shemara yacht owner

Wrecks to riches: Aboard the superyachts restored to their former glories

From shemara to kingdom come, step on board these revamped vessels.

Words: Gentleman's Journal

With many European shipyards now concentrating on turning out superyachts of ever-
increasing proportions, former superyacht Captain Michael Howorth investigates the trend of finding secondhand tonnage in poor condition and returning it to former glory…

This 65-metre superyacht, built in the 1960s, was rescued from decay and completely rebuilt in Britain by British businessman Charles Dunstone. Built by Thorneycroft in Southampton in 1938, she served in World War Two as an anti-submarine training ship with the Royal Navy. Shemara became famous in the 1950s for the many lavish parties hosted by the gracelessly gaudy Lord and Lady Docker. In 1954 the nation’s eyebrows were raised when 33 Yorkshire miners were invited to Southampton for a cocktail party on-board Shemara.

In 1965, Shemara was put up for sale for £600,000, and passed to the ownership of the reclusive property tycoon Harry Hyams for £290,000. He left her sitting in Lowestoft for 20 years where, according to rumour, crew prepared lunch for Hyams each day just in case he arrived, which he never did.

Charles Dunstone, the man behind Carphone Warehouse, is an avid sailor who enjoys racing sailing yachts. He decided Shemara would make a fitting mothership for him to attend and race in superyacht sailing regattas around the world. Having purchased her, the yacht arrived in Portsmouth and spent over a year in a multi-million-pound rebuild that saw her relaunched in a condition that far exceeds that of when first delivered in 1938.

Now owned by British inventor and industrial designer James Dyson, the 91-metre Nahlin was built as a steamship by the John Brown shipyard on the Clyde in 1930 and, at that time, carried a crew of 58. She was famously the yacht on which King Edward VIII conducted his affair with American divorcee Wallis Simpson – a love that ultimately cost him the British throne. The Romanian Royal family then owned her, but when that monarchy crumbled she fell to the State.

She served in various roles before being sold to yacht broker Nicholas Edmiston in 1999 and brought back to the UK, where she was docked in Liverpool. When Cammell Laird went into receivership, the yacht was towed to Germany where she was beautifully restored – four new diesel engines were installed to replace her original steam turbines. Each of the 2200 horsepower engines provides 1619 kilowatts of power and can now propel this fine old lady at speeds of around 17 knots.

Originally fitted out with six en-suite staterooms for guests, a ladies’ sitting room with sea views on three sides and both the library and gymnasium have been restored.

BBC reality TV show host Alan Sugar now owns a yacht named Lady A. She became famous as Southern Cross when she was built for the disgraced Australian business entrepreneur Sir Alan Bond. Famed for his rudeness about the crew on his last superyacht, Lord Sugar vowed at the time he would never own another superyacht. Time passed and the self-made millionaire had a change of heart, buying a yacht constructed in Japan in 1986 to the interior and exterior designs of Jon Bannenberg.

At 55 metres the yacht has also sailed as Indian Princess when she was owned by the Indian businessman Vijay Mallya. But Lord Sugar made it very much his own when choosing the independent ship repairer Burgess Marine in Portchester, Portsmouth to give Lady A her winter refit.

Burgess Marine, along with other British yards such as Solent Refit near Southampton and Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, are known for their ability to turn wrecks into superyachts of beauty. Britain might have lost its edge when it comes to building superyachts, but it seems the Brits are still strong when it comes to designing and refitting them.

Kingdom Come

The better the historical pedigree of the used tonnage purchased, the better return the owner gets after selling a refitted yacht. London-based yacht brokerage firm Cecil Wright & Partners recently sold Kingdom Come for around £14 million. The 60-metre superyacht was originally commissioned by a scion of the Mercedes-Benz dynasty and built in 1979 by Feadship in Holland. Mercedes ownership and Feadship both have good credence in the secondhand superyacht market – add in a political assassination and the yacht has real appeal.

In the case of Kingdom Come, she had been sold to the Lebanese prime minister, Rafic Hariri, who owned the yacht for over 30 years before being assassinated in 2005. The yacht then stayed within family ownership until she was sold some 10 years later.

