In the summer of 1930, Finola, an 8-Metre racing yacht, slipped elegantly into the waters of the Clyde. Designed by the legendary William Fife III, she was a masterpiece born from the hands of craftsmen at the William Fife & Son yard in Fairlie, Scotland. Finola was commissioned for Herbert Johnson Hant, her sleek lines and golden dragon prow symbolizing the spirit of yachting excellence that the Fife family had cultivated for generations.Shortly after her launch, Finola moved to the Hamble, taking on the sail number K3, and joined the competitive Solent 8-Metre fleet. The Solent was the beating heart of British yachting, where the finest yachts gathered, and Finola was no exception. She raced alongside boats like the Fulmar, Falcon, and Anita, carving her reputation as a fast and formidable competitor. The Solent fleet was among the most prestigious in the world, and Finola’s grace and speed set her apart as a jewel of her class.However, as the dark clouds of World War II loomed, the Solent fleet was dispersed across the globe. Yachts that had once glided through peaceful waters were scattered to the winds. Finola found refuge on the coast of France, in the tranquil harbor of La Trinité-sur-Mer, her racing days momentarily halted by the war's ravages.When the conflict ended, Finola returned to British shores. Now under new ownership by a British syndicate, she resumed her competitive spirit, racing once again on her home waters of the Clyde, where her journey had begun. Yet the world had changed, and so had Finola’s path. By the late 1960s, she found herself under the ownership of a Portuguese sailor, where she continued to compete, now racing along the Atlantic coast under the sail number P107.But time, as it does, took its toll on the venerable yacht. By 2006, Finola, once the epitome of elegance, lay in a state of neglect in Lisbon. Her timbers, worn and weathered, echoed the stories of her glorious past, but her future seemed uncertain. It was then that a new owner stepped forward, a man determined to restore her to her former glory.Finola was transferred from Portugal to Italy, where an extensive restoration began. The goal was clear: to recover as much of her original design and craftsmanship as possible. Under the careful watch of her new owner and a team of expert shipwrights, Finola underwent a transformation. Her mahogany planking, oak frame, and teak deck were lovingly restored, and her Bermudian sloop rig was reconfigured to the standards of her heyday. Every detail, down to the copper nails that held her together, was recreated with historical precision.In the spring of 2012, after years of painstaking restoration, Finola was finally relaunched in the Gulf of Trieste. The waters that greeted her were a world away from those of the Clyde, but the yacht herself had been reborn, her spirit as strong as ever.In 2016, Finola returned to the racing world, finishing a triumphant second place in the inaugural AIVE Trophy Adriatic, a fitting return for a yacht that had been all but forgotten just a decade earlier. Once more, her sails filled with wind, her bow cut through the waves, and she proved that despite the passage of time, her elegance and competitive edge had not dimmed.Today, Finola remains one of only 200 surviving hulls from the prestigious 8-Metre class, a class of racing yachts that once ruled the Olympic regattas between 1908 and 1936. With her 14.58-meter length, she stands as a symbol of the finest yacht design and craftsmanship, a living testament to the genius of William Fife III.Her golden dragon, carved into her bow, still gleams proudly as a hallmark of the Fife legacy. Finola, rigged as a Bermudian sloop, with her mahogany planking, oak frame, and towering spruce mast, is not only a relic of history but a living, breathing vessel of yachting heritage.In 2018, an innovative co-ownership model was introduced, allowing enthusiasts to become part of Finola’s ongoing journey. For a modest sum, passionate sailors could acquire a share of this exquisite yacht, joining a consortium of owners dedicated to keeping Finola on the water, racing in the Mediterranean’s most beautiful locales. Together, they share the cost of maintenance and the joy of competition, ensuring that Finola continues to write new chapters in the story of yachting history.From the Clyde to the Atlantic, and now the Mediterranean, Finola has lived many lives, but her spirit remains as bright as ever. She is not merely a yacht but a legend— a timeless testament to the artistry of William Fife, the resilience of history, and the enduring beauty of classic sailing.