FROM MOONBEAM...TO MOONBEAM
It was in 1858 that the history of Moonbeam began with the design and construction of Moonbeam I by William Fife. The yacht’s passionate owner was then Mr Charles Plumtree Johnson, who sailed with the yacht for six years.
In 1864, Mr Johnson decided to order the construction of Moonbeam II, a 17.78 m cutter to be designed by the architect Frédéric Shepard, which he would then put to sea, the ship winning some races with a handicap. However, the yacht was not a regatta ship and did not give him the satisfaction he had hoped. He therefore decided to go back to William Fife III for the creation of his new yacht which saw the day in 1902, taking into account Mr Johnson’s navigation projects as he wanted to race under the new RORC tonnage which included sailing ships as well as fitted-out interiors.
Winning his bet, Moonbeam III was launched in 1903; no. 491 to leave the Fife yard. The RORC tonnage was respected whilst constructing an auric yawl of 24.72 m, equipped with a tiller and relatively refined deck. And this is where the history of Moonbeam of Fife really began (differentiating it from the Shepard plan at the time); one that would last for more than a hundred years.
In 1914 at the age of 61, Johnson decided to order a new yacht, this time bigger, more spacious and rigged with gaff cutters. However, war is declared and the yacht will not be built until 1920, when it will be named Moonbeam IV and recover its original no. 8 sail.