Remarkable yachts that sailed through history and left their mark

Yachting is a passion for most of us, it is something we live for and hold real close to our hearts. For those that appreciate the miraculous design and personality behind today’s modern vessel, it may interest you to explore Classic Yachts which have ultimately contributed to this evolution. There are many famous vessels that have marked their place in history, winning esteemed competitions, entertaining aristocrats, or escorting English royalty, they will always be remembered. From the earliest yacht in existence, dating back to over 5,000 years ago and believed to have been built as a Pharaoh’s funeral barge, to the exquisite one of a kind Symbol design that describes the perfect motor yacht you know and love today, this article will begin to fill in the blanks in between. We will skim the surface, focusing on several historic yachts that have helped paved the way to the present day, telling interesting stories behind the vessels and their unique owners.

Yachting truly began to take off in England as a past time for the wealthy and royal. In 1817, England’s official yacht club established requirements, including minimum lengths for owners' yachts in order to attain membership. They even officially changed their name to the “Royal Yacht Club”, undeniably proving the importance of Royalty in the Yachting world. Around this time, more and more yachts would emerge, placing a standard for others to live up to.

In 1816, a true American luxury yacht made way out of New England, stretching 100ft long and clearly designed and fitted for royalty her rightly suited name was “Cleopatra’s Barge.” A 50 year old bachelor named George Crowninshield had a vision of pure luxury and grand royalty which he successfully expressed to his builder, who then transformed his dream into a reality, much like Lucid Yacht Group does for its Symbol clients. The vessel defined its own style, draped in golden sheets, velvet cushions, and elegant décor; this magnificent vessel set a standard which other builders tried to live up to, even copied. This remarkable yacht cost George a whopping $50,000 and was launched on November 21st of that year.

George sailed Cleopatra all over the world, entertaining guests and inviting numerous visitors to come aboard and partake in her splendor. These guests, unfortunately, were very careless and did not express the same love and care that the owner did for the vessel. George was constantly repainting, redecorating, and fixing all their accidents and eventually became obsessed with fulfilling this never-ending task. This ongoing lifestyle of traveling and partying eventually caught up with George and he died from a heart attack on one of his many voyages. The vessel was continuously traded and the actual end of Cleopatra’s barge is unknown, but her spirit has been remembered throughout history.

Then there was America, “Much has been written about this single most influential yacht in history (Legendary Yachts,30)”. Commodore John Cox Stevens commissioned America for the purpose of challenging the British and putting America on the map in yachting competition. He more than succeeded with this amazing historical vessel, winning the single most important trophy in yachting in 1851, known presently as “The America’s Cup.” George Steers, the designer of America, had previous experience in building racing sailboats, but had never achieved the overwhelming success that he did with this vessel. This $30,000 dollar vessel was long, lean, and powerful, slicing through the waters, and becoming the first yacht in history to sail across an ocean in international competition.

In 1899 Arthur Curtis James had his first Aloha built, a 130 foot vessel which he sailed 152,560 miles over the course of a single decade. Arthur still had big dreams of one day sailing around the world, and for this reason, he had the new Aloha II built for this specific purpose. The War prevented him from taking his new vessel on this nautical adventure and unfortunately, Aloha was temporarily taken over by the Navy. She was returned to him in her original condition, and Arthur was able to begin his long awaited voyage. Aloha II made many stops at various locations, allowing her guests to truly enjoy the glorious sites that surrounded them and actively partake in what the world had to offer. After extensive traveling and sharing in the wonderful experiences in site seeing and the yachting lifestyle, Aloha returned to its normal everyday adventures. She remained with Arthur, her original owner, until the end of her life in 1938.

"Someone along the rail murmured ‘Aloha’ as the ship stood against the sunset, for that’s what she was, the beautiful 202-ft bark Arthur Curtis James had built as flagship for the New York Yacht Club in 1910. She was one of the most romantic yachts ever built, a bridge between the age of square-riggers and the luxurious floating palaces of the early twentieth century. No one who saw her will ever forget her”

Bill Robinson, Legendary Yachts

In 1896 Erin was launched, formerly known as Aegusa, with her most pronounced characteristic being her stack, she typically defined the steam yacht that existed during that time. Probably the most interesting facts about Erin were that of her owner, Sir Thomas Lipton, a poor Irish man that worked his way to being an esteemed wealthy entrepreneur. After trying to make a living with the promises that were offered in America, Lipton did not succeed and instead, returned to Glasgow to make it there. He opened a grocery store where he produced his own products, cutting out the middleman and turning a greater profit. One of the items that he learned to make himself was tea, coming up with the idea of creating tea bags.You may recognize the product you know and enjoy today as “Lipton’s Tea.”

Sir Thomas Lipton was a true workaholic, it was what he lived for and what he was most passionate about. When he discovered yachting, he found a new passion, one that would offer him a break from his business life. At 48 years old he purchased the steam yacht “Aegusa” and renamed her Erin. This would be his answer for finding friendships and connections with people that he so often missed when dedicating all of his life to work. Erin soon became the most wanted yacht in America; she even competed in the America’s cup and won the interest of so many spectators. Visitors crowded Erin as she entertained them with dinner parties and events.

Once again, war interrupted Erin’s lifestyle and she was converted into a hospital ship. She still continued to entertain, winning the hearts of many that came across her. Sir Thomas Lipton was admired by many as well; however, he couldn’t seem to win over the hearts of the British. The Royal Yacht club refused to acknowledge him as a member, believing that he used his vessel primarily to promote his tea. It wasn’t until the end of his life that he was finally recognized as a member. Today, yachtsmen all over the world acknowledge “Erin” as Lipton’s classic vessel, while everyone recognizes Lipton’s tea as a household favorite.

These are just a couple classic yachts that have graced us with their presence and have created a structure for us to follow. Today motoryachts are powered by engines and no longer require great smoke stacks. The wooden hulls of the past are now built out of fiberglass and aluminum. Just look at the graceful Symbol Yachts cruising in your area. One highly customized yacht is 'Alegre', a Symbol 88' Flushdeck Motoryacht. Lucid's president, Barin Cardenas, custom-designed this exquisite masterpiece to fit the vision of its owners. Barin worked with the clients, allowing them to communicate their ideas and express their individual personalities. The interior design of Alegre was customized to the owner's preference, much like the pioneer owners of the past. Lucid Yacht Group continues to follow tradition, building boats tailored to owner’s specification.

Resources:

The Golden Century, Classic Motor Yachts by Ross MacTaggart

Legendary Yachts, by Bill Robinson

Yachting Magazine Status Symbol, by Jay Coyle (Dec. 2004)