This website records the history of classic sailing vessel Blue Shadow. Over the years she has sailed around the world and across the Atlantic five times, once in the 1976 Cape to Rio Regatta. She successfully weathered three hurricanes at sea and has also sailed above the arctic circle. On all these voyages she touched the lives of many people. Tracking her over time enables us to see her impact and reflect on our own lives and what we can learn from her.
The site is also a dedication, in memory of the gentlemen of the sea who owned or took care of Blue Shadow over the years, those who generously mentored younger generations by taking them sailing and also those who lovingly invested hundreds of hours in her upkeep or restoration. These gentlemen are: Yves Betuel who commissioned, owned and raced her in the 70’s, boat builder Nöel Maurel who built her for Yves Betuel, Christian Dervichian who owned her 1981/2 and 1992-8, Harry Anderson jnr. who owned her 1982-92, and others still living. Hopefully their stories will be preserved on this site and her archives grow, as more people come forward to add their personal accounts and photogrpahs.
If you would like to contribute a story or if you have any memories, letters, or photographs of Blue Shadow that you would like to share from any period of her life, please send them to Blue Shadow’s current owner, Warren Muir, warrenm@muirlen.co.za or add to an existing story by writing in the comments beneath any of the posts on this site.
Sincere thanks
More about Blue Shadow
Blue Shadow is a 1975 classic sailing boat currently for sale.
Wood hull, Perkins engine
Sloop and cutter rig
Length 13.62 m (44 ft 7)
Breadth 3.9 m (12. ft 9.5)
Depth 2.28 m (7 ft 5.8 )
For more information contact
Warren Muir
+27 (0)83 289 4071
Read more about recent years here
and Blue Shadow revival during lockdown
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