Mariquita Book - mk2.5

Back in late 2012, Michael Campbell, the Commodore of The Royal Yacht Squadron,
wrote a letter asking us to consider bringing Mariquita back to the UK for the
Squadron’s bicentenary celebrations. At that stage, such an idea simply wasn’t on our
agenda. We had a job to do. The Mediterranean Panerai circuit needed winning.
Our successful 2014 campaign caused us to reconsider and we decided to bring
Mariquita home. Or should I say, we decided to ask George and the crew to bring
her home! This was no small undertaking requiring lots of preparation, planning and
organisation.
The spring came and Mariquita left Cogolin, her base for the last few years, and headed
for the Isle of Wight. The weather smiled and she glided serenely into the Solent through
the mist one late April Saturday morning. Smiles and relief all round! Mariquita was
back in the waters she had first raced in, over a century before.
Immediately work got underway to return the yacht to race mode: stepping the top
mast, varnishing, preparing sails and the rigging. The season ahead would present
different challenges, notably shallow water and strong tides – a world away from the
Mediterranean. We were all looking forward to the amazing regattas that lay ahead, in
particular the two RYS events: the Fleet Review and the International Regatta, where
our beautiful yacht would surely feel completely at home.
Jamie Matheson
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