CAPELLA OF BURNHAM

CAPELLA of BURNHAM was originally built for E W Hawkins (Bill) of H&M Engineering in 1960. Her hull was constructed by E W Sutton in Great Wakering to Lloyds 100A1 specification and finished at the H&M factory. The owner had a special interest in the building process which is reflected in the materials which were used. For example all of Capella’s stainless steel fittings were produced in house to the highest standards and all the best materials were used; teak hull, cabin and deck, stainless steel and bronze fittings, and a lead keel.

CAPELLA was built as a sister ship to Vashti and is one of six Vashti class ocean racers that were built in the late 1950’s/early 1960’s. The Vasthi class was one of Buchanan’s most successful design for the RORC III class.

CAPELLA was very successful in her first year of racing, beating all her sisters winning the Town cup in 1960 and voted Yachting Monthly boat of the year, featuring front page in November 1960. Over the years CAPELLA proved to be one of the faster Vashti class boats.

Bill Hawkins kept Capella until 1966 together with her bigger sister CAPELLA of KENT in Gillingham Marina, she was sold to R D McMeekin of Sevenoaks, who also kept her at Rochester on the Medway. In 1974 she was sold to R M Pryce of Beccles, Suffolk and again in 1977 to Eric Soyland of Hawaii who owned her through the 1980s. CAPELLA was sold 1994 to a Dutch owner and sailed to Holland. After which followed a long period of ongoing renewal and restoration, during the winter and extended cruising in the summer. In 2021 the CAPELLA soled to her current owner and moved to her new home port Scheveningen. Capella is still in very good condition and extremely original.

As her new owner/Custodian we plan to sail her around the North Sea and participate at some of the classic yacht races.