Thanks for posting this. You’ve kind of fulfilled a long-held wish for me. My grandfather had a 42’ Stephens built in 1930. I grew up hearing stories about her, but she was sold before I was born. I only had a few pictures and always wondered what the interior looked like. I imagine it looked very much like this boat. Thanks again. It was great to see this.
My grandfather was a shipwright in 30,s till he died. He had his own shipyard on breakfast Creek Brisbane. He built many boats like this they where called Bay cruises. He had a large yard with 3 slips a huge boat shed & a steam shed to bend timbers .i loved going on there test runs .
She is a wee beauty! With a 1m draft and 3.5m air draft, she'd be a perfect coastal cruiser and river/canal explorer (might be a bit high for some canals in UK,, but I believe she'd fit through the French/German/most of the Dutch river/canal systems too). You could spend years pottering round the coasts and rivers of the UK and Europe/Scandinavia, and the Med too. She'd look a picture on the Amalfi coast or Cote d'Azure... That's a full retirement's worth of boating adventure right there!
Lovely boat, only trouble is the upkeep of the woodwork to keep it in that lovely state, it means varnishing every year and loads of coats, I remember well being drafted to help my dad with a wooden yacht as a kid and the work involved.
Not a problem if one knows what they're getting into and values stewardship of a fine old wooden boat. That said, I'm not one of those people and I'm the son of another not one of those people, so we never considered owning a wooden boat. But, goodness me! Look at that beautiful sheer and tumblehome, maybe it wouldn't be so bad... 🤩😍
🌴 this elderly lady just popped up while I was cruising the net , as a retired boat and yacht builder I couldn’t pass by seeing this gem , it’s amazing the quality and craftsmanship along with the design that just keeps you in aw , it’s like a floating time capsule bringing you back to an era of elegance and comfort, this is truly a piece of floating artwork , thank you for showing us this great vessel. ⚓️
Dearly love old yachts. Magnificent! Could not afford the maintenance on 91 yr old engines. But, wow! Would no head out to sea on her, not even the Channel, but puttering around would be fun!
I owned a boat very similar in design when I was around 22 (2002) it was a 1932 ex royal naval pinnace. I brought her for £1500 and sold her a couple years later for not much more 😢. One of my biggest regrets in my life, would do anything to get here back if she was about. Great video, brought back some great memories.
That sure brings back memories of a similar boat my Dad restored. It was 42 feet, and powered by a straight 8 engine. She was moored in Flushing bay, NYC. I remember the trip we took up the Hudson in '69. It got to be too much of a maintenance problem, and Dad sold it and bought a wooden 21 footer more suited to fishing. The 42 footer broke free of her moorings in a storm, hit a barge and went to the bottom around '72 or 3.
She would be ideal for the Venetian lagoon, cruising the 15 miles or so between Venice and Chioggia. The storied craftsmanship of Italians could keep her going for another hundred years and she would be a natural for charters. Americans especially would love it.
I agree, but why do you think Americans would love it more than anyone else? It's certainly not of a current style and almost none would know anything of her origins.
Thank you for this marvelous video. For more than a decade, as a child, my only home was an almost identical Stephens Bros. twin we named Launa Dos (if she is still out there somewhere, I would sure like to know about it). Beyond the maker and fit-out, she certainly also had a closely identical WWII history: appropriated for use by the Coast Guard Auxiliary for harbor patrols -- but in Los Angeles Harbor, not San Francisco. By the way, when they were built, Stevens's 43-footers were definitely not just pond yachts, as several commenters here seem to think. Ours managed the Pacific Ocean's sea states quite well. The boat is well-balanced, and the displacement hull manages large swells with minimal pounding and rolling. We cruised Southern California's Channel Islands from San Diego to Santa Barbara, often making the crossing from San Diego to Santa Catalina overnight. Around 1955, when we made our longest voyage from San Diego to Santa Cruz Island, off Santa Barbara, and then back to San Diego via Catalina Island, the only problem was a bit of boredom from our slow but steady pace through the choppy sea. My father belonged to the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was on many of those patrols. At the war's end, the requisitioned gentleman's yachts were given their freedoms via war surplus auctions. Dad jumped on the opportunity to buy the yacht he already loved. I have no idea what she cost then, but those surplus auctions were often poorly advertised and went for insanely low prices. As a 5-year-old, I still vividly remember endless days of chipping away with hammer and chisel, putty knife, and scrapers, the armor plating of navy grey paint covering everything to reveal the marvelous wooden yacht. This leads to my first correction of the video. Yes, the cap rails and decks were teak, but the superstructure and all the internal cabinetry were mahogany, as identified by the wood graining shown in the video. Internally, Launa Dos was virtually identical, except that she had substantially more sleeping capacity than the boat here. In the forward cabin, the back of the port-side bunk folded up to be hung on hooks to provide an upper bunk for additional sleeping space. I know, as I slept at various times in the upper and lower bunks. The original bed on the starboard side was originally just a flat mesh held by springs to a surrounding steel frame. I attribute my bad back today to too many years of sleeping in what was essentially a hammock. I finally convinced my father to spend a night sleeping it, and it was replaced within a week by a thick plywood insert topped with a foam pad - but too late for my back. The after cabin was our dining room and my parent's bedroom. The seats on both sides folded up as per the port-side forward cabin to reveal 'double' beds extending under the decks, while the folded-up seat backs served as upper bunks. A good-sized removable