Classic Yacht Refit at Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard
M/Y Shirley Anne has spent more than 50 weeks at Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard (GCCM) undertaking an eye-wateringly long list of work to bring her back to her original classic beauty!
When M/Y Shirley Anne was launched in 1987 from the NQEA shipyard, her classic Jack Hargrave lines were impressive. Her looks have not faded over time, but modern yachting regulations and practices dictated that it was time for rejuvenation.
Shirley Anne’s home port is Sydney, yet when selecting a yard to complete the major refit, the Captain selected GCCM - it offered an extensive array of contractors onsite, but also allowed in regular contractors from Sydney to support the project.
“It has been the most accessible and friendly shipyard, allowing us to get done all we needed to do, even when some of it wasn’t even planned. We were enclosed in a superyacht refit shed for a whopping 43 weeks to undertake a hull extension, and the resulting engineering and deck work plus a full external refinish. The shed was clean and tidy, and everyone was helpful, which was invaluable to the project. We won’t be going anywhere else in the future,” explained Captain David Rutherford.
The aluminium yacht is built to DNV GL Survey, and although she started her life in Australia, she spent a significant number of years based out of Florida before returning to Sydney to an enthusiastic yachting family. Looking to modernise, the refit enabled Shirley Anne to accommodate more toys and tenders as well as upgraded the generators to zero emissions Zenoro gensets.
“We did bring a number contractors up from Sydney to support the yacht throughout the year, but it was Superyacht Solutions who repainted the boat. Lumark supported us with fabrication work. Pacific Trim replaced the covers onboard, and the team at Sweep Marine Services did an extraordinary job – the one that nobody wants to do – in cleaning the tanks,” continued David.
“Shirley Anne’s refit is important not only for the Owner, the Captain, and the yard, but also for the Australian superyacht industry. She was built in Australia, maintained and predominantly operated in Australia, and now refitted for her next grand adventure in Australia. This complex project perfectly exemplifies the prowess of our trades here at GCCM,” offered GCCM’s CEO, Mr. Trenton Gay. “On behalf of everyone at GCCM, we wish the Owners and Captain of M/Y Shirley Anne many more years of classic yachting.”