No boat in the world turns heads like Black Knight. Dusty, none of her "stuff" back on board yet, just yanked out of the shed after almost three years..... still wow! She has always grabbed the spotlight. When first launched (Goudy & Stevens, 1968), she had a long bow sprit for serious fishing and was single-masted. Her NYYC Race Committee years grew her another mast and upper deck refinements, which did nothing but make her more admired, put more history under her keel, and make her even more glamorous. Usually an "after life" is not so kind! She was built by the Mellon family before being donated, reigns then assumed by William H Combs (of legendary ship model collection fame), and since then by the Stenbeck family from the mid-eighties. Each owner loved her, each owner understood her, and the New York Yacht Club cherished her as a committee boat whenever it could. And, while witnessing history, she was quietly making her own. She was on station at the finish line when the Cup was lost in 1983, she was in Cowes at the America's Cup Jubilee in 2001, and so many important stops along the way that it boggles the mind.... Porto Cervo, Monaco, St Tropez, Aukland for the 2003 Cup where the Stenbecks headed the Victory Challenge, and well-deserved rests between gigs in sunny Nassau. The list goes on, but I remember once when she entered the harbor in Monaco with quite the fleet staring back at her as she made her way in, she stole the show, even in that company. Effortlessly.

Three years ago Black Knight was in trouble from age, too many electrical changes, too many marinas around the world... plus pretty hard use at times. I might inject, however, that we pulled her out at Newport Shipyard when she came in to be rebuilt, she never looked more beautiful that day. Our hearts were heavy for her, as we had no idea how much courage the owners might have to do "the big one". At that moment we weren't Newport Shipyard, we were Newport Shipyard Black Knight fans like so many others. Suffice it to say my hat is totally off to the decision they made, and to the amazing team of artisans who did the work. What a team it was. Just how lucky can a boat get? I don't know, but Black Knight is different, always has been, and we wish her the safest and happiest of futures and we, as always, will be rooting for her.

Charlie Dana, Newport Shipyard