folding table fitted between the bunks. I presume this was in the original fit-out, given the way it was mounted on two brass stanchions that fitted into reinforced sockets in the deck. We had a kerosene heater set up very similarly to the coal burner shown here. Otherwise, as closely as I can remember, cabinetry details throughout are identical down to moldings (given that all of my worldly goods had to be fitted into them along with my parents and little brother's stuff). For several years, we lived with the original galley ice-box before eventually replacing it with a fridge, as shown in the boat here. Heads are the same, except in my days, they were hand-pumped and flushed directly into the ocean (wouldn't be legal today). As far as a hot shower is concerned, you've got to be kidding.... Real people used the shower blocks provided by most marinas or jumped into the ocean. Water was hand pumped into the galley sink and wash basins from the fresh-water tank under the cockpit deck. Dad eventually replaced the original tank with a larger fiberglass tank he built himself. (In the early post war era, along with restoring Launa Dos, he also transformed a couple of 38' war surplus landing barges into quite successful albacore trollers - so he knew how to maintain boats). He also fibreglassed the entire cockpit, which tended to leak around the edges. I think this was done after his favorite albacore troller sank out from under him because of seas coming into the fishing cockpit through the scuppers and leaking through the deck that had not yet been properly sealed after some work on the steering gear while he and his partner were icing down a too-large catch too early in the voyage before enough ice had melted to compensate for the extra load. As far as running gear was concerned, Launa Dos was definitely more powerful. It was equipped with twin marine petrol engines (possibly installed by the Coast Guard?). Taped inside the chart table in the deckhouse was a record of the certified speed trials from when she was in service as a patrol boat. From memory, her certified top speed with a clean hull was 17 kps - in any event, on maximum throttle, Launa Dos left quite a good rooster tail in her wake. As I recall, our normal offshore cruising speed was 10 kts. Also the wheelhouse didn't have any tacky chrome plating -- only solid marine brass looking like gold from hand polishing (a chore that I was sometimes lumbered with). The brass binnacle was also more functional than flashy. The ship's brass bell is what we had, and sometimes put to its intended use when we were beset by pea soup fogs in Los Angeles's Outer Harbor. One such fog I remember was so dense that I could not see the reflection off the water of a 3 cell flashlight I was pointing down from the deck. One more point that one of the other posts reminded me of is that Launa Dos's original twin motors were Chrisler Crown low-compression Marine Engines, which require special unleaded marine petrol. Launa Dos's davits were semicircular rather than angled, and our tender was my Sabot class sailing dinghy that fit quite well in the existing cradle. One item I never saw was the Stephens Bros. builder's plate, so I never knew exactly when Launa Dos was delivered and would very much like to know (I expect it would have gone missing some time in her war service). But given the exactly identical details between the internal cabinet work in my family home and this boat, I would not be surprised if they were built side-by side. I doubt this degree of similarities between hand-crafted masterpieces would have been achieved in any other way. Yes, the beautiful wooden motor yachts (and sailing yachts) do require A LOT of maintenance! Annual haul-outs for bottom cleaning and fresh anti-fouling paint to keep the woodworms, barnacles, mussels, and assorted other plants and animals looking for a home at bay. Inspecting and replacing anti-corrosion devices, shaft bearing (poured babbit metal), inspecting and replacement if needed), inspecting all through-hull fittings, re-caulking possibly leaking seams). Also, a good time to check for and replace any wood rot. In the late '50s, I seem to recall an ~ 2 ft length of the teak plank to replace a bit of suspect decking cost something like $150 (around 1956!). Inside, it was also a good time to check all the oak hull planks and ribs that could be accessed under the floorboards and behind the cabinetry and other woodwork for dry rot (poking with an ice pick was the usual inspection method). If any wood rot was found, the plank or other structural member had to be cut out and replaced with healthy wood, to keep the rot from spreading. Painted canvas seals on the fore-deck and cabin tops had to be checked for possible leaks, patched if needed, and painted. Teak decks required oiling and re-caulking to seal them. Stripping, hand sanding, and re-varnishing the marvelous mahogany woodwork is never-ending (weather permitting). I think that is why Dad finally decided to move ashore and sell our marvelous wooden palace. I still have a few pictures of the exterior from Catalina Island and San Diego Harbor, but none of the interior. Unfortunately, the closeups are from a phase when the hull was painted black. Father eventually came to his senses when he observed that the black absorbed enough sunlight to dry the wood enough to crack the caulking. I loved that home, because she took me to some wondrous places. And to reiterate, I would love to know more about her birth and early life, and what happened to her in her old age after the family moved ashore to find some space for our other stuff. I was living away in college at the time so I am hazy on the date when she was sold into other hands, but this was probably sometime in the period between 1958 and 1960, or even a bit later. If anyone wants to share this kind of info, my email is william-hall@bigpond.com (in Australia).
This is a museum piece that should be kept inside and take it out for that rare weekend trips. I’m sure this would take a lot of cleaning and maintenance to keep it in excellent condition.
I love this yacht. I keep coming back again and again to see her and wishing I had a use for her and a place to keep her that would keep her safe from the elements. But alas, I just do not have either. But still, she is inspiring to see so I will return again soon to admire her beauty.
