Name La Falaise

This vessel was built by Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sandbank, Argyll & Bute, Scotland, to a private order in January 1923. She operated under the name LA FALAISE. In 1926, she was sold and renamed CARETTA by H Sedgwick of Greenock, who owned her until 1928, when she was sold to R Richards. In 1930, she was again sold, to A Cochran, who kept her at least until 1939. There are suggestions she would have carried post to the Shetland Isles, and that she was used for clandestine purposes during the Second World War. 

By 1946, after having sunk or been scuttled during the war, she was purchased and raised by the Admiralty, who fitted her with her current Gardner 4LWS engine. In 1949, she was purchased by L Neachell, renamed MARIA KHRISTINA, and registered in Cardiff. In 1960, she was bought by G Salariya, Gloucester. From 1969 to 1978, she had various owners, and that year was purchased by R Crabtree, who owned her for around 30 years. 

In 2012 she was bought by her current owner, a retired Michelin starred chef, who bought the vessel to operate as an exclusive floating restaurant on the River Thames.  After a six-year restoration project, she commenced trading in 2019 as The River Yacht Cafe, taking just four guests down to Sunbury and back to Weybridge. Unfortunately, the owner was subsequently involved in a serious accident and has been unable to return to work since.  The vessel was repainted in 2024 and had a full structural survey while out of the water, showing no problems.  In 2026 the owner carried out all mechanical maintenance replacing the Generator, Inverter, Leisure & engine batteries, Saniflow pumps, water pumps, and bilge pumps.

Update, June 2026: Vessel for sale under original name of LA FALAISE.