Build - De Vries Letsch
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When Shackleton (then "La Galere II") was built she had Laurent Giles' traditional double steering position: one wheel aft for sailing, and one in the deckhouse for motoring. This can be clearly seen on the construction and launch foto's from De Vries Letsch, which were part of a "proof of heritage" letter from the daughter of the builder, Drs. Charlotte Jacoba de Vries Lentsch, in February 2006.
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"La Galere II" - 1st (Finnish?) owner (1967)
No information is available (yet) on the first owner, presumed to be Finnish.
"La Galere II", 1978, British Owner
In 1978 the yacht was registered in the UK (Part 1) as "La Galere II" with a British owner. As indicated on the document this owner purchased the yacht from unspecified "Danes", perhaps indicating an intermediate owner, or alternatively, perhaps one Scandinavian is much like another to a retired English lady... (June Alison Clement).
In 1990 the yacht, registered as La Galere II in Guernsey to "Jackdaw Marine", was berthed in Antibes according to a VAT-acquittal document of 1990.
In 1990 the yacht, registered as La Galere II in Guernsey to "Jackdaw Marine", was berthed in Antibes according to a VAT-acquittal document of 1990.
Some gaps in the record...
..but the impression is that the yacht remained in the Mediterranean since then; a small circumstantial indication is the pan -still on board- with the Portofino Yacht Club plaque!
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"La Galareña" - Monaco (- 2011)
On an unknown date the yacht, still called "La Galere II", registered in Belgium (#16432, B730831) but lying Antibes, was sold by M.Jean-Daniel Geistlich to M.Pierre-Alain Dupuy-Urisari of Monaco.
The monegasque registration under the name of "La Galareña" was some time later cancelled in 2011, and it is understood from a survey performed in 2014 under authority of mr. Salzmann, that boat was then purchased by this Swiss (?) owner (likely domiciled in Murcia, Spain). A Galareña is the traditional wide red-with-green-offset Mexican dress, a much more elegant and appropriate image than "La Galere" for such a lovely lady! |
traditional Galareña dress
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"Grace" - 2014 - Spain - major refurbishment
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It is understood that it was the next Swiss owner (?2014-2017) who looked after the major refit of engine, instrumentation(, hull) and interior. The boat, re-named "Grace", was then lying in Spain.
As can be deducted from the 2014 survey, the aft wheel position was removed then and the current level aft-deck constructed. The aft-deck now comfortably fits a table and a few chairs, for those lovely summer evenings, and the lazarette locker below is spacious enough to store the extra furniture! The keel-stepped mast was changed to deck-stepped, and the fixed mizzen back-stays and swimming platform were added. The platform planking was changed in 2020 to reduce risk of damage to the rigging on the Atlantic - intermediate planks remain on board. It is presumed the platform and dual mizzen back-stays were made to simplify the typical Mediterranean stern-to mooring. 
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"Sama Sama", 2017, Australian owner - to Canaries
Sama Sama (2017/18? Photo copyright presumed "Sylvain" or "Krystal Keynes")
A short blog post (Jan 2020) of the early stages of these owners' journey may be found online [here]. On purchasing "Grace", re-naming her after a Thai establishment and re-registering her in Australia (#862099), they sailed primarily coastal from south Spain via Morocco to Lanzarote, where urgent personal reasons necessitated the yacht be sold in a hurry 8/2018.
It is noted that the coachroof was still wood-finish in the images but is not currently; at some point prior to 2020 this was painted white, presumably to keep it cooler while living on board in the lovely warm southern climate.
It is noted that the coachroof was still wood-finish in the images but is not currently; at some point prior to 2020 this was painted white, presumably to keep it cooler while living on board in the lovely warm southern climate.
2018 - pause in Arrecife, Lanzarote
The purchase in 2018 was done to allow friends of the current owner to live on board, collect their focus and subsequently continue their sailing and life's journey; she was re-registered in the Netherlands and renamed Shackleton. After this Dutch registration authority (ANWB) closed this registry Shackleton was re-registered on the Small Ships Register in the United Kingdom. Personal tragedy, worsened by the Coronavirus situation, forced Shackleton's crew to depart the Canary Islands without the Shackleton, at which point my personal involvement began.