Incredibly beautiful yacht! Like a floating work of art! And as safety on the water is premium, having the Yanmars on board is not only sensible but essential. I love this one ❤❤❤
Ho trovato questo video per caso e sono rimasto colpito dalla bellezza di questa barca di altri tempi. Il restauro l ha riportata allo splendore originale. Gli interni, i legni, gli arredi e gli oggetti di uso nautico hanno un fascino invidiabile. Certo che fra restauro, impiantistica e motori nuovi , sarà costata una fortuna, ma per un amatore di questo tipo di barche sarà un investimento che aumenterà di valore nel tempo. Bellissima barca, complimenti!
Very nice presentation John. I served as Mate on the 1928 m/y "Fair Lady" which I really loved. I've also been part of the team restoring an all-teak 125' yacht built in Seattle in 1930. This one also has a very surprising engineroom, and I'll try and upload a vid if I can manage it!
Hi from Russia. A great ship in good condition. A great and accurate job done. Interior and exterior are in excellent condition. Can't believe, that such accuracy can be saved in everyday use in offshore mode. It seems that it is saved in a dock or in some waveless and calm waters of a small river or lake.
My grandfather was the VP of the Alfred P Sloan foundation and he donated Sloans yaght to the government before it was confiscated by the government for the war effort. This way it was a tax deduction. The boat was named Rene and I believe it was 263 feet long. I still have the binoculars from the boat.
My father, Lloyd Wells , owned her in about 1985. He bought her in Portland, ME, and changed her name from Pot o' Golf to Passage. Lost track of her when she was sold..
Many would feel the engine room, should reflect and have vintage engines, to complete and make this vintage classic 90 year old motor cruiser picture perfect. I have to say myself, I feel replacing older engines, with state of the art modern engines. Does not distract from the beauty of this vintage classic vessels, especially if it help to keep her cruising for another 90 years too. However, this vessel overall restoration of a 1930's and WW2 veteran, is so good you just cannot tell what is vintage and what is new. The craft men's involved, should be given award for their work! Maybe you should do a few RUclips videos, on craftsmen and boatyards. Who are doing these types of lovely restoration of vintage classic yachts. Also conversion and restoration work, of vintage classic commercial vessels, the likes of old Tugs, Dutch Barges and Fishing Trawlers and Naval Vessels, into private luxury and period yacht and houseboat conversions etc. Personally I hate so called nut and bolt restoration and conversion projects, of cars, aircraft or vessels. That take the original vintage and classic car body, airframe and/or hull. Only to basically rip out everyone, to replace them with so called state of the art technology and ultra modern exterior and interior fitting out. That there is little left of the original classic vintage car, or aircraft and/or vessel, it just destroy there soul as it were. Yes you need to include in a good restoration and conversion project of a vintage and classic vessel. To include the use of modern navigation and communication systems, which are blended in to the vessels overall appearance. As well as modern fuel efficiency engines installed, plus upto date marine safety and fire fighting equipment to be installed too. Let alone modern galley kitchen equipment and systems, plus food and drink storage too. Or the likes of LED lighting, modern heating and air conditioning, solar and wind generation systems and battery storage too, equally water making technology too. Let alone having state of the art grey and black waste water recycling and treatment systems, being fitted to help reduce marine environmental impact a vessel will cause too. Though all of these included and hidden away where possible, into the overall classic and vintage appearance of an old vessel. Because why buy an vintage classic vessels, just to turn it into an ultra modern vessel, if that is all what you are after? Why not just buy a brand new yacht, at the next Southampton Boat Show instead is my opinion. There are some very good restorations and conversions of vintage classic vessels, in marina and on inland waterway and around our coastlines too. Though there are too many bad ones out there too, which have destroy the original character of a lovely old vintage and classic vessel. This one you showed today on your RUclips Channel, is one of the best I seen in the last few months or years, more please too? I am surprise at the price it being sold for too, only around £140K to £150K. I would expect this vintage classic 1930's motor cruiser, would be up for sale in the range of between £250K to £300K. Someone is going to get a great bargain here, think of owning this lovely vintage classic vessel. To either cruising the European inland waterway and Coastal waters, from the Baltic Sea down to the Mediterranean Sea. Or travelling around the British Isles and Ireland, plus the Scottish and English inland waterways too. Or travelling across the English Channel on her, offering to taking veterans and family members, to visit the beaches of Dunkirk and Normandy and ports plus war cemetery and memorials too!
I lived for two years on a twenty nine foot pilot boat. It had been built in 1929 by the coast guard to take pilots out over the Columbia River bar to meet the ships entering the Columbia River. The hull was Cypress over Cedar ribs. It had no rot or water in the bilge. It was powered with a Chrysler crown updraft carburetor marine engine.
What an amazing boat! I cant believe this boat is ever used. It looks brand new. I want to learn from this owner on how he cares for and maintains this beauty. Tourists should not be allowed near this boat. 3mpg is crazy.
If I owed that boat, I'd dress the family up in 1930s clothing and sneak in and out of the fog, building a legend of a ghost ship. We'd be drinking champagne and smoking cigarettes
My cousin owns a 50’ fantail yacht built 98 years ago. It still has 99% of the original teak. For the majority of her life she’s been kept in a boat house, but she lives out in the elements now.
