Adix is best described as a three-masted gaff-rigged schooner.
With a professional complement of Captain and twelve crew, she has true global cruising reach, with the capacity to accommodate nine owners and guests in safety and comfort. She has a working sail area of around 1400 square metres, with the ability to carry around 2100 square metres downwind in moderate conditions.
History
1984 – 1989 Jessica & the early years
Conceived by the Argentinian yachtsman Carlos Perdomo, Jessica came from the drawing board of the late South African designer Arthur Holgate. The result was a beautiful three-masted topsail schooner, launched by Astilleros de Mallorca in 1984.
In 1989 the schooner returned to Europe following an extensive period of cruising in the Pacific. She was then bought by Spanish businessman Señor Jaime Botín, and this became a defining moment in the schooner’s history. Although already a capable and proven yacht, Botin’s acquisition was to set her on a course of long-term cruising and development.
1990 - 2014 Adix
The schooner was renamed Adix, and Señor Botín appointed Paul Goss as the captain, the remit being to oversee the rebuild and upgrade of the boat. Paul had defined his reputation in classic yacht restoration. His meeting with Señor Botín the previous year aboard the classic Fife schooner Altair, was the catalyst for a working relationship which would last for 35 years until Señor Botín’s passing in 2024.
During an initial analytical cruise during the summer of ‘89, the new Owner and skipper worked together to specify significant changes to improve and upgrade the schooner. Adix sailed to Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, UK, and it was here that she would undergo a major rebuild using the expertise of naval architect Gerard Dykstra. The rebuild focused on improving sailing performance, systems upgrades as well as aesthetic improvements.
Originally a topsail schooner with yards on the foremast, she had a relatively shallow full-length keel, and whilst she was fast across the wind, she had limitations in light airs with poor windward ability. Major changes meant the keel and rudder were removed and replaced with a moderate fin-and-skeg configuration. The original American-style transom stern was replaced with a more elegant and traditional counter stern, whilst the foremast yards were also removed. These modifications transformed the vessels’ sailing performance whilst laying the foundations for the next 3 decades of continued innovation.
One of Adix’s greatest achievements came in 2002 when she beat the long-standing Trans-Atlantic record set by the Schooner Atlantic in 1905. She achieved this during a friendly match race with the modern Schooner Windrose. Although Windrose beat her home by a few hours, the consolation prize for Adix was holding a higher average speed than her competitor: Adix had sailed faster but had covered more miles across the course. At 12.6 knots, Adix had finally proved her worth by bettering Atlantic’s 10.3 knot average speed by a healthy margin.
2015 - 2025
In 2015, substantial upgrades were made to Adix. After 25 years of worldwide cruising, her original aluminium rig was getting tired, so the opportunity was taken to renew her masts in carbon fibre. This included replacing her wire standing rigging with ECsix carbon rigging, and at the same time taking the opportunity to once again increase the sail area to better enhance light air sailing performance. Portlights were installed in the owner’s and guest accommodation, and the deck saloon was modified to incorporate a semi-submerged seating and dining area. All machinery was updated, and with attention everywhere, over 25 tonnes of weight was removed from the vessel. Adix cruised extensively with her new carbon rig, with notable improvements in light air performance and increased comfort in large seas. After three years cruising the US East Coast and competing in the Caribbean classic regatta circuit, Adix once again sailed off into the Pacific Ocean and remained for two years. There is much to write and record about Adix’s rich and varied achievements over countless thousands of miles. Simply put, her record has well and truly justified the vision and commitment Señor Botín set out decades ago.
In February 2024, Botín embarked upon his final Trans-Atlantic voyage onboard Adix. Owner, guests and crew completed an idyllic 10-day crossing, sailing non-stop from anchor to anchor. With eight days under the asymmetric spinnaker, and without resorting to the engine, Señor Botín was in his element. At the end of his eighth decade, one final indulgence was his final passage from St Kitts to Bermuda aboard his beloved schooner.
In August 2024, the Owner’s passing marked the end of an era for the schooner Adix. Under the ownership of Señor Botín, and command of his long-standing captain, Adix cruised the oceans of the world including several circumnavigations, sailing in style to the farthest reaches of the globe. Renowned for her safety, capability, and comfort, Adix has earned her place as one of the great schooners of the modern era.
