Jenetta 12 K 1

From Prestige to the Depths and Back Again

A Legendary 12 Metre Returns to Glory

Jenetta (K-1) is one of the most captivating yachts in the 12 Metre class—a vessel whose journey has spanned oceans, eras, and even resurrection from beneath the surface. Originally launched in 1939 and designed by Alfred Mylne, one of Scotland’s most celebrated naval architects, Jenetta was commissioned by the legendary British yachtsman Sir William P. Burton, a former helmsman of Shamrock IV and president of the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU).

Built according to the International Third Rule, Jenetta (design #395) was the fourth and final Twelve owned by Burton, following Noresca, Veronica, and Marina. Her hull was planked in wood over steel frames and rigged as a Bermudan sloop. She was painted green and purpose-built for light winds.

Racing History: The 1939 Season

Jenetta joined an elite 12mR fleet racing out of Cowes, alongside Tomahawk (K-13), Flica II (K-14), and the dominant American yacht Vim (US-15), helmed by Harold Vanderbilt. Though Vim was nearly untouchable that season, Jenetta was recognized as one of the best-performing British 12s, often paired with Tomahawk as the strongest home team contenders.

In the 1939 season, Jenetta:

  • Competed in 38 races

  • Scored 1 win, 9 second-place finishes, and 10 third-place finishes

  • Famously won a 27-nautical-mile race by just 2 seconds, her only victory over Vim

Post-War Life and Canadian Years

After Sir William Burton’s death in 1942, Jenetta changed hands several times:

  • 1946–1947: Owned by L.J. Clements, converted to an auxiliary sloop with an engine

  • 1948–1952: Passed to A.W. Steven, a successful handicap racer well into his 80s

  • 1953–1975: Purchased by the Urry family of Vancouver, Canada

    • Re-rigged as an auxiliary ketch in 1957 (sail area: 159 sq.m)

    • Re-powered in 1959

    • Possibly carried the sail number KC-1 during this period

  • Gradually fell into disrepair and was removed from Lloyd’s Register in 1976

A Forgotten Legend in Pitt Lake

By the 1980s, Jenetta was moored in South Burnaby, British Columbia, in increasingly poor condition. She remained afloat at Pitt Lake but was no longer actively maintained or sailed.

In 2009, she was discovered partially submerged, abandoned and deteriorating. But her story was far from over.

Rebirth in Germany: Restoration at Robbe & Berking

That same year, classic yacht preservationist Oliver Berking acquired Jenetta and transported her remains to Flensburg, Germany, to the Robbe & Berking Classic Shipyard—where she would become the third 12 Metre yacht fully restored by the renowned yard.

  • Restoration began in 2017, led by original Mylne plans

  • Salvaged parts included her lead keel, a few hull planks, and sections of her deck

  • Everything else was painstakingly rebuilt using traditional craftsmanship and modern yacht technology

  • Jenetta was relaunched on May 25, 2019

Today, she races again—sporting a long, sleek waterline, modern hardware, and a distinctive tartan-painted topside, a nod to Mylne’s alma mater, the University of Glasgow. In both style and speed, Jenetta is once again a head-turner in the Vintage 12 Metre fleet.