LA FENICE — 29m Laurent Giles Gentleman’s Motor Yacht (1962 / 2023)
A rare and distinguished example of British naval architecture, LA FENICE brings together Laurent Giles’ celebrated design pedigree with 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 challenger Sovereign, 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 photographer Peter 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 is EU VAT exempt, fully documented, and—thanks to her historic Load Line exemption—may be operated under sub-24m MGN280 requirements 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 elements and signature aesthetic
Historic Load Line exemption allowing operation under <24m mgn280="">
not required to be maintained in class
low-consumption gardner propulsion for efficient long-range cruising
accommodation for 9 guests in 4 suites + 3 crew cabins (all ensuite)
starlink installed and network-integrated for 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 a 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.
mgn280="" rules="" not="" required="" to="" be="" maintained="" in="" class="" low-consumption="" gardner="" propulsion="" for="" efficient="" long-range="" cruising="" accommodation="" for="" 9="" guests="" in="" 4="" suites="" +="" 3="" crew="" cabins="" (all="" ensuite)="" starlink="" installed="" and="" network-integrated="" for="" 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="" a="" 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.="">
not required to be maintained in class
low-consumption gardner propulsion for efficient long-range cruising
accommodation for 9 guests in 4 suites + 3 crew cabins (all ensuite)
starlink installed and network-integrated for 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 a 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):
3 × double staterooms
1 × double with Pullman (sleeps 3; perfect for family use)
Crew area accessed via forward stairway:
Full galley and crew mess
Captain’s double cabin and 2 twin cabins — all ensuite
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 Superyacht finish
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 thruster with new tunnel and custom fairings
Stabilisation
Vosper twin-fin stabilisers (underway)
Stabilisers fully rebuilt: bearings, rams, hydraulic hoses, nitrogen vessels
Shafts machined in Inconel 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 with MGN280 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="">
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 classic 29-metre yacht 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.
her reconditioned 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.
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="" classic="" 29-metre="" yacht="" 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.="" her="" reconditioned="" 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.="">
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 classic 29-metre yacht 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.
her reconditioned 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.
>