Everyone thought man was making a mistake for buying rotting yacht for $1 but he now lives on it
- A YouTuber has restored a historic yacht that be bought for $1
- The Tally Ho was built in 1910 and won a race in 1927
- Leo Sampson Goolden plans to compete in the same race in 2027
Published on Mar 11, 2025 at 2:19 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Mar 12, 2025 at 1:51 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A YouTuber has said everyone thought he was mad after he bought the rotting historic yacht Tally Ho for just $1 and decided to restore it to its former glory.
British boatbuilder Leo Sampson Goolden from Sampson Boat Co bought the 1910 yacht for $1 in 2017 before moving it to a friend’s house to start work.
Goolden is working to restore the boat and then sail halfway around the world in 2027 to compete in a race the boat won back in 1927.
He recently uploaded a seven-year timelapse video onto his channel showing the boat under restoration and then taking it out on sea trials.
DISCOVER OUR SUPERCAR AUCTION SITE – View live auctions on SBX Cars
Timelapse video shows the extensive work undertaken on Tally Ho
The early portions of the video show just how much work Goolden must do to complete the yacht’s restoration.
Shots of the hull and the keel give a good indicator of how rotten the boat had become.
Dampness had significantly impacted the condition of the wood.
The yacht was in such a state that Goolden easily pulled chunks of the wood away without much force.
The timelapse also shows the size of the yacht itself.
Tally Ho is a large vessel far bigger than your average sailing boat.
Watching the restoration progress is fascinating.
Goolden and his team cut new wood and fitted it to the yacht.
Visually, you can clearly see it come together and gives a fascinating view of the difference between the old and new wood.
The completed yacht is worlds away from the rotting carcass of 2017
Fast forward to the latter portion of the video, and you can see the progress made.
Tally Ho looks exceptional with its fresh wood, varnished decking, and brand-new coat of paint.
Goolden paid close attention to the details, as he recreated some of the inscriptions from the original hull.
At the end of the video, the boat is shown out on trials and finally restored to its former glory.
The interior is also a thing of wonder.
New leather seating and fresh varnish help recapture the glory days of the 1910s.
There’s still some work left to complete before the boat is ready for the race, but Tally Ho is virtually complete.
Goolden’s YouTube channel includes full videos of the restoration, showing just how far the yacht has come over the last eight years.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