The owner made sure this boat had a long future above his own. I salute the last owner for his time, money, and love that he extended to the new owner.
Hey Yacht Buoy when I saw the picture of this boat I about fell to my knees, This look like the same boat that belonged to a friend Bob that I had lost contact with many years ago....I have to wonder if this is the same boat that was dock in fort Lauderdale fl. at one time My friend Bob lived abroad behind some huge restaurant. I got to know his boat because him and i rebuildt an Generator right where the engines are today, which the enige compartment you show was change greatly.. i remember that bell,, and My friend BOB had a ring tie on a cord that swung from the ceiling to a hook between moulding of the front glass which Bob and i spent hours trying to swing the ring to the hook. . If my member serves me right i think Bob was telling me somthing of the same of this boat history.... Seems eerily. the control helm seems diffrent... thanks for the video ....Butch.
A friend had a classic Lake Union vessel in San Francisco Bay that had been commandeered by the Navy in WW2 and still had the instruction plate for dropping depth charges!
She's super cool. Imagine having her built then watching the Coast Guard shove off with _your_ yacht. Have to keep a smile on your face for the papers " *Anything for the war effort* ".
Stunning piece of floating history- thanks for bringing her to us. With those modern power plants I think running tours as you e said would be just the ticket assuming you could get it insured for that use.
This is a very well-kept yacht built by the iconic Stephens Brothers. Turning to the engines, Classic turns to Restomod...with good effect. I would have taken modernization further, removing the coal-fired stove. Well...I like the Romance of the Classic yachts more than the reality.
This historic beauty has Summers on Lake Champlain written all over it. It would be perfect there. That woodwork. It would be very difficult to even obtain that old tight-grained teak for any further rebuild. The engine room updates make this a magnificent vessel. What $200k new purchase could touch this?
When I first saw this I had hoped it was one of the 'little ships' that were berthed in Ramsgate marina for a number of years, was called the Sundowner at the time
I may know this boat from my childhood. If so, the '1931' placard fits. It was a rum runner when it was new due to US prohibition. I believe he took it to SE Asia in the mid 60's. He owned it for ~20 + yrs. The story about USCG comandeering it for duty in SF bay fits. The last I saw of it was 1972. I was a little homeless at 17 and stayed on it for a night or two in Long Beach. I know he bought it in the SF bay area.
In many ways it reminds me of the Sea Scout Boat I was on as a teenager in San Francisco Bay. It was a WW2 era Aviation Rescue Boat that picked up downed pilots in the Pacific. Especially the interior details like the drawers and cabinet doors. It's ironic that boat was used to maintain the sub screen at the Golden Gate. Where we tied up in Oakland Navel Supply Center the old sub screen had been removed and dumped on a far off pier and left to rust. Although the pier was condemned we would make the walk out there from time to time to poke about for nautical collectables. There were the net floats and old rotting wood life boats lying around. At one time the giant barge Redwood City was tied up there that was part of the whole Glomar Explorer episode.
Excellent price for this yacht! I love the classics and the fact that she served in wwII makes her even more attractive. I wish she had a longer range but for a coastal cruiser she will make some yacht owner very happy!
That is a beautiful boat. Those motors sound and look good. Nice little diesels. The price freaked me out. Well under 200k is mind-boggling. I'd have thought at least half a million. Where is it and what is its registry. 😊
Wow! This boat is loved. but high maintanance. If I was to bring her home I'd move her in fresh water to avoid salt corrosion and keep her under cover when not in use.
Not sure why it’s referred to as “commuter.” I would, however, love to pilot it to and from work every day. Imagine the job that goes with it would be pre cool too.
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!! Can't believe the price . That's a classic boat for not a lot of cash compared to some of todays overpriced grp cruisers. Now where did I put my lottery ticket????
Thanks for watching! Don't forget to check out my website: yacht-buoy.com/
what a vessel. it takes real commitment for such a beautiful craft. the owner should get a medal for being such a great caretaker.
Agreed 🫡
Wow what a beautiful old boat! I bet that all the craftsman that built this boat are long dead but their work is still here. A labor of love!😊
Thanks for posting this. You’ve kind of fulfilled a long-held wish for me. My grandfather had a 42’ Stephens built in 1930. I grew up hearing stories about her, but she was sold before I was born. I only had a few pictures and always wondered what the interior looked like. I imagine it looked very much like this boat. Thanks again. It was great to see this.
I have worked on vessels like this in the past, in the UK, but never ever seen anything like this one. This has been loved and respected
My grandfather was a shipwright in 30,s till he died. He had his own shipyard on breakfast Creek Brisbane. He built many boats like this they where called Bay cruises. He had a large yard with 3 slips a huge boat shed & a steam shed to bend timbers .i loved going on there test runs .
WOW! 92 years old? She looks GREAT!
She is a wee beauty!
With a 1m draft and 3.5m air draft, she'd be a perfect coastal cruiser and river/canal explorer (might be a bit high for some canals in UK,, but I believe she'd fit through the French/German/most of the Dutch river/canal systems too).
You could spend years pottering round the coasts and rivers of the UK and Europe/Scandinavia, and the Med too. She'd look a picture on the Amalfi coast or Cote d'Azure...
