Peter de Savary, who has died aged 78, liked to describe himself as a swashbuckling entrepreneur, adventurer and sportsman. He came to fame in the 1980s and 90s for his patriotic but unsuccessful attempts to win the America’s Cup yacht race, with a series of expensive craft. A restless speculator, who would buy a derelict castle on a whim, he once owned both Land’s End and John o’Groats but his serendipitous business ventures could often be short-lived. He was an early Brexiter, and stood unsuccessfully for James Goldsmith’s Referendum party in the 1997 general election.
De Savary, a colourful and noisy figure who loved cigars and vintage cars, came close to a British triumph in the America’s Cup in 1983 with his boat Victory 83, losing in the final heat to Alan Bond’s Australia II. But his attempt to mount further challenges were unsuccessful and ended in 1994 when Placeton, the holding company for much of his interests, went into receivership with £200m debts and De Savary had to sell his homes.
