Moyana 12 K 3

(1926)

Design & Construction

Moyana was built in 1926 to the International Second Rule for Wilfred Leuchars. She was designed and built by William Fife III at Fairlie, Scotland, making her the first Moyana designed and built by Fife and the second of three yachts commissioned by Leuchars under the name Moyana.

She was rigged as a Bermudan cutter and was the sister ship to Modesty. Her original home port was Greenock, Great Britain.

Original Ownership (1926–1928)

Owner: Wilfred Leuchars
Name: Moyana

Wilfred Leuchars, who lived in Natal and was a partner in the London firm Hunt, Leuchars & Hepburn, commissioned Moyana following detailed discussions with William Fife in London. Contemporary accounts note that design details and requested extras were discussed at the Piccadilly Hotel, with Leuchars specifying that the cushion coverings should be “something like the tapestry in the Piccadilly Hotel.”

Moyana proved successful in her early seasons, and Leuchars retained her for two years before commissioning a successor in 1928, Moyana II (Fast and Bonnie).

Subsequent British Ownership (1929–1931)

  • 1929–1930: W. Charles Tozer, who renamed the yacht Amity

  • 1931: H. K. Neale

During this period, the yacht remained in British ownership, sailing under the name Amity.

Later Ownership & Mediterranean Transfer (1932–1938)

  • 1932: Lt. Commander E. A. Pearce

  • 1932–1933: Jean Roubaud (Marseille, France)
    – Engine installed in 1932

  • 1935–1938: Emile Vidal (Marseille and Cannes, France)

With her transfer to the Mediterranean, Amity transitioned from pure racing use toward auxiliary cruising, typical of many Second Rule Twelves during this period.

Final Ownership (1939–1949)

  • 1939–1949: Georges Levet (Cannes, France)

After this period, the yacht disappeared from Lloyd’s Register.

Final Years & Loss (c. 1950)

The original Moyana, still known as Amity, ended her sailing life at Noirmoutier, off the coast of South Brittany, France. She lay for several years in a mud berth in the so-called “Cimetière de Bateaux” at Noirmoutier.

Around 1950, a Fife enthusiast attempted to restore the yacht. Unfortunately, when she was lifted from the mud by crane, the hull disintegrated. Only the lead keel and a single beam bearing the Lloyd’s specification number survived.

Historical Significance

The first Moyana (1926) holds particular importance as:

  • One of William Fife III’s Second Rule 12 Metres

  • The sister ship to Modesty

  • The first of the Moyanas designed and built by Fife

  • A clear example of the post-racing fate of many early Twelves, transitioning to cruising before disappearing in the mid-20th century