That's a full retirement's worth of boating adventure right there!
Lovely boat, only trouble is the upkeep of the woodwork to keep it in that lovely state, it means varnishing every year and loads of coats, I remember well being drafted to help my dad with a wooden yacht as a kid and the work involved.
depends, if she's been done with modern 2 pack urethane and is kept undercover she'll be good for 20 years or more.
You are very right. The sun is a killer for any coat. @@marvindebot3264
Not a problem if one knows what they're getting into and values stewardship of a fine old wooden boat. That said, I'm not one of those people and I'm the son of another not one of those people, so we never considered owning a wooden boat. But, goodness me! Look at that beautiful sheer and tumblehome, maybe it wouldn't be so bad... 🤩😍
Modern coatings have removed most of the pain.
Right you are!
She is a piece of art! A real gentleman's Yacht!
I'm not a boat person, however I would live on this beauty.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Class and beauty. Nothing better.
🌴 this elderly lady just popped up while I was cruising the net , as a retired boat and yacht builder I couldn’t pass by seeing this gem , it’s amazing the quality and craftsmanship along with the design that just keeps you in aw , it’s like a floating time capsule bringing you back to an era of elegance and comfort, this is truly a piece of floating artwork , thank you for showing us this great vessel. ⚓️
Dearly love old yachts. Magnificent! Could not afford the maintenance on 91 yr old engines.
But, wow! Would no head out to sea on her, not even the Channel, but puttering around would be fun!
There are worse vessels in the Channel. Being a twin engine is huge peace-of-mind.
Did you not see that they are new engines?
I owned a boat very similar in design when I was around 22 (2002) it was a 1932 ex royal naval pinnace. I brought her for £1500 and sold her a couple years later for not much more 😢. One of my biggest regrets in my life, would do anything to get here back if she was about.
Great video, brought back some great memories.
That sure brings back memories of a similar boat my Dad restored. It was 42 feet, and powered by a straight 8 engine. She was moored in Flushing bay, NYC. I remember the trip we took up the Hudson in '69. It got to be too much of a maintenance problem, and Dad sold it and bought a wooden 21 footer more suited to fishing. The 42 footer broke free of her moorings in a storm, hit a barge and went to the bottom around '72 or 3.
OMG! This actually brought a tear to my eye, fantastic job!
🫡
I know that engine room was a big shock to you 😊 The perfect example of old and new never gets old! 🙂❤
She would be ideal for the Venetian lagoon, cruising the 15 miles or so between Venice and Chioggia. The storied craftsmanship of Italians could keep her going for another hundred years and she would be a natural for charters. Americans especially would love it.
It would be great to see her end up there.
I agree, but why do you think Americans would love it more than anyone else? It's certainly not of a current style and almost none would know anything of her origins.
Thank you for this marvelous video. For more than a decade, as a child, my only home was an almost identical Stephens Bros. twin we named Launa Dos (if she is still out there somewhere, I would sure like to know about it). Beyond the maker and fit-out, she certainly also had a closely identical WWII history: appropriated for use by the Coast Guard Auxiliary for harbor patrols -- but in Los Angeles Harbor, not San Francisco.
By the way, when they were built, Stevens's 43-footers were definitely not just pond yachts, as several commenters here seem to think. Ours managed the Pacific Ocean's sea states quite well. The boat is well-balanced, and the displacement hull manages large swells with minimal pounding and rolling. We cruised Southern California's Channel Islands from San Diego to Santa Barbara, often making the crossing from San Diego to Santa Catalina overnight. Around 1955, when we made our longest voyage from San Diego to Santa Cruz Island, off Santa Barbara, and then back to San Diego via Catalina Island, the only problem was a bit of boredom from our slow but steady pace through the choppy sea.
My father belonged to the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was on many of those patrols. At the war's end, the requisitioned gentleman's yachts were given their freedoms via war surplus auctions. Dad jumped on the opportunity to buy the yacht he already loved. I have no idea what she cost then, but those surplus auctions were often poorly advertised and went for insanely low prices.
As a 5-year-old, I still vividly remember endless days of chipping away with hammer and chisel, putty knife, and scrapers, the armor plating of navy grey paint covering everything to reveal the marvelous wooden yacht. This leads to my first correction of the video. Yes, the cap rails and decks were teak, but the superstructure and all the internal cabinetry were mahogany, as identified by the wood graining shown in the video.
Internally, Launa Dos was virtually identical, except that she had substantially more sleeping capacity than the boat here. In the forward cabin, the back of the port-side bunk folded up to be hung on hooks to provide an upper bunk for additional sleeping space. I know, as I slept at various times in the upper and lower bunks. The original bed on the starboard side was originally just a flat mesh held by springs to a surrounding steel frame. I attribute my bad back today to too many years of sleeping in what was essentially a hammock. I finally convinced my father to spend a night sleeping it, and it was replaced within a week by a thick plywood insert topped with a foam pad - but too late for my back.
