1931 William Fife 8 Meter

"SASKIA" International 8mR (K26), built by William Fife & Son is the most iconic 8mR ever built.

Seawanhaka Cup winner 1931, 1936 Berlin Olympic boat for the British team & Sayonara Cup (Australia) winner in 1955, to mention but a few of her achievements. 

Saskia has been meticulously maintained by her current owner since 2011. She is configured to race in the prestigious NEPTUNE class but will equally turn heads cruising in a more leisurely fashion.

Potted history

Saskia was designed in 1930 and built by William Fife III as a Royal Northern Yacht Club challenge for the Seawanhaka Cup, so very hotly contested at the time. The 1931 event was hosted on the Clyde by her home club and she won!

Saskia was sold south where she raced very successfully in the Solent. There were nine 8 metres racing on the Solent at the time and eight on the Clyde. A Sterling silver model of the boat now resides in the Royal Yacht Squadron.

She was chosen to represent Britain in the Berlin Olympics of 1936, the sailing events being held at Kiel. The commemorative plaque marking the event is still displayed aboard. 

Saskia raced hard and in 1938 alone she raced in over 50 races during the season with astonishing success.

In 1954, the well known Australian yachtsman, Sir William Northam, bought Saskia and shipped her to Sydney with the specific objective of winning the Sayonara Cup which had been the symbol of pre-eminence in big-boat, round the buoys racing in Australia since 1904. Saskia won the Cup for the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron ending 34 years of dominance by the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. She remained at her mooring at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron winning many races for the next 52 years. She is also represented in the Sydney Yacht Squadron.

In 2007 she was shipped back to the UK to take part in that year’s celebration of 100 years of Metre Rule Sailing. She competed at the Centennial World Championships on the Clyde where she won her class and the Sira Cup. She then went on to win the Eight Metre Class at the Metre Class Centenary Regatta at Cowes.

From 2013-2017 she consistently won her class in the Cowes Panerai British Classic Yacht Club Week and in 2013 she won the Panerai overall prize, including the prestigious Concours d’Elegance award.

From 2017-Now Saskia is still the boat to beat in all respects and she has been the delight of Murdoch McKillop her current custodian.

Dimensions & general info.

• LOA - 48' / 14.63m
• LWL - 31' / 9.5m
• Beam - 8' 6" / 2.59m
• Draft - 6' 6" / 2.01m
• Displacement - 8.91 Tons / 8083kg
• Sail area - 827sqft / 77msq
• Designer - William Fife III
• Builder - William Fife & Son
• Yard No.793
• Sail number - K26
• IRC rating - 0.981

Hull, deck & superstructure

"Saskia" is in excellent condition today and configured to race as a Neptune class 8mR. Her hull is like glass, her varnish work is gleaming and her structure is sound.

In 2008 she was shipped to Portugal for restoration which was finally completed in her current ownership in 2013. Since then she has been lovingly maintained.

Most recent works  - 

• 6 new frames by Ventis - 2022
• Repainted by Ventis - 2022.
• Re-varnished by Ventis - 2022.
• New Mahogany rudder by Custom Yacht Works.- 2016.

Features

• Immaculate teak laid deck.
• Varnished King plank with non slip additive for the foredeck.
• Varnished margin boards with inset toe rail incorporating scuppers.
• Sliding foredeck hatch for spinnaker retrieval.
• Coachroof with inset bronze sky lights.

Rig, rigging & sails

• Sitka spruce double spreader mast with jumpers - 2013. By Ventis / Brasker Masten, Holland.
• Spreaders with laser cut Fife logo on the underside.
• Sitka spruce boom - 2017. By Ventis / Brasker Masten, Holland.
• Sitka spruce spinnaker pole - 2018. By Ventis / Brasker Masten, Holland.
• Rod rigging 2013 Bu Tund Rigs and Ropes Enkhuizen, Holland. Inspected June 2022 By Tund Rigs and Ropes Enkhuizen.
• Spare spinnaker pole.

Running rigging

• Tech Braid on Braid & Dyneema running rigging. Class classic beige outer.
• Additional light spinnaker sheets.

Sails

• North Mainsail - 2019 - Very good condition
• North training mainsail - Average Condition.
• North Super Light Genoa - Unused.
• North Lt Genoa - Good condition.
• North Lt Genoa - Training sail
• North Hvy 1 - Good condition.
• North Hvy 1 - training sail.
• North Med 1 - New 2024.
• North Med 1 - Training sail.
• North No. 2 - Average condition.
• North S1.5 - Average condition.
• North S4 - Very good condition.
• North S4 - Training sail.
• Sails being inspected and serviced by North Sept 24.

Electronics & navigation equipment

• Raymarine multi data units port and starboard at the helm.
• Raymarine wind & multi data units on removable mast mount.
• Dual transducers.
• Carbon fibre anemometer.
• Windex.
• 2 x side deck compasses.
• New high power battery for instrumentation 2024.

Deck equipment

• Absolute 8.30, "Saskia K 26" branded two speed bronze winches.
• Absolute,  "8 Saskia" branded classic running blocks.
• Winch handles.
• Bronze turning blocks sheet/rope guides and deck fittings.
• Bronze pinstop Genoa tracks and cars.
• Spinnaker pole chocks.

Safety gear & other equipment

• She will come with safety gear and equipment to comply with IRC and class racing.
• Anchor, chain and warp.
• Large canvas zipped dock bag for spare sails and equipment
• Various spares.

Island Class 7.5m (2017) RIB - By separate negotiation

• "Saskia" branded Island Class 7.5m (2017) RIB with a Suzuki DF200APX. 220L fuel tank.