Built for Alfred Larsen under the First International Rule she was launched as Magda VIII with a gaff rig. She was the first of a number of Larsen-owned 12 Metres and she competed well in her first two seasons.
She was sold in 1912 to Olaf Bronn and given the name of ‘Magnolia’. Over the following years she was converted into a cruising yacht with a bermudan rig going through different owners and another name, Lucie VIII.
Having been abandoned for years she was finally picked up by her present Swedish owner in 1982 and after a lengthy 17 year restoration she was re-launched in May, 1999. As there was little left of the yacht when found the rebuild was of a replica with the modern bermudan rig and cold moulded planking, equipped with a new boom and winches with the mast coming from the 12 Metre, ‘Iris‘ (the Burgess design, built to the Second International Rule) before she was broken up.
‘Magnolia’ is one of the oldest 12-Metres still around today.