The after cabin was our dining room and my parent's bedroom. The seats on both sides folded up as per the port-side forward cabin to reveal 'double' beds extending under the decks, while the folded-up seat backs served as upper bunks. A good-sized removable folding table fitted between the bunks. I presume this was in the original fit-out, given the way it was mounted on two brass stanchions that fitted into reinforced sockets in the deck. We had a kerosene heater set up very similarly to the coal burner shown here. Otherwise, as closely as I can remember, cabinetry details throughout are identical down to moldings (given that all of my worldly goods had to be fitted into them along with my parents and little brother's stuff). For several years, we lived with the original galley ice-box before eventually replacing it with a fridge, as shown in the boat here.
Heads are the same, except in my days, they were hand-pumped and flushed directly into the ocean (wouldn't be legal today). As far as a hot shower is concerned, you've got to be kidding.... Real people used the shower blocks provided by most marinas or jumped into the ocean. Water was hand pumped into the galley sink and wash basins from the fresh-water tank under the cockpit deck. Dad eventually replaced the original tank with a larger fiberglass tank he built himself. (In the early post war era, along with restoring Launa Dos, he also transformed a couple of 38' war surplus landing barges into quite successful albacore trollers - so he knew how to maintain boats). He also fibreglassed the entire cockpit, which tended to leak around the edges. I think this was done after his favorite albacore troller sank out from under him because of seas coming into the fishing cockpit through the scuppers and leaking through the deck that had not yet been properly sealed after some work on the steering gear while he and his partner were icing down a too-large catch too early in the voyage before enough ice had melted to compensate for the extra load.
As far as running gear was concerned, Launa Dos was definitely more powerful. It was equipped with twin marine petrol engines (possibly installed by the Coast Guard?). Taped inside the chart table in the deckhouse was a record of the certified speed trials from when she was in service as a patrol boat. From memory, her certified top speed with a clean hull was 17 kps - in any event, on maximum throttle, Launa Dos left quite a good rooster tail in her wake. As I recall, our normal offshore cruising speed was 10 kts. Also the wheelhouse didn't have any tacky chrome plating -- only solid marine brass looking like gold from hand polishing (a chore that I was sometimes lumbered with). The brass binnacle was also more functional than flashy. The ship's brass bell is what we had, and sometimes put to its intended use when we were beset by pea soup fogs in Los Angeles's Outer Harbor. One such fog I remember was so dense that I could not see the reflection off the water of a 3 cell flashlight I was pointing down from the deck.
One more point that one of the other posts reminded me of is that Launa Dos's original twin motors were Chrisler Crown low-compression Marine Engines, which require special unleaded marine petrol.
Launa Dos's davits were semicircular rather than angled, and our tender was my Sabot class sailing dinghy that fit quite well in the existing cradle. One item I never saw was the Stephens Bros. builder's plate, so I never knew exactly when Launa Dos was delivered and would very much like to know (I expect it would have gone missing some time in her war service). But given the exactly identical details between the internal cabinet work in my family home and this boat, I would not be surprised if they were built side-by side. I doubt this degree of similarities between hand-crafted masterpieces would have been achieved in any other way.
Yes, the beautiful wooden motor yachts (and sailing yachts) do require A LOT of maintenance! Annual haul-outs for bottom cleaning and fresh anti-fouling paint to keep the woodworms, barnacles, mussels, and assorted other plants and animals looking for a home at bay. Inspecting and replacing anti-corrosion devices, shaft bearing (poured babbit metal), inspecting and replacement if needed), inspecting all through-hull fittings, re-caulking possibly leaking seams). Also, a good time to check for and replace any wood rot. In the late '50s, I seem to recall an ~ 2 ft length of the teak plank to replace a bit of suspect decking cost something like $150 (around 1956!). Inside, it was also a good time to check all the oak hull planks and ribs that could be accessed under the floorboards and behind the cabinetry and other woodwork for dry rot (poking with an ice pick was the usual inspection method). If any wood rot was found, the plank or other structural member had to be cut out and replaced with healthy wood, to keep the rot from spreading. Painted canvas seals on the fore-deck and cabin tops had to be checked for possible leaks, patched if needed, and painted. Teak decks required oiling and re-caulking to seal them. Stripping, hand sanding, and re-varnishing the marvelous mahogany woodwork is never-ending (weather permitting). I think that is why Dad finally decided to move ashore and sell our marvelous wooden palace.
I still have a few pictures of the exterior from Catalina Island and San Diego Harbor, but none of the interior. Unfortunately, the closeups are from a phase when the hull was painted black. Father eventually came to his senses when he observed that the black absorbed enough sunlight to dry the wood enough to crack the caulking.
I loved that home, because she took me to some wondrous places. And to reiterate, I would love to know more about her birth and early life, and what happened to her in her old age after the family moved ashore to find some space for our other stuff. I was living away in college at the time so I am hazy on the date when she was sold into other hands, but this was probably sometime in the period between 1958 and 1960, or even a bit later. If anyone wants to share this kind of info, my email is william-hall@bigpond.com (in Australia).
This is a museum piece that should be kept inside and take it out for that rare weekend trips. I’m sure this would take a lot of cleaning and maintenance to keep it in excellent condition.
What a beautiful craft.
I love this yacht. I keep coming back again and again to see her and wishing I had a use for her and a place to keep her that would keep her safe from the elements. But alas, I just do not have either. But still, she is inspiring to see so I will return again soon to admire her beauty.
