Mathilda-Southern Breeze -Khalidia

Hi Shubby. Wow!!!, fantastic photos, the sort we have been trying to find for a long time, thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to post them for us. I just sent them to the owner John and he is very grateful too. It is awesome to see his Riva on Khalidia. Interesting to know the dates and put some names to the faces.
The Richard Nixon story was funny, I can just picture that. The Whaler looks good, another quality boat.
There are only a couple of photos of Khalidia on the internet, yours now show us what a beautiful yacht she was, what a shame she ended up as scrap.
Glad you like the restoration, she has a new bigger engine but as she was only finished last year the only use she has had is on the River Thames just outside London, around 6 knot speed limit, zzzzzz. She did turn heads on the river, especially when mooring outside the pub for lunch. We have not had her on the sea yet, so we do not know how she performs.
John had planned to tow her to Italy this month for several weeks, back to the Riva lake, I and other friends were to meet him out there, but with everything going on that is postponed. Would have be fun to blast around the lakes. Maybe next year, who knows.
Thanks again.

Long shot but you don't know Ulla and her husband, do you...?

Is the Riva in Henley, or nearby...? Your story is starting to ring bells. I live in Chiswick but have a friend in Henley who has friends with boats and I'm almost positive I heard mention of a Riva resto recently.
My name's actually Nick (Ford) and I have an album choc full of photos from my 15 months on Khalidia. I merely searched for those that portrayed the Riva. So if you'd like to see any more, or shots of specific characters, please feel free to ask. Such a shame, what happened to that beautiful old girl. During my time on board she had a four-month refit at a yard in Fort Lauderdale. Pretty extensive work was done and we took her to Nassau for New Year's Eve of '82 and she was absolutely gleaming. Good times. All the best...

Found another. Bermuda I think...

Hi Nick
Another great photo, thank you for looking.
John said the photo taken looking down at the Riva does confirm it is his as some of the equipment near the screen had been removed and he had to fill the holes in.
We don`t know the people you mention but the Riva was used out of Walton Marina last year and cruised the river around Henley.
She is kept near Portsmouth at the moment. I will send you a private message, John would love to have a chat to you if that`s ok? I have added a photo for Spike. It is the Don Shead Khalidia tender he mentioned at the Southampton race in 1993, we were racing the red Magnum we had just finished restoring. Cheers.

Great picture there Marshan. Same as I remember her. I’ll get some pics of the refit we did in Villefranche and post them soon. Thanks.

I look forward to seeing those Spike, thank you.

Hi Marsham, I worked with Nick on Khalidia in the 80's, Riva looks great, strangely reassuring to know at least a small part of Khalidia is in such good hands. Apologies this is the only one I could find of the Riva, I thought it interesting as was taken when we met up with the owners other yacht Nabilla (used in a James Bond film) shown in the background, I think anchored off Martinique.
PS As per the previously mentioned incident, I witnessed Nick assist ex President Nixon and his wife aboard before falling between tender and yacht with dignified aplomb which both guests found amusing. He forgot to mention he also said "It's a bit tricky" to the guests before he fell in, perhaps not appreciating the nickname the ex president had carried for many years. Quite a welcome aboard which I'm sure filled them with confidence!

Ian, you're a star, thanks for those (and the added extras to my Nixon snippet... haha!). I just had a long chat with John, who restored the Riva, so he'll again be fascinated to see her sitting in her cradle on board (she's currently in a barn on the south coast, awaiting full sea trials). Interesting seeing 'Tender To Khalidia' written across her transom, too. Had forgotten about that. All the best...