For those inspired to follow in the footsteps of owners who have turned secondhand tonnage into fabulous superyachts, Solent Refit are offering Lady K II, a British-built 56-metre classic motoryacht dating from 1961, for just £1.5 million. Be warned, however, that her refit costs have been estimated in the region of £10 million. Elsewhere, Northrop & Johnson are marketing Delphine, a steam yacht built in 1921 for the US automobile magnate Horace Dodge, for in excess of £19 million. It seems old is the new new…

This article was taken from the September Yacht supplement. To receive Gentleman’s Journal extra publications, VIP subscribe here .

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Canark Marine Ltd provided engineering design as part of the project which oversaw the successful completion of the Shemara superyacht refit in 2014. After a three-and-a-half-year and one million-man hour project, Shemara , once one of the world’s largest and most famous private yachts, was restored back to her former glory. Originally launched in 1938, the classic motor yacht had rarely been out of the glamorous spotlight in its infancy. But over the course of time, and several changes of ownership, Shemara found herself languishing for almost twenty years in Lowestoft, UK until being rescued in 2007. Shemara ’s acquisition started a seven year journey of restoration, enlisting the services of Canark’s engineers from 2011.  Canark’s engineers redesigned the 65-metre classic motor yacht while retaining her original character and charm. Beginning with a full structural analysis, Canark meticulously scoped and planned Shemara ’s historic restoration that saw much of her original superstructure and systems redesigned and replaced.

The refit saw the installation of two Rolls-Royce diesel-electric engines, a new ancillary system, azimuthing pods, a new bowthruster and dynamic positioning capability ensuring Shemara looked like a classic motor yacht and performed like a modern-day high-tech superyacht. 

The project was completed on time and to budget with the Shemara being handed over to the Owner on 17 July 2014.  

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Classic Yacht SHEMARA New to the Charter Market

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By Editorial Team   8 December 2014

The magnificent 65m/212ft classic superyacht SHEMARA makes an exciting addition to the global charter fleet this week and is available in the Caribbean throughout the winter.

SHEMARA was originally built by Thornycroft & Company in 1938 as one of the largest private yachts in the world and went on to serve as an A/S vessel during World War II. For three years she underwent an extensive, one million man-hour rebuild project that saw her returned to her former glory and transformed into a superyacht at the highest levels of design and luxury. She was re-launched earlier this year and has now been made available just in time for the Caribbean yacht charter winter season.

The refit took place at Shemara Refit LLP which was set up by her Owner who then recruited naval architects from BAE along with a number of subcontractors and Studioilse for the interior design to collaborate on the project. The results are spectacular and have seen SHEMARA reconfigured, refreshed, and largely rebuilt, retaining her classic charm while boasting an array of innovative new additions to include a Rolls-Royce diesel-electric drive train.

For three years she underwent an extensive, one million man-hour rebuild project that saw her returned to her former glory...

SHEMARA’s new interior has also been sympathetically designed to emphasise her original features. The living areas are spacious and elegant, encompassing stylish furnishings and high quality fittings, finished with neutral décor, intelligent lighting solutions and leather and wood materials and a grand central staircase to link all decks. She sleeps up to 12 guests in eight beautiful staterooms to include six double guest cabins and a larger VIP on the lower deck, and an owner’s suite forward on the upper deck.

Outdoors there are a great selection of versatile spaces, from the observation deck atop the wheelhouse, to a large sunbathing area aft on the bridge deck, an expansive aft deck with plunge pool on the upper deck and an alfresco dining area on the main deck aft.

SHEMARA is available for charter at weekly rates starting from €275,000 and €300,000 plus expenses over the winter, contact your preferred charter broker for more details. Alternatively take a look at the full range of classic yachts available for charter . 

More Yacht Information

65m Vosper Thornycroft 1938 / 2014

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SHEMARA JI Thornycroft & Co

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If you have any questions about the SHEMARA information page below please contact us .

