We rebuilt a 1970's sailing yacht!

Aboard the 1970 Swan 37 Elixir, shipwright Max Campbell is overhauling onboard systems in New Zealand, preparing the classic vessel for continued ocean voyaging under the banner of Untide. Seven years after finding the yacht covered in moss in a boatyard in 2019, the ongoing refit represents years of manual labor. After completing an offshore passage across the globe without modern instrumentation, Campbell is systematically bringing the vessel into modern technical readiness.

From Boatyard Project to Blue Water Voyager

The transformation of Elixir required rebuilding or replacing virtually every functional assembly aboard. As Campbell reflected on the extensive refit, “the capable blue water sailing boat that you now see is a result of a labor of love that has lasted for years.” Bringing the neglected 1970 hull back to ocean readiness required substantial personal commitment, passion, and mechanical work to recover a vessel that had been left sitting without operable gear.

Modernizing with Raymarine Electronics

During earlier voyaging, Campbell noted, “I’d actually sailed all the way from the UK to New Zealand with minimal electronics, no chart plotter, radar, or wind instruments.” In New Zealand, he joined Raymarine as an ambassador, obtaining a complete electronics suite. Campbell is “slowly bringing Elixir into the 21st century” on a boat sailed hard for almost 60 years, adding that “having access to these instruments makes the cruising experience both safer and more enjoyable” as global passages resume through 2026.

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