Yacht once owned by famous author sinks in harbour after storm

A yacht designed for famous author Nevil Shute has sunk in an Edinburgh harbour following Storm Arwen.

The 40ft vessel, which was named Runagate, arrived at West Harbour, Granton, at the end of November – but just days after its arrival the vessel broke free due to the high winds of Storm Arwen.

Members of Forth Corinthians Yacht Club pulled the yacht, which is more than 80 years old, to safety after the storm struck, but the boat has since been taking in water resulting in permanent damage.

The yacht has long held a place in the imagination of fans of Nevil Shute, who became one of the world’s best-selling authors during the 1950s, with his works including On The Beach and A Town Called Alice – the latter being made into a film starring Gregory Peck.

The boat was designed for the author, who was also known for his adventuring lifestyle, at Littlehampton, West Sussex back in 1939.

After he moved to Australia, the yacht was moved around different homes in the UK, with Edinburgh seemingly the vessel’s last outing.

Jim Glass, 65, a member of the Forth Corinthians yacht club, said: “It was a dark and hellish night during Storm Arwen when it happened.

“When the storm hit, it broke free and ended up in one of the corners of the harbour, getting quite a bashing.

“Some of the members of our boat club rescued it and tied it up to the wall on Saturday morning, but it was pretty much finished.

“It wasn’t in great nick to begin with. It’s got a lot of history, so it’s quite sad.

“It was of great historical interest to a lot of people. I don’t think it’s going to last long now unfortunately, now it’s taking in water.”