Built in 1902 at the Townsend & Downey shipyard in New York, Shenandoah of Sark is one of the most famous topsail schooners afloat. Originally designed for cruising, she has spent much of her life competing in regattas, turning heads in every harbour she enters, and proving her racing pedigree. Over the years, she has hosted aristocrats, celebrities, and even James Bond himself!

Ratsey & Lapthorn opened their loft on City Island, New York, the same year Shenandoah was launched. We have been proud to suit her since the very beginning and continue this tradition to this day.

• Class: Three-Masted Topsail Schooner
• Launched: 1902
• Built By: Townsend & Downey Shipyard, New York
• Engineering & Craftsmanship: Constructed from riveted steel frames with a teak deck, and with a three-masted rig, Shenandoah is a hallmark of 20th-century yacht design

Designed by Charles Nicholson and launched in 1927, Cynara is a rare surviving example of a pre-war cruising yacht. Ratsey & Lapthorn’s Gosport loft, situated next to the Camper & Nicholsons Yard, naturally suited her both at her launch in 1927 and again during her restoration in 2017.

After decades of ocean crossings, she found a long-term home in Japan, where she underwent an extensive multi-year restoration. With 70% of her original structure preserved, Cynara once again cuts through the water as she was meant to—proving that true craftsmanship, when carefully preserved and respected, stands the test of time.

• Class: Auxiliary Ketch
• Launched: 1927
• Built By: Camper & Nicholsons, Gosport
• Engineering & Craftsmanship: Built with teak planking on oak frames, her construction represents traditional British yacht-building. She began a full keel up restoration in 2017 in Japan with a team of European master shipwrights alongside Japanese craftsmen saving 70% of her original structure; an extraordinary achievement given her age.

Also built in 1927, Creole is a towering icon of the classic yachting world. At 65.3 meters, she remains the largest wooden sailing yacht ever built—a remarkable feat of engineering and craftsmanship. Constructed with double teak planking, her hull is designed to withstand the relentless forces of the ocean, a testament to the skill of Camper & Nicholsons, who built her in Gosport.

Originally commissioned by American industrialist Alexander Smith Cochran and launched as Vira, she was the largest yacht ever constructed by Camper & Nicholsons at the time. Her Bermudan staysail rig was specifically designed for ease of handling, allowing her to be sailed with a smaller crew, unburdened by the heavy gaffs common in earlier rigs.

During World War II, Creole served in the Royal Navy before returning to private ownership under a Greek shipping magnate who undertook a lavish restoration, adorning her with prestigious paintings and commissioning a major rebuild.

In 1983, Creole found perhaps her most famous custodian—Maurizio Gucci—who initiated an extensive restoration at Camper & Nicholsons, bringing her back to her former glory. Since then, the Gucci family has meticulously maintained her, ensuring that she remains not just a piece of history, but a living, sailing work of art.

Ratsey & Lapthorn has been part of Creole’s journey for decades, crafting every suit of sails from her launch, carrying her into the present day with both power and grace.

• Class: Three-masted Schooner
• Launched: 1927
• Built By: Camper & Nicholsons, Gosport
• Engineering & Craftsmanship: The largest wooden sailing yacht afloat today, Creole’s double teak planking and masterful design have allowed her to endure for nearly a century, defying the challenges of maintaining a wooden hull at this scale.

These yachts aren’t just gems of the past; they are living, breathing works of art whose survival is a testament to the passion and dedication of those who maintain them for the future generations.

At Ratsey & Lapthorn, we take pride in crafting sails that help preserve the legacy of these boats.

Thank you for being part of our story.

Warm regards,

The Ratsey & Lapthorn Team