Originally built in 1928 and built again in 1984.
A wonderful pedigree design classic yacht with superb racing heritage meticulously loved and maintained by her current(2024) owner since 1980. Charm III is the sistership to John G. Alden Design No 215 Malabar V.
Malabar V was designed in 1923 by John Alden for his own use. Her only sister ship, built in Sweden in 1928, Charm III has been owned for the last four decades by her present owner. They purchased the schooner in the Yealm River, England in 1980 and have dedicated thousands and thousands of hours to this wonderful classic.
Under the present owners careful ownership the vessel has undergone a number of major refits, always to the highest standards and with no expense spared. Currently Charm III is lying at Road Bay, Anguilla having undergone extensive refit by Woodstock Boatbuilders in Antigua. Extensive refurbishing work was undertaken including replacement of several frames. The refit was curtailed somewhat due to the pandemic but West says this is the perfect time for Charm III to be transferred into new ownership as she’s in tip-top condition.
The schooner has raced successfully in many Caribbean regattas including several Antigua Classic Yacht Regattas. Most recently In Antigua in 2019, Charm III won Vintage Schooner Class outright even though she arrived late and missed the first day of racing. A superb sea-boat, when sailed well by a hearty crew, Charm III is almost unbeatable. Over the years, the schooner became the boat to beat in the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta’s highly competitive Concours D’elegance and has six trophies to her name.
The current owners are adamant that they will only sell Charm III to someone they feel is right for her and who will sail, maintain, and cherish her in the manner to which she has become accustomed
Heritage:
The following is taken directly from John G. Alden and His Yacht Designs ,© 1983 IMDC by RobertWcanick and Richard Henderson.
A departure from Alden’s previous thinking is evidenced by the fact that MALABAR V was the first of the series to be built with an engine, a Scripps F-4 driving a feathering propeller. This schooner’s design number is 215. She measures 49 feet, by 36 feet 9 inches, by 12 feet, by 7 feet 3 inches. One sister (Charm III) was built for a Swedish owner. Like her immediate predecessor, the “FIVE” did very well racing, winning eight out of eight starts in 1924, but her record is somewhat less impressive because she did not sail in the prestigious Bermuda Race that year.
John Alden’s beautiful designs are instantly recognisable. Charm III first appears on the British Register in 1932 in the name of a “gentleman member of The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club”, a Mr. Harry Skeet Broom. This interestingly is reaffirmed in the Register dated 1941. There is no surviving record of the war years. She changed hands in 1946, 1947, 1953, 1955, 1961, 1964 and finally in July 1980 to the current owner and was rebuilt between 1987-2000.
Regatta History:
Great success has been achieved at the Antigua Classics since 2002. Six time winner of Boat International Concours d’Elegance. Multiple class winner and three time overall schooners winner. Charm III has proved herself to be extremely competitive. On corrected time she has beaten such memorable vessels as Mary Rose, Eleonora, Mariette, Adventuress, Adix and Altair. A clean sweep at Antigua Classics 2024 continued her dominance of schooner racing in the Caribbean.
Above information and photos courtesy of CLASSIC CHARTERS
