How classic yachts travel the world

A yacht with soul, history, and a new horizon

Willow Wren, built in 1886, is more than a yacht; she’s a story. She was initially designed as a gentleman’s yacht, commissioned by Lord Philip Patmore and crafted by Summers & Payne in Southampton. Over the decades, she weathered tides of change: from a period of abandonment and a wartime sacrifice of her lead keel, to sixty years forgotten in the River Crouch.

In recent years, this yacht of rare beauty caught the eye of a new custodian, Mr. Hessel de Jong. Enchanted by her timeless lines and storied past, he completed a complete restoration in Friesland, the Netherlands. A team of Dutch and international craftsmen, led by renowned yard master Ivor van Klink, spent three years returning her to her former grace. She emerged anew with a single mast, sleek white hull, and discreetly modernized systems in May 2025. A moving flag ceremony honored this achievement and the generations of craftsmen who preserved her essence through time.

“When we bought her, I had no idea what the restoration would entail,” Hessel shared. “But thanks to an incredible team, she emerged like a beautiful white swan, classic on the outside, with quietly modern functionality beneath.”

Sailing into a new Life in the Mediterranean

Willow Wren’s future lies in discovery and leisure. Her new home port is La Spezia, on Italy’s Ligurian coast, an ideal base for exploring the Mediterranean’s coves, coastlines, and cruising culture.
Yet getting her there was no simple passage. While Hessel dreams of coastal voyages, undertaking the delivery sail from the Netherlands wasn’t feasible: her systems were still being finalized, the sails unrigged, and the route unfamiliar. To bring her safely south, Hessel turned to Sevenstar Yacht Transport.

“The communication was highly professional from the start. I shared the yacht’s story and details, and once the Sevenstar team saw the drawings and photos, they were incredibly responsive,” Hessel said. “Dave Starkey in the UK kept me fully informed throughout.”

The challenge of classic yacht transport

Transporting a yacht like Willow Wren isn’t just about moving a boat, but protecting a legacy. Classic yachts have idiosyncrasies that modern builds don’t. Their weight distribution, structural fragility, and lack of standardized lift points make each move a tailored operation.

Sevenstar Yacht Transport assembled a team of experts to chart her path. Sean Lines, Bram van der Zee, and Guido Seeleman conducted detailed inspections and worked with loadmasters to custom-design a hoisting plan. Every surface in contact with supports was protected. Her long keel, traditional wooden hull, and converted yawl rig all received special consideration.

“The attention to detail was impressive,” said Hessel. “The team took no risks; everything was thought through months in advance.”

The operation was executed flawlessly despite heavy wind and rain during loading in IJmuiden. Once aboard the MV Trent Navigator, Willow Wren went to Genoa via Southampton, where she briefly returned to the city of her birth nearly 140 years ago.

A new chapter begins

On June 9, 2025, Willow Wren arrived in Genoa. From there, she went to La Spezia, her new home. As Hessel and his crew begin to explore her 250 m² of gaff rig across five sails, they approach their adventures with care and respect.

“She’s a beauty but demands patience,” Hessel reflected. “We’ll get to know her over time, just like her first owner once did.”
Owning Willow Wren is about more than sailing. It’s about guardianship, preserving the spirit of a vessel that’s outlived empires and epochs. “My family has sailed for centuries,” he said. “This is a way of life we pass on, not just through stories, but the boats themselves.”

Thanks to Sevenstar’s expertise, this grand dame of the sea now rests in the Mediterranean, ready for leisurely voyages and new memories, continuing a journey that has lasted nearly a century and a half.

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About the Author

Sevenstar Yacht Transport provides global yacht logistics and shipping services for owners seeking new cruising grounds. With four decades of experience and 140 company-owned vessels, Sevenstar handles over 2,500 yacht transports each year. Custom-made cradles, certified lashings, and a dedicated team of engineers, operations experts, and loadmasters ensure each yacht, classic or modern, arrives safely and in perfect form.

For more information or to request a transport quote, visit Sevenstar Yacht Transport.

Writer: Juliette Verkerk – Sevenstar Yacht Transport

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Related Links:

• Sevenstar Yacht Transport Instruction Video
• Sevenstar Yacht Transport
• Sevenstar Worldwide Regions and Ports of Operation
• Sevenstar Schedules
• Contact Sevenstar Yacht Transport

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