Billionaire pays for oldest floating Clyde-built vessel restoration

An American billionaire has parted with a five-figure sum of cash to help keep a historic Scottish ship’s hull above water for generations to come, according to The Scotsman.

Hair products entrepreneur, John Paul DeJoria has donated £15,000 to the Scottish Maritime Museum for the restoration of the MV Kyles, the oldest Clyde-built vessel still afloat.

The donation announcement follows a fundraising effort by the Scottish Maritime Museum seeking to carry out essential repairs on the 149-year-old cargo coaster, which is moored at Irvine Harbourside.

De Joria, who is worth an estimated $3.1bn (£2.3bn), gifted the money last week, just 48 hours after reading an article in a maritime industry magazine about the Scottish Maritime Museum’s campaign

The Texas-based businessman, who owns 16th century Taymouth Castle, near Kenmore in Perthshire and Kinross, contacted David Mann, Director of the Scottish Maritime Museum to offer his donation, allowing the restoration to go ahead.

In a short statement, DeJoria said it was “important to support efforts to retain the visual reminders of our heritage – so important for adults to share with children and for children to have the opportunity to see, feel, and touch history”.

Read the full article online.