Thanks for watching (again and again) it really helps with the algorithm. This beautiful boat certainly deserves a good home
Incredibly beautiful yacht! Like a floating work of art! And as safety on the water is premium, having the Yanmars on board is not only sensible but essential. I love this one ❤❤❤
🙌
Wow, hat is off to the owner - looks like a brand new boat. Amazing.
Ho trovato questo video per caso e sono rimasto colpito dalla bellezza di questa barca di altri tempi. Il restauro l ha riportata allo splendore originale. Gli interni, i legni, gli arredi e gli oggetti di uso nautico hanno un fascino invidiabile. Certo che fra restauro, impiantistica e motori nuovi , sarà costata una fortuna, ma per un amatore di questo tipo di barche sarà un investimento che aumenterà di valore nel tempo. Bellissima barca, complimenti!
Grazie per la visione e grazie per aver lasciato un commento!
This is truly a special boat. Thanks for the tour
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching 🫡
What a pretty boat with wonderful curators of this classic time capsule... Your tour really pulled on my naught strings. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching 🫡
Very nice presentation John. I served as Mate on the 1928 m/y "Fair Lady" which I really loved. I've also been part of the team restoring an all-teak 125' yacht built in Seattle in 1930. This one also has a very surprising engineroom, and I'll try and upload a vid if I can manage it!
Hi from Russia. A great ship in good condition. A great and accurate job done. Interior and exterior are in excellent condition. Can't believe, that such accuracy can be saved in everyday use in offshore mode. It seems that it is saved in a dock or in some waveless and calm waters of a small river or lake.
Thank you very much! 🫡
@@YachtBuoy you are wellcomed
Absolutely beautiful no it's beyond beautiful. I only hope who ever purchases her keeps her just the way it is.
Gorgeous yacht. I love the architecture of these older boats. Brings you back to a unique time in history.
Wow what a fantastic boat with such a rich history and such a modern engine bay
This is absolutely beautiful!
🫡🙌
My grandfather was the VP of the Alfred P Sloan foundation and he donated Sloans yaght to the government before it was confiscated by the government for the war effort. This way it was a tax deduction. The boat was named Rene and I believe it was 263 feet long. I still have the binoculars from the boat.
My father, Lloyd Wells , owned her in about 1985. He bought her in Portland, ME, and changed her name from Pot o' Golf to Passage. Lost track of her when she was sold..
Many would feel the engine room, should reflect and have vintage engines, to complete and make this vintage classic 90 year old motor cruiser picture perfect.
I have to say myself, I feel replacing older engines, with state of the art modern engines.
Does not distract from the beauty of this vintage classic vessels, especially if it help to keep her cruising for another 90 years too.
However, this vessel overall restoration of a 1930's and WW2 veteran, is so good you just cannot tell what is vintage and what is new.
The craft men's involved, should be given award for their work!
Maybe you should do a few RUclips videos, on craftsmen and boatyards. Who are doing these types of lovely restoration of vintage classic yachts.
Also conversion and restoration work, of vintage classic commercial vessels, the likes of old Tugs, Dutch Barges and Fishing Trawlers and Naval Vessels, into private luxury and period yacht and houseboat conversions etc.
Personally I hate so called nut and bolt restoration and conversion projects, of cars, aircraft or vessels.
That take the original vintage and classic car body, airframe and/or hull. Only to basically rip out everyone, to replace them with so called state of the art technology and ultra modern exterior and interior fitting out.
That there is little left of the original classic vintage car, or aircraft and/or vessel, it just destroy there soul as it were.
Yes you need to include in a good restoration and conversion project of a vintage and classic vessel.
To include the use of modern navigation and communication systems, which are blended in to the vessels overall appearance.
As well as modern fuel efficiency engines installed, plus upto date marine safety and fire fighting equipment to be installed too.
Let alone modern galley kitchen equipment and systems, plus food and drink storage too.
Or the likes of LED lighting, modern heating and air conditioning, solar and wind generation systems and battery storage too, equally water making technology too.
Let alone having state of the art grey and black waste water recycling and treatment systems, being fitted to help reduce marine environmental impact a vessel will cause too.
Though all of these included and hidden away where possible, into the overall classic and vintage appearance of an old vessel.
Because why buy an vintage classic vessels, just to turn it into an ultra modern vessel, if that is all what you are after?
Why not just buy a brand new yacht, at the next Southampton Boat Show instead is my opinion.
There are some very good restorations and conversions of vintage classic vessels, in marina and on inland waterway and around our coastlines too.
Though there are too many bad ones out there too, which have destroy the original character of a lovely old vintage and classic vessel.
This one you showed today on your RUclips Channel, is one of the best I seen in the last few months or years, more please too?
I am surprise at the price it being sold for too, only around £140K to £150K.
I would expect this vintage classic 1930's motor cruiser, would be up for sale in the range of between £250K to £300K.
Someone is going to get a great bargain here, think of owning this lovely vintage classic vessel.
To either cruising the European inland waterway and Coastal waters, from the Baltic Sea down to the Mediterranean Sea.
Or travelling around the British Isles and Ireland, plus the Scottish and English inland waterways too.
Or travelling across the English Channel on her, offering to taking veterans and family members, to visit the beaches of Dunkirk and Normandy and ports plus war cemetery and memorials too!
