The strange case of the stranded royal yacht

8:45 PM Thu 17 Sep 2009 GMT

'Replica of Britannia finally arrives Vardo' .

King George V, never one for controversy, could well have been restless in his grave for the last three years. If so he can finally rest easy. The replica of his royal yacht Britannia has now reached the Norwegian port of Vardo from the Russian port of Arkhangel'sk, finally on its way to Cowes after a three-year-long saga which included threatened bankruptcy, death threats and untold legal battles.

HMY Britannia I built in 1893 - .. .

King George V's dying wish was for his beloved yacht to follow him to the grave. On 10 July 1936, after the Britannia had been stripped of her spars and fittings, her hull was towed out to St Catherines Deep near the Isle of Wight, and she was sunk.

The reason for the long delay in delivery of the replica yacht was a dispute between the yacht's Norwegian owner Sigurd Coates and the Solombala boat yard at Arkhangel'sk where it was built. The yard's owners are from Moscow, and threatened to stop the yacht being launched because of a dispute over payment. The boat took 12 years to build.

Built as a gaff-rigged cutter to the same GL Watson lines as the original sailing yacht of Edward VII and then raced in the J-Class by George V, it will be finished with some of her systems replaced over the next six months.

Owner Sigurd Coates has big plans for the yacht, which has been in the project phase for 15 years. After its naming ceremony next May, he says he plans to charter the vessel, use it for recreational training and even sell historical tours on the golden age of yachting. He is also hoping to match it with like sailing craft such as Lulworth, Cambria and Eleonora, which is a replica of Westward. Queen Elizabeth II, niece of King George V, has given her personal support to the project.

by Des Ryan