6th of May, Wednesday, 10am saw a group of us from SSA departing from One15 Marina to Puteri Harbour at Nusajaya, Malaysia to visit Cariad – a 118ft sailing yacht with more than 110 years of rich history.
Cariad is an ancient Welsh work meaning Sweetheart or Beloved. Designed by Mr A E Payne, Cariad was built in 1896 by the Summers and Payne shipyard for Lord Dunraven. Cariad was, at that time the largestyach that the Summers and Payne shipyard had ever built.
In 1898, Cariad raced from Lisbon and Bombay, a distance of 10,000 miles and won the Vasco Da Gama Cup and brought the trophy back to the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes England.
In her long and active life, Cariad has sailed around the world twice. In 1920, under Swedish ownership, she departed from Karishkrona in Sweden, sailed through Magelian’s Strait to Tahiti, Honolulu, Suvu, Yokohama, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Aden, Suez and Gibraltar, returning triumphant to Sweden in 1922. In 1952, she again sailed round the world returning to her home port in 1953.
Cariad is believed to be the oldest, largest and most beautiful class yacht in the world today. She went for extensive restoration in 2007-2008 in Thailand and is now at Puteri Harbour for completion of most of the interior woodworks and finishing touches. The Singapore team in charge of the project expects the project will be completed in another 3 or 4 months. Once completed, Cariad will be cruising Southeast Asia and will be the perfect yacht for passionate sailors and their family.
