“The Leeuwin has been absolutely smashed to pieces,” a witness said on Radio 6PR Australia. “None of its mast is standing, and it’s listing over and hanging over onto the port.”

There has, of course, always been professionalism in yachting but that a fat paycheck outweighs national pride is a relatively new development. The rock stars have become hired guns – unashamed mercenaries prepared to compete for whichever country offers them the best deal.

Needing substantial, but not complete restoration, just as she was about the be dismantled, three years short of her 100th birthday, a final desperate round of emails produced an outcome.

“I have in mind to admit it all to the New York Yacht Club that I really owe the secret of the design to a Greek guy who helped me out and was invaluable. He’s been dead for 2,000 years. Bloody Archimedes…”

MAFALDA was first Launched in 1926, so I guess she wasn’t named after the character in Harry Potter or the famous Argentinian comic series of the 1960’s.