Yacht Adela Leaves Home, Again, for the Water: Sunday Superyacht Video

One of the most famous sailing superyachts around, the yacht Adela saw delivery more than a century ago. A major restoration occurred at Pendennis’ UK yard in 1995. Since then, she’s been cruising and racing steadily, and seeking regular service with Pendennis. In fact, following six refits in the UK, her captain and owners have been taken her to Pendennis Vilanova, just outside of Barcelona, Spain. Now that Capt. Greg Perkins has departed the yard once again, he’s reflecting on the experience.

Firstly, Perkins is a fan of the Spanish facilities. In fact, “We’ve been coming back to Vilanova almost every year since Pendennis took over,” he says, which was in 2018. As lengthy as that relationship is, however, he’s had a longer one with the UK yard. Specifically, Perkins headed for a first look around way back in 1989. Obviously, he was at the helm of a different project. However, even with other subsequent yachts, he was pleased with the services.

The most recent yard period—over the winter—for the yacht Adela was pretty significant. Her engines underwent a rebuild, for instance, and the genset required overhauling. She further needed a new electrical switchboard and a complete paint job. Hauling her out, setting up scaffolding, opening up her decks, and completing all the tasks had to wrap up in three to four months.

Perkins’ familiarity with the shipyard staff meant a strong rapport from the start. Still, though, refits can present unexpected challenges. Daily meetings with a dedicated project manager helped greatly, he says.

So, too, does being so close to Barcelona. Between the city’s infrastructure and its fun social scene, Perkins and his crew knew it would be a positive experience. “The yard has completely transformed,” Perkins further comments, “and it’s still evolving.”

See some of the work here, and her ultimate relaunch. You’ll also hear from Perkins himself, to better understand why the yacht Adela keeps returning to her “other” home.

Pendennis Vilanova pendennisvilanova.com