The dying wish of an adventurous seafaring lawyer is being granted by the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis. When Clifford Chance consultant Richard Coleman died at the age of 89 last year, his enduring wish was that his beloved 18.5ft yacht Decibel, in which he had sailed for over 60 years, should not end up at the back of a boatyard slowly decaying.

Thanks to the hard work of Richard’s former colleague, friend, and executor Tony Vlasto, Decibel is now at the boat building academy where apprentice boat builders are restoring her to her former glory.

Decibel was built by Hillyard’s in 1935 (the year Richard was born). Using money saved during his National Service with the Royal Navy, Richard bought her in 1956. He moored her at Hornet Services Sailing Club, in Gosport. His adventures over the next 60 years included a round Britain cruise without an engine, just sailing at weekends. In 1967 he undertook his famous ‘Riddle of the Sands Cruise’, when, now with a Stuart Turner petrol auxiliary, he sailed Decibel over several weekends from Gosport to the north of Holland, commuting during the week by train to work in London.

Vlasto said: ‘Richard wanted Decibel to be gifted to a young cadet of a yacht club or similar so that she could be restored and protected. I have no doubt he would be extremely happy to see his beloved yacht in the workshop at the BBA, being lovingly restored by student boat builders.’

Decibel is now at the boat building academy where apprentice boat builders are restoring her to her former glory

Apprentice boat builders are restoring Decibel to her former glory

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