Hi Ian. John the owner of the Riva just rang me, he had just had a great chat with Nick and said I should look at the thread. More fantastic photos, thanks to all of you who have answered my post and for the interesting and funny stories. Lovely photo of Nabila in the background, the old to the new. My sister was in Puerto Banus a long, long time ago when Nabila was moored there, she said the helicopter came down and landed just so the passengers could get some ice cream from the shop by the boats. This was the Riva back in 2001, I was storing it for Andy who also had the Don Shead tender, he used talk to Mr A K on the phone about marine related things, not sure if he ever met him. As Andy had so many projects he was working on he never got much further than taking bits off it, usual thing, and storing them. Years ago Andy moved the Riva to his shed and there it sat until John took on the project 4 or 5 years ago. At least I got my house bricks back Andy had borrowed for the cover, I never did finish that wall!!!. Cheers to all.

Marshan, you can never have too many house bricks! The Nabila tale sounds spot on, AK and family were always kind and a delight and nobody could say they didn't know how to party. Khalidia was the smaller, more cosy, family yacht used on more private occasions and Nabila was the big brash star used for the big occasions and parties. Based in the med my pic, to my knowledge, shows the only time Nabila joined Khalidia in the Caribbean, fortuitous for us as our chef became seriously ill and possibly only survived because Nabila's helicopter was used to take him to hospital. I was fortunate to be shown round Nabila, welcomed by the Captain, glass of champagne etc (there is a Nabila thread on here but has some nonsense in it, crew were European). The Riva has had some famous passengers, as well as the Nixon's I recall looking after Jane Seymour and family and prior to my joining Robin Williams and Sean Connery also graced her seats. Best regards to you and John.

Thank you Ian, that`s more very interesting information for John`s history of the boat file he is assembling, it was lacking much content until I joined this thread. He is collecting pictures and stories to keep with the Riva. Maybe John should have a little plaque engraved with all the famous people who have been on his boat, I have a feeling as she was a tender to Khalidia and the famous owner , that list might be a long one. I hope one day someone might have some pictures with a few famous people on it in their collection. But I suppose the guests privacy was the important thing so those picture may not have been taken, which is understandable.
That was lucky for the chef, I will look at the Nabila thread. we envy you looking round the Nabila, would love to have seen that, just have to watch "Never Say Never Again".
I said Andy may not have met AK, but I am told he did on a few occasions at boat shows, AK`s wife was there as well and Andy said they were very nice people and a pleasure to talk to and asked after member of his family they had talked about the previous year. Bearing in mind what busy people they were and the amount of people they met during the year, that was a nice thing.
Regards
Craig

Sadder days of Khalidia, took me a while to find these but thanks to Dave Hart, my old friend and Steward (also known as Cap'n Irish), who found my album. Note the final 2 pics are shots of the crack that appeared in M. Voisins 'Bag' that appeared after 4-6 hours of pumping water into the drydock. Bernnard was a man who liked to keep owners happy by never giving in to bids from competing shipyards, even if they DID have a bigger drydock..! Circa 1973 I think.

That's a relief, I thought you were using them as fenders..!

Further to Khalidia's reports, here's a couple I included in my earlier blogs but YF took them out for some reason. The first is Joe Stokes, our Chief Steward, great guy with a great sense of humour, now lives in Canada, I believe. Second is a shot of some of the crew in a Restaurant somewhere - Villefranche I think. L. to R. Joey, Terry Skeffington, Annie, Chrissie, Me and the fabulous Jimmi Boutrif. Where are they now..?
Any surnames that can be provided, please go ahead..

Hi All I'm John the owner of the Riva, just wanted to say a big thank you for all your pictures and information re the history of the boat.
Craig has been a great friend of mine for many years and we have carried out a fair few projects restoring racing boats. We look forward to meeting up next week with Nick who will be able to see the boat, sit in it, take a few piccies followed by beer & burgers! Will post some pics following the meet! Not sure who else of you that have sent info are in the UK but would be happy to meet up with more of you later. John

Where will you be John? I’d like to meet up for a can of something.

Hi Spike the plan is to meet up next Wednesday at Craigs storage barn on Hayling Island UK with Nick who plans to come from London if you would like to meet up that's fine or another time if you are unable or live away
I will provide Beers for sure and look forward to more pics of the rich and famous having boating fun social distancing is not a problem as the barn has 20 acres around it