Elena of London

Elena of London is an exact replica of a schooner designed by Nathanael Herreshoff, the American naval architect behind several America's Cup contenders, whose original won the 1928 transatlantic race. The new hull was built in steel in Spain and launched in 2009, and she is not a museum piece: her trophy list covers both sides of the Atlantic, from Monaco Classic Week and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez to Antigua's classic regatta and the race round Barbados, with a windward ability that her agent says few modern or classic yachts can match.

A week aboard is shaped by that pedigree. Under full sail she is fast and thrilling, and guests who want to can join the race crew for a regatta instead of watching from the rail. The long, open teak deck is the heart of the yacht, with space to sit out of the way of the sheets or to help trim them.

Steve McLaren's rooms below are pure early-1900s yacht: glossy hardwood walls, sailing books on the shelves and furniture of the period, yet each cabin has its own air-conditioning control and there is Wi-Fi throughout. The master cabin has a proper desk and seating for two. The dining room suits a more formal dinner after a day at sea, though most meals end up on deck.

The crew know the yacht's history and enjoy sharing it, and the kayaks, wakeboard, water skis and kite gear give non-sailors something to do at anchor. The captain's cabin can take two more people when needed, but as a charter yacht she is set up for a small party.

She is right for experienced sailors, couples and friends who care about the sailing itself, and for anyone who has dreamt of racing a classic schooner in the Mediterranean. She is a poor match for families with small children or for groups who want a big beach club, a gym and the steady, level ride of a motor yacht: a racing schooner heels, and that is the whole point of her.