The return of Lionheart

Ready for the America's Cup Jubilee Britain's 1980 British challenger is sitting in front of her old berth at the Royal Southern YC

Scott Williams( Scottie) from Australia was the lucky man for this exacting project. Scottie explained how he accomplished this mammoth job. "She was just a shell. She had no mast, boom or any deck fittings bar her original track, helm and spinnaker turning block and she was full of mud".

" Harry then bought another 12 metre US 60 Eagle so that we could completely refit Lionheart again," he continued. "We had her back in the water in October 2000 but the mast didn't fit properly. She was then back out and we made a lot of alterations to both the mast and grinders, etc".

Lionheart was eventually relaunched in late April of this year and raced successfully in the New York Yacht Club regatta in Newport with the added benefit of a new set of sails.

Scott is overwhelmed by the prospect of the Jubilee regatta. "I can't wait to see the start of Tuesday's Round the Island race. With 40 odd 12 metres let alone the other super classics and the J classes, it will be a once in a lifetime event. The Jubilee has regenerated a 12 metre obsession and I hope it will lead to seeing these incredible boats racing competitively and more frequently again".

Lionheart with her new racing blue topsides arrived on Tuesday after a ten day passage onboard the floating dry dock Super Servant 3 and floated off back to her original pontoon in front of the Royal Southern YC in Hamble for the first time in more than 20 years.

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