to pass. At Port-Saint-Louis, the couple gave way to a captain, who took the ship to La Ciotat for final mooring.
Ludovic, his wife and their two sons embarked on a meticulous restoration, gradually restoring the yacht to its 1930s elegance. All painted white and adorned with varnished teak, mahogany, bronze portholes and scuttles, she has been restored with respect for tradition. The saloon, dining room, galley and crew quarters have been refurbished. A large aft cabin with bathroom has been added.
Ludovic concludes: "We're working hard to renovate and preserve our boat as close as possible to its original appearance. Now that we've saved her, we want her to live out other hours of glory through professional or cultural events, and why not in the cinema... "
