New Fortuna has a routine revision

With the King of Spain out competing in the Copa del Rey until Saturday, mechanics have used the time to put the new royal yacht Fortuna in its dry dock “hangar” in Porto Pi to carry out a “revision” according to royal household sources yesterday. It is also the first time the yacht, which is bigger that her predecessor, has been into the hangar and naval mechanics needed to ensure that the yacht would fit between the huge doors which were designed around the old royal yacht. The 41 metre yacht, which has only recently come into service, because of its size and state-of-the-art equipment, needs specialist care and attention and with the yacht having already made a number of trips out into high seas, the break has provided the perfect opportunity for the yacht, which was paid for by a consortium of Balearic business people, to be given a once over. Over the next few days the Fortuna will undergo a number of technical and mechanical tests. On Monday the King took the vessel and a large party of people out to the island of Cabrera and did not return until 12 hours later, with some members of the Spanish media wondering what had happened. By the time night had fallen there was still no sign of the Fortuna at her Porto Pi naval base mooring and she returned at 10.30 on Monday night. The Fortuna which was built at the Bazan shipyard in Cadiz, is fitted with an aluminium hull and is one of the fastest yachts in the Mediterranean. The old Fortuna which has since been dismantled, carried some of the world's most powerful men on Majorcan cruises and the new yacht can look forward to an equally illustrious career.