Laurent Giles Gentlemans Motor Yacht La Fenice

LA FENICE — 29m Laurent Giles Gentleman’s Motor Yacht (1962 / 2023)
€300,000 Price reduction - January 2025

A rare and distinguished example of British naval architecture, LA FENICE brings togetherLaurent Giles’ celebrated design pedigreewith a comprehensive modern technical rebuild, creating one of the finest classic motor yachts presently available.

Built in 1962 by Richard Ironworks as the support vessel to the British 12-Metre America’s Cup challengerSovereign, she was engineered for demanding offshore missions: long-range passages, exceptional seakeeping and absolute reliability. She later served as a French Navy training vessel before beginning a new life under renowned photographerPeter Lindbergh, who engaged Christian Liaigre to transform her interior into the refined, understated living environment she offers today.

Between 2021 and 2023, LA FENICE underwent one of the most thorough technical and structural refits ever completed on a yacht of her class. Her machinery, systems, electrics, electronics, pipework, thrusters, generators and decks were renovated or replaced, bringing her mechanically to modern standards while preserving the elegance and authenticity of a true gentleman’s yacht.

She isEU VAT exempt, fully documented, and—thanks to her historic Load Line exemption—may be operated undersub-24m MGN280requirements if maintained under the UK flag, offering significant crewing and operational flexibility.

Key Characteristics

• 
  29m steel gentleman’s motor yacht, Laurent Giles design
  


• 
  Extensive 2021–2023 refit, with major mechanical, structural and system renewal
  


• 
  Christian Liaigre interior elementsand signature aesthetic
  


• 
  Historic Load Line exemptionallowing operation under <24m MGN280 rules
  


• Not required to be maintained in class


• 
  Low-consumption Gardner propulsionfor efficient long-range cruising
  


• 
  Accommodation for 9 guests in 4 suites+ 3 crew cabins (all ensuite)
  


• 
  Starlink installed and network-integratedfor global broadband coverage
  


• EU VAT exempt


• Full suite of engineering reports, surveys and documentation

Broker’s comments:

LA FENICE represents the rarest combination in the classic-yacht world: verified heritage, coherent design pedigree, and modern yet practical technical systems executed to a depth rarely seen. Her systems, robust engineering and refined Liaigre-influenced interior allow her to be enjoyed today with the confidence and comfort of a contemporary yacht.

Presented in superb condition, fully documented and ready for private cruising or commercial operation, she is a standout opportunity for buyers seeking an authentic gentleman’s motor yacht with guaranteed longevity.

Additional Information

Design, Heritage & Provenance

LA FENICE’s origins give her a uniquely purposeful elegance: a hull conceived for range, stability and composed performance in open water. Laurent Giles shaped her with the quiet confidence of a designer working at the top of his game, producing a vessel that remains remarkably efficient and soft-footed underway more than six decades later.

Launched in 1962 as Diadem of Dewlish, she was created as the travelling mother ship for financier J.A. Boyden’s America’s Cup campaign with Sovereign in Newport, Rhode Island. The brief demanded stamina, refinement and the ability to cross oceans without hesitation — qualities that still define her. The early drawings, correspondence and technical notes from Giles’ office reveal a yacht engineered not as an accessory, but as an essential part of the racing effort.

Her years as a French Navy training vessel added another layer to her structural credibility, while her later life under photographer Peter Lindbergh ushered in the collaboration with Christian Liaigre. That partnership introduced the understated, sculptural interior language that now runs through the yacht: dark timber floors, precise lines, generous volumes and a quietly flowing arrangement that feels both modern and faithful to the spirit of a classic yacht.

The vessel’s provenance is unusually well preserved. Her documentation spans:
–Photos from yard period in 2001
–Cartagena refit records (2015/16)
–Original 1962 architects’ and shipyard drawings
–The full Studio Liaigre project file, including handwritten annotations
– And even a photograph of Christian Liaigre onboard

Together, these materials form a continuous narrative of care, craftsmanship and thoughtful evolution — all of which accompany the yacht today.