A General Description of Motor Yacht SHEMARA

From the Ji Thornycroft & yacht builder in the United Kingdom the SHEMARA is 65 m 212 (ft) in length. Superyacht SHEMARA is able to accommodate up to 13 people with 30 crew. She can reach a high speed of 15 knots.

The 212 ft steel motor yacht SHEMARA built in 1938 was famous for being the venue of many fancy parties in the 1950s when she was owned by Lady Docker. The yacht has since been out of the public eye and is owned by a reclusive English Millionaire.

Building & Design for Luxury Yacht SHEMARA

John I Thornycroft was the naval architect firm involved in the formal vessel composition for SHEMARA. Also the company John I Thornycroft successfully worked on this venture. the United Kingdom is the country that Ji Thornycroft & built their new build motor yacht in. After the formal launch in 1938 in Southampton the boat was delivered on to the owner following final finishing. Her hull was constructed with steel. The motor yacht superstructure component is made mostly using steel. With a beam of 9.24 m / 30.3 ft SHEMARA has fairly large room. She has a reasonably deep draught of 3.96m (13ft). She had refit maintenance and alteration work undertaken in 1992.

Engineering And The Speed That M/Y SHEMARA Can Reach:

She is driven by twin screw propellers. The main engine of the yacht creates 960 horse power (or 706 kilowatts). She is fitted with 2 engines. The total power for the yacht is 1920 HP or 1413 KW.

With Superyacht SHEMARA She Caters For The Following Guest Accommodation For Guest:

Providing chambers for a maximum of 13 yacht guests spending the night, the SHEMARA accommodates them comfortably. The boat requires circa 30 expert crew to manage.

A List of the Specifications of the SHEMARA:

Miscellaneous yacht details.

This motor yacht has a teak deck.

SHEMARA Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht SHEMARA displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

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You Can Now Charter This 65-Meter, Eight-Cabin, Four-Deck, Two-Saloon Yacht

By Alice B-B

The newly renovated 65-meter Shemara is one of the prettiest private yachts that boat folk are clamoring to charter this summer. Interiors, by Ilse Crawford, include eight cabins, four decks, two saloons, and a Hollywood-worthy grand staircase. Late for lunch at Eden Roc? Just ask the captain to kick up the Rolls-Royce diesel-electric system to full throttle, at 14 knots. But, remember, this lady is about old-school glamour over nouveau speed.

Continue for deluxe photos of the Shemara and two other classic super-yachts.

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Residents Outside Moscow Protest Power Outage, Demand Heating Amid Subzero Temperatures

Residents of a Moscow region town impacted by power outages have taken to the streets, demanding that local authorities restore heat to their homes as subzero temperatures grip the region, Russian media reported Friday.

At least 21,000 people had power knocked out in their homes on Thursday morning in the town of Podolsk when a heating main burst at the Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant, according to the Kommersant business daily.

The circumstances surrounding the incident at the plant in Podolsk, located some 50 kilometers south of Moscow, have not been disclosed.

The Telegram news channel Ostorozhno Moskva published a video of several local residents who gathered in the town's central square to demand the authorities restore their heating, as well as punish those responsible for the outage.

“The police arrived quickly to disrupt us. I wish they’d brought back heating as fast as they dispatched the cops,” the person recording the video could be heard saying.

A Change.org petition with identical demands was launched online, which, by Friday evening, was   signed by nearly 2,000 people.

“Since more than 24 hours have passed, we ask to punish all those involved in this emergency,” the petition reads, naming Podolsk Mayor Grigory Artamonov and the heads of local utilities as the culprits.

Households in the Moscow region towns of Khimki, Balashikha, Solnechnogorsk, Lyubertsy and Elektrostal also experienced heating loss  as a result of power outages, with temperatures in the area plummeting to minus 20 degrees Celsius, according to the investigative news website iStories. 

The Podyom news outlet, without citing its sources, reported that prosecutors have launched an investigation into the outages.

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California yacht owner threatens to kill dock worker in vicious showdown, cali yacht owner threatens to kill dock worker drops pants for rude salute, 95 3/13/2024 8:09 am pt.

