The fine lines of a classic yacht

Ceremony to applaud the return of 105 year old yacht to original class
In October a ceremony will celebrate the MADIZ, a classic yacht built on the Clyde in 1902


It's not often one comes across a ship over 100 years old still in active service, and not often one finds she is all but forgotten in her homeland at the same time,

Such is the case of the MADIZ, owned by Mr C. Keletsekis continuously since 1964 and recently given a four year refit.

But this is no ordinary century old ship, if such a thing be possible, she is in fact a very distinguished vessel, with not a few claims to fame to boot.

She was built in 1902 in the quaintly named Ayrshire town of Troon at the Ailsa shipyard. Built as a private steam yacht (she now has diesel engines) her designer was none other than the famous yacht design firm G.L.Watson of Glasgow, who were the first yacht design office in the world. Many glorious hull's were designed by G.L.Watson and the company is still in existence.

The Troon yard remains with us today as well, although shipbuilding has ceased, it's docks are used by a shiprepair company, Garvel.

That the shipyard and the design firm still exist is quite astonishing, given the decline and turmoil in British shipbuilding over the past few decades, but the story of the MADIZ is even more astonishing, especially for Clyde shipbuilding historians, who all but forgot about the MADIZ, and indeed, assumed she was no more.

However, it was not by that name she was known on these shores in the UK. She was launched as the steam yacht TRITON at the Troon yard and was owned by a succession of owners. (We believe at one time the famous Willis of tobacco fame once had her under his possession) and had a great many names - after TRITON she was called RHOUMA, OSPREY, PRESIDENT ROBERTS and more well known ( to most people ) she was the HINIESTA.

Taken up by the Admiralty in World War Two, she was used for a variety of roles, but her most auspicious undertaking occurred in July 1945 when she took the King and Queen and their daughter Princess Elizabeth over to Ireland to view a line of surrendered German submarines. This was recorded by the Pathe News reels.

She was purchased in 1964 by Mr C. Keletsekis of Greece who has owned her continuously since then. He changed her name to MADIZ and in the past four years she has undergone a refit at Keilaidis Shipyards in Perama Greece In August of 2006 she was re - classified with Lloyd's in the original class of +100A1. At 104 years old, she was and is, the oldest ship to ever do so.

No mean achievement, but she can also lay claim to the distinction of being the oldest Clydebuilt ship active on the high seas. Other older vessels do survive of course, but they are either inland vessels, or are static attractions.

As if these august achievements are not enough, she also had a starring role in a TV film. Her owner kindly agreed to allow her to be used in the filming of the Poirot episode "Trouble At Sea" in 1989 - you can view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu1oqufHiI0

In October a special ceremony will be held in Greece, attended by representatives from Lloyds, to mark her re-classification. It will be a proud moment for her owner, but also for two nations, Scotland and Greece, united by the same Patron Saint and by a small elegant ship that spans the generations.