Interior

LA FENICE’s interior captures the warmth and proportion of a classic yacht, balanced with the clean, understated detailing characteristic of Christian Liaigre. Large windows, generous headroom and an unbroken flow between spaces create an unusually open and inviting interior for a yacht of this size and vintage. She was the first Christian Liaaigre boat and onne can see many of her design details mirrored in later vessels that came under the mastery of Studio Liaigre.

Bridge Deck

• Wheelhouse with excellent visibility and navigation station


• Internal lounge/observation area with table


• Large exterior deck with sunpad and substantial bimini and sunshade


• Ideal for private dining or charter entertaining

Main Deck

• Aft lounge with bar


• Day head


• Side-deck access via door


• Forward saloon with ample seating, dining area, bench seating and dedicated TV snug

Lower Deck

• 
  Guest suites(all ensuite):
  
  
  1. 3 × double staterooms
  
  
  2. 1 × double with Pullman (sleeps 3; perfect for family use)
  
  
  
  


• 
  Crew areaaccessed via forward stairway:
  
  
  1. Full galley and crew mess
  
  
  2. Captain’s double cabin and 2 twin cabins — all ensuite
  
  
  3. Crew finish of a standard suitable for occasional guest use
  
  
  
  

Galley & Service

• Commercial-grade 6-zone induction hob


• 3-phase oven and extractor


• Microwave


• Two large refrigerators


• Freezer


• Dishwasher and extractor


• Washer/dryer (2022)


• Complete galley-ware inventory included

Bar & Upper Deck Service

• Slimline dishwasher


• Wine fridge


• Coffee machine


• Upper deck fridge, freezer and ice-maker

Exterior & Decks

During the 2021–2023 refit, all exterior decking was renewed to a very high standard. Original teak was faired, overlaid with Lloyd’s-approved marine ply, epoxy faired and sealed and finished with new Tek-Dek synthetic decking across all exterior areas.

Additional exterior upgrades include:

• Custom stainless-steel lazarette hatch


• Overhauled windlass with new bearings and transformers


• Davit mounting rings, wiring and controls renewed


• Complete antifoul rebuild: wet blasting, dry blasting, Hempel primers,Coppercoat Superyachtfinish


• New splash guards for side decks

Ground tackle:

• 2 × 80 kg Pool anchors


• 192 m + 110 m of 16 mm calibrated chain

Machinery & Technical Specification

Main Engines

Twin Gardner 8L3B (230 hp @ 1130 rpm)
~400 hours since complete Gardner Marine overhaul
New bronze raw-water pumps and full spare kits
New exhaust silencers, expansion bellows and high-temperature insulation
Extensive engine room spares

Gearboxes

Gardner 3UC gearboxes — professionally rebuilt by Gardner Marine (documentation available)

Generators

• Fischer Panda 25 kW, 415 V 3-phase (~1140 hrs), stainless sound enclosure


• Northern Lights 944T 44 kW, 415 V 3-phase (~237 hrs since zero hour rebuild)

Thrusters

• 
  Sleipner 550 AC bow thruster
  


• 
  Sleipner 320 DC stern thrusterwith new tunnel and custom fairings
  

Stabilisation

• Vosper twin-fin stabilisers (underway)


• Stabilisers fully rebuilt: bearings, rams, hydraulic hoses, nitrogen vessels


• Shafts machined inInconel 625

Tankage

• Fuel: 14,000 L (4 tanks)


• Fresh water: 12,000 L


• Black/Grey: 1800 L aft, 800 L forward, 350 L sludge

Water Systems

• Aquafresh 190 L/hr watermaker (touchscreen control)


• Technicomar MARPOL-compliant treatment plant (approx. 3,200 L/day)


• Fully renewed freshwater circuits, pumps, filters and heaters

Air Handling

• Dometic reverse-cycle air conditioning throughout (new CuNi raw water pipework, new raw water and circulation pumps, safety circuits and control systems 2023)


• 16 kW Eberspacher heating system (installed; commissioning optional)

Electrical & Connectivity

A complete AC/DC renewal was undertaken during refit, including:

