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114-YEAR-OLD CLASSIC YAWL Iolaire tragically lost off Ibiza – all hands saved
The 114-year-old classic yawl Iolaire, famously associated with the US sailor and navigator Don Street and whose name is immortalised in the Imray-Iolaire charts of the Eastern Caribbean, has foundered and been lost off Ibiza.
There was no loss of life or injury, and the sinking has been attributed to an accidental gybe causing a loss of control in heavy seas that swept the yacht onto rocks. The boat sank on 26 July, rather poignantly coinciding with Don’s 89th birthday, although he hasn’t owned Iolaire since 2009 following his 52year stint at her helm.
Although well-travelled in the hands of various intrepid owners before WWII, ’s voyage into the cruising history books took off in 1959 when Don bought her in the Caribbean as an insurance write-off costing just $100. He rebuilt and rerigged the yacht and sailed her extensively, both in
