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Spike Africa was built in 1977 by Bob Sloan of Newport Beach, California. Bob was known and respected throughout the world for his lifetime of experience on sailing vessels. His goal in building Spike Africa was to create the ultimate schooner. Since her launching, Spike Africa has been featured in major articles in every important yachting publication, and universally praised as one of the most beautiful schooners built in modern times.
She combines the functional elegance of the 19th century coastal schooners with unobtrusive touches of modern luxury. Bob named the boat for Spike Africa, a seaman renowned as a living legend of the sea. Spike, the man, was known up and down the West Coast as President of the Pacific Ocean.
Bob built Spike Africa as not only a yacht but a true working schooner, which in every detail combines beauty and grace with sturdy seaworthiness. It is this harmony of form and function that gives Spike Africa her timeless elegance.
Spike Africa has served as support boat for some of the most important yacht races, has won honors in her own racing career, and has starred in films such as "Joe vs. the Volcano" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, TV shows including Baywatch and Hotel, and numerous national advertising campaigns.
In 1998 through 2000, Spike Africa's last owner took her through a complete refit. Many friends and long time admirers of Bob and Spike participated with world-class skills in wooden boat building, rigging, finishing, and mechanical systems. From keel to topmast, every part of the boat was renewed, replaced, or upgraded as required to bring her into Bristol condition. The goal of the restoration was to maintain the traditional character of every detail just as Bob Sloan envisioned.
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