Name Tahilla

Built as SKYLARK by Thornycroft, Hampton-on-Thames. She was commissioned by D Melville Wills of the Bristol tobacco family, to travel from there to his estates in Scotland. After he sold her in 1926, Bristol remained her home port until 1939, when she was based on the Thames under the ownership of W Egerton Wilson of Colwyn Bay. Commandeered by the Ministry of War Transport, she took part in 'Operation Dynamo' to rescue the British Expeditionary Forces from Dunkirk, with Sub.-Lt. M.J.R. Yeatman in command. She was hit by enemy fire, damaging her steering, and had to be abandoned.  She was found drifting off Dunkirk and towed back by SOUTHERN QUEEN, together with the Eastbourne Lifeboat, JANE HOLLAND. 

After the war, she remained in Admiralty ownership until 1948, first on harbour patrol and later pilotage duties.  She was then sold back into private ownership, firstly to the industrialist (later Sir) W. Clayton Russon, MBE/ OBE. In 1954 she was bought by Richard Myles Rothwell, who changed her name to TAHILLA. She was probably based in Ireland under his ownership, and was re-engined with 1943-built 60 hp 4-cylinder petrol-paraffin Thornycroft engines. From 1957-1969, she was owned by the Irish racehorse breeders Lt. Col. John P.W. Samuelson, M.C. and his wife  Eleanor, née Dawson.  They took the boat to the Mediterranean where she chartered on the French Riviera into the 1960s. In 1967 she was again re-engined, with Gardner LK 60 hp diesels.

TAHILLA’s penultimate, long-term owners (1969-2015), Jerry and Peggy Lewis, found TAHILLA apparently laid-up in a rundown state at Menton near Mont Carlo in 1969 and commenced a long period of refit mixed with use. In 1980 they returned her to the UK and a berth on the Hamble river. Under the Lewis' ownership, she was used primarily as a private yacht on the South Coast of England, the Channel Islands, Northern France and the Benelux countries. Since 1985, TAHILLA has attended every major, 5-yearly Commemorative Return to Dunkirk.

The current owners purchased TAHILLA in 2015 and have engaged in a careful ongoing restoration programme. In 2015-17 she underwent a refit at Michael Dennett Boatbuilders, Chertsey. Work carried out included new interior and systems, installation of 2 x new Nanni diesel engines and associated systems, installation of new WhisperPower generator and associated systems, and exterior restoration work, in particular to the aft trunk cabin.  Three further refits took place at Willett Built in Southampton. In 2020-22, work carried out included: new structural timber 'green' oak, replacement of centreline frames and floors foreward of the engine room bulkhead (80% were replaced in total), complete replacement of the inner and outer stem to the wood keel, replacement bronze keel bolts for original iron and later stainless steel, replacement of entire foredeck including new sub-deck structure, and adding significant strength to further support the original structure. In 2022-23, work carried out included: the reinforcing of horn timber and counter timber, replacement of iron ballast keel with lead ballast keel, replacement of iron and stainless steel keelbolts with bronze, and a new rudder blade.  In 2024-25, work carried out included: letting in Tufnol load transfer rings around portholes, re-splining topsides, and fairing and refinishing with Epifanes two-pack system. 

Update, September 2025: Vessel for sale.