A California yacht owner's vicious beef with a dock worker has reached death-threat levels -- and their exchange was caught on camera and included a nude, and very rude, gesture!

Check out the clip ... it all unfolds when San Diego entrepreneur Ajay Thakore swings by the swanky Marriott Marquis Marina in his rare $4.5M Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 yacht to pick up one of his employees -- but things boil over when dock worker Joseph Holt tells him he can't be there.

Thakore, the CEO of medical advertising firm Doctor Multimedia, flips out on Holt big time ... and starts spewing threats like, "I will kill you, you know I will kill you, I will kill."

And it doesn't stop there -- as Thakore's pulling out of the harbor, he drops trou to make a full frontal salute in Holt's direction. Stay classy, San Diego!

Holt's only retaliation was flipping the bird, and he later told CBS8 that was all he could do to keep his cool and avoid escalating the situation.

Holt says parts of the altercation were not captured on camera, and he adds ... Thakore not only threatened to kill him, but also claimed to have connections who could totally mess up his life.

Holt also says Thakore pulled out $100 bills and tossed them at him, even chucking some in the water.

BTW, Thakore's done some backpedaling since the ugly exchange -- he now says, "The interaction that occurred yesterday was regrettable. What started as a minor misunderstanding escalated into an argument, and I apologize for my actions and to those who witnessed the unfortunate exchange."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

FWIW ... One of Thakore’s employees claims the whole thing began because other dock workers blocked him from boarding the yacht.

Oh, and if that fancy Lambo yacht looks familiar -- it's the same one Chuck Liddell recently tumbled off just last month. Now it's famous AND infamous!

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Strange Glow Over Moscow Skies Triggers Panic as Explosions Reported

B right flashes lit up the night sky in southern Moscow in the early hours of Thursday morning, new footage appears to show, following reports of an explosion at an electrical substation on the outskirts of the city.

Video snippets circulating on Russian-language Telegram channels show a series of flashes on the horizon of a cloudy night sky, momentarily turning the sky a number of different colors. In a clip shared by Russian outlet MSK1.ru, smoke can be seen rising from a building during the flashes lighting up the scene.

Newsweek was unable to independently verify the details of the video clips, including when and where it was filmed. The Russian Ministry of Emergency situations has been contacted via email.

Several Russian Telegram accounts said early on Thursday that residents of southern Moscow reported an explosion and a fire breaking out at an electrical substation in the Leninsky district, southeast of central Moscow.

Local authorities in the Leninsky district told Russian outlet RBC that the explosion had happened in the village of Molokovo. "All vital facilities are operating as normal," Leninsky district officials told the outlet.

The incident at the substation in Molokovo took place just before 2 a.m. local time, MSK1.ru reported.

Messages published by the ASTRA Telegram account, run by independent Russian journalists, appear to show residents close to the substation panicking as they question the bright flashes in the sky. One local resident describes seeing the bright light before losing access to electricity, with another calling the incident a "nightmare."

More than 10 villages and towns in the southeast of Moscow lost access to electricity, the ASTRA Telegram account also reported. The town of Lytkarino to the southeast of Moscow, lost electricity, wrote the eastern European-based independent outlet, Meduza.

Outages were reported in the southern Domodedovo area of the city, according to another Russian outlet, as well as power failures in western Moscow. Electricity was then restored to the areas, the Strana.ua outlet reported.

The cause of the reported explosion is not known. A Telegram account aggregating news for the Lytkarino area described the incident as "an ordinary accident at a substation."

The MSK1.ru outlet quoted a local resident who speculated that a drone may have been responsible for the explosion, but no other Russian source reported this as a possible cause.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Moscow with long-range aerial drones in recent months, including a dramatic wave of strikes in late May.

On Sunday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the region's air defense systems had intercepted an aerial drone over the city of Elektrostal, to the east of Moscow. No damage or casualties were reported, he said.

The previous day, Russian air defenses detected and shot down another drone flying over the Bogorodsky district, northeast of central Moscow, Sobyanin said.

There is currently no evidence that an aerial drone was responsible for the reported overnight explosion at the electrical substation in southern Moscow.

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