Eilean is a 70 foot ketch designed and built in 1936 by William Fife. [1] She was built for the Fulton brothers, who were Scottish steel merchants. [2] The yacht was at some time in the 1960s owned by Hartley Shawcross, who sold her to a yacht charter business in English Harbour, Antigua. [2] She was featured in the music video of the 1982 song " Rio" by British pop band Duran Duran. [3]
In 2006, Angelo Bonati, the CEO of Italian watch manufacturer Panerai [1] saw the boat in English Harbour in a state of disrepair. [4] Bonati arranged for the yacht to be restored. [5] The boat was sent to a shipyard in Italy for restoration. [3] She was re-launched in 2009 as part of an advertising campaign for the Panerai brand. [6] In 2012, some members of original Duran Duran lineup were present when Eilean was included in a "classic yacht regatta" in Antigua. [7]