• Full Megger testing


• New starter, service and GMDSS battery banks


• Victron AC, DC and GMDSS charging systems


• New DC consumer panel


• Overhauled AC cabinets


• Phase-rotation meter


• Peplink multi-WAN router with distributed onboard WAP network


• Starlink system installed and fully integrated

Navigation & Electronics

• Furuno TZ2 16” multifunction display


• Furuno GP1871 plotter


• Furuno GP39 GPS


• Furuno NavPilot 700 Autohelm


• Furuno NX300 Navtex


• Furuno SC30 satellite compass


• Furuno 12A 12 kW radar


• Icom GM600 GMDSS VHF


• Furuno FA70 Class B AIS transponder with SOTDMA


• Furuno wind/multi instrument


• ZF 9910 electronic engine controls


• Francis 1 kW searchlight


• Fully renewed NMEA 0183/2000 infrastructure


• Starlink providing global high-bandwidth connectivity

Tenders & Toys

• Predator 550 tender with Yamaha 115 hp


• RS500 sailing dinghy

Covers, Canvas & Soft Goods

(All new 2023)

• Custom 3D-patterned covers for aft deck, bar and boat-deck furniture


• Rib console and full tender covers


• Dodger


• Forward hatch and windlass covers


• New cushions throughout (interior and exterior)


• Lounge-pad frame rebuilt


• Branded liferaft covers


• Bags for windlass controls, davit controls and shore-power cable


• Inflatable fender set with branded grey covers and inflator


• Liros Octoplat yard lines


• Liros Super Yacht 32 mm dock lines with leather splices

Safety Equipment

(All supplied new during refit; fully maintained and compliant withMGN280 Category 2)

• 2 × 8-man SOLAS B liferafts with hydrostatic release


• Jonbuoy recovery module with AIS MOB1


• 15 × lifejackets (MGN280 compliant)


• 15 × TPA


• SOLAS throw rings & floating lines


• Full flare pack


• Solid-foam lifejackets


• EPIRB


• FM200 fixed fire-suppression system (serviced 2025)


• Diesel-powered external fire/bilge pump (electric + pull start)

Regulatory & Commercial Notes

• Registered under the UK Ship Register (UKSR)


• Updated GRT/NT measurements and certification


• Full 3D digital scan of hull and superstructure


• 
  Historic Load Line exemption allows operation under <24m MGN280 regulations
  


• Charter-compliant layout and systems; coding can be completed subject to survey


• Branding, website, social media, photography and charter materials available


• EU VAT exempt

Current Use & Operational Status

LA FENICE is very much a living yacht rather than a showpiece. She has remained in regular use under her present owner, undertaking cruising between Ibiza and Sitges, an extended presence during the 37th America’s Cup, and ongoing time aboard in the Ebro Delta. Her owner participates as signed crew, keeping a close connection with the boat’s operation and ensuring she is exercised, tested and enjoyed as intended.

She is operated with a full-time crew, with a structured maintenance and improvement programme already established for the coming seasons, including the planned winter works for 2025/26.This consistent operational rhythm preserves her mechanical health and confirms that she remains a reliable, travelling yacht — maintained, used and cared for on a continuous basis.

Sustainability & Stewardship

LA FENICE’s environmental approach is shaped by her owner’s background in historic conservation and low-energy design, demonstrating how a classic29-metreyacht can operate with a lighter footprint than many modern vessels. The guiding principle is straightforward: restore what endures, refine what matters, and engineer efficiency into every stage of operation.

Herreconditioned Gardner engines— rebuilt to full specification — deliver exceptionally low fuel consumption and extended service intervals, using only a fraction of the fuel required by contemporary engines in her class. Throughout the refit, key systems were reconsidered through life-cycle assessments to reduce long-term impact rather than simply minimise upfront emissions.

Significant sustainability measures include:

• 
  Long-life Coppercoat hull protection, applied at commercial thickness for 25-year durability, reducing maintenance cycles and environmental release.
  


• 
  A combined MARPOL-compliant black and grey water treatment plant, processing approximately 3,200 L/day and reducing greywater discharge by roughly 90%.
  


• 
  Right-sized power generation, with onboard loads recalibrated to run efficiently on a downsized 25 kW generator.
  

These engineering decisions give LA FENICE an unusually light operational footprint for a 29-metre motor yacht, showing how responsible cruising and classic yacht preservation can align naturally and effectively.