I lived for two years on a twenty nine foot pilot boat. It had been built in 1929 by the coast guard to take pilots out over the Columbia River bar to meet the ships entering the Columbia River. The hull was Cypress over Cedar ribs. It had no rot or water in the bilge. It was powered with a Chrysler crown updraft carburetor marine engine.
I have been on old boat like this and you feel the age . this one is amazing.
Wow! This is a beautiful boat with a rich history. If I were in the market I would buy her and bring her back to the States.
What an amazing boat! I cant believe this boat is ever used. It looks brand new. I want to learn from this owner on how he cares for and maintains this beauty.
Tourists should not be allowed near this boat.
3mpg is crazy.
Absolutely lovely! An operating museum piece.
It really is!
If I owed that boat, I'd dress the family up in 1930s clothing and sneak in and out of the fog, building a legend of a ghost ship. We'd be drinking champagne and smoking cigarettes
Your comment is as magical as this yacht. Thank you
Exactly what I was thinking too 👌
And listening to 1930’s Jazz
I’ll dress up and I’ll drink the champagne. No smokes however.
Unfiltered?
My cousin owns a 50’ fantail yacht built 98 years ago. It still has 99% of the original teak. For the majority of her life she’s been kept in a boat house, but she lives out in the elements now.
It is absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately I could never afford it.
A really beautiful boat
The owner made sure this boat had a long future above his own. I salute the last owner for his time, money, and love that he extended to the new owner.
That's such a deal at €168,000. It's a gorgeous vessel.
Hey Yacht Buoy when I saw the picture of this boat I about fell to my knees, This look like the same boat that belonged to a friend Bob that I had lost contact with many years ago....I have to wonder if this is the same boat that was dock in fort Lauderdale fl. at one time My friend Bob lived abroad behind some huge restaurant. I got to know his boat because him and i rebuildt an Generator right where the engines are today, which the enige compartment you show was change greatly.. i remember that bell,, and My friend BOB had a ring tie on a cord that swung from the ceiling to a hook between moulding of the front glass which Bob and i spent hours trying to swing the ring to the hook. . If my member serves me right i think Bob was telling me somthing of the same of this boat history.... Seems eerily. the control helm seems diffrent... thanks for the video ....Butch.
Love it! Thanks for the tour.
Thanks for watching :-)
Such a lovely vessel, Glad to see it sold.
Same here
Congratulations on hitting 50k subscribers. Well done.
Thank you very much! 🙌🫡
A friend had a classic Lake Union vessel in San Francisco Bay that had been commandeered by the Navy in WW2 and still had the instruction plate for dropping depth charges!
She's super cool. Imagine having her built then watching the Coast Guard shove off with _your_ yacht.
Have to keep a smile on your face for the papers " *Anything for the war effort* ".
Beautiful A work of art .
He's kept it immaculate...Well done :)
I like the idea that someone would use this to commute with. Haha.
Stunning piece of floating history- thanks for bringing her to us. With those modern power plants I think running tours as you e said would be just the ticket assuming you could get it insured for that use.
she is the human spirit that lead us all to freedom great video
What a beautiful classic yacht
Morris Yachts is one of the few boat builders that build quality yachts these days where you can get impeccable joiner work like this boat in the USA.
Really Beautiful...just keeping it clean would be an awful lot of work. What is the cost of the boat house?
Whst a beautiful craft !! Gorgeous!
She is indeed! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Absolutely brilliant!
Boat big for outside, but small inside. Love It 😍
That is one beautiful boat....
This is a very well-kept yacht built by the iconic Stephens Brothers. Turning to the engines, Classic turns to Restomod...with good effect. I would have taken modernization further, removing the coal-fired stove. Well...I like the Romance of the Classic yachts more than the reality.
Nice, so do we, rgds
Those twin sisters downstairs are Beautiful 😮😮.
This historic beauty has Summers on Lake Champlain written all over it. It would be perfect there. That woodwork. It would be very difficult to even obtain that old tight-grained teak for any further rebuild. The engine room updates make this a magnificent vessel. What $200k new purchase could touch this?
Looks like Hermann Goering’s boat.
When I first saw this I had hoped it was one of the 'little ships' that were berthed in Ramsgate marina for a number of years, was called the Sundowner at the time
I may know this boat from my childhood. If so, the '1931' placard fits. It was a rum runner when it was new due to US prohibition. I believe he took it to SE Asia in the mid 60's. He owned it for ~20 + yrs. The story about USCG comandeering it for duty in SF bay fits. The last I saw of it was 1972. I was a little homeless at 17 and stayed on it for a night or two in Long Beach.
I know he bought it in the SF bay area.
In many ways it reminds me of the Sea Scout Boat I was on as a teenager in San Francisco Bay. It was a WW2 era Aviation Rescue Boat that picked up downed pilots in the Pacific. Especially the interior details like the drawers and cabinet doors. It's ironic that boat was used to maintain the sub screen at the Golden Gate. Where we tied up in Oakland Navel Supply Center the old sub screen had been removed and dumped on a far off pier and left to rust. Although the pier was condemned we would make the walk out there from time to time to poke about for nautical collectables. There were the net floats and old rotting wood life boats lying around. At one time the giant barge Redwood City was tied up there that was part of the whole Glomar Explorer episode.
Wow, she looks amazing, like she's just been made 😊
so nice to see a boat without a ridiculous amount of sun layