The "Soufrière" in action in the Bond film
If you've ever wanted to feel like a real James Bond, you have to come to the "On-Water Yacht & Boat Show" at St Katharine Docks in London in May. The "Soufrière", the 54-foot wooden yacht from the 2005 blockbuster "Casino Royal", will be for sale there. In the film, Daniel Craig sails on her off Venice together with Eva Green, who plays Bond girl Vesper Lynd.
The custom-built yacht was built by the British shipyard Spirit Yachts according to the wishes of the film production company. The many bridges in particular gave the yacht a hard time during the Bond era: "Probably the 'Soufrière's' most challenging voyage was the film shoot in Venice, when we had to assemble and disassemble the rig ten times. She was the first sailing yacht to sail up the Grand Canal in 300 years," says Sean McMillan, Director of Spirit Yachts.
With a strong rig and a displacement of just over eight tonnes, the "Soufrière" should be particularly suitable for long-distance regattas - but at the same time also offer the prerequisites for cruising. Having sailed her extensively in recent years, the previous owner has now decided to sell her. At her home shipyard in Ipswich, Suffolk, she was recently completely overhauled from the engine to the masthead. Both the wooden interior panelling and the hull have been repainted and varnished.
Sean McMillan is confident that the "Soufrière" has secured a place in British film history through her appearance in "Casino Royal": "What better place than London, the home of James Bond, to present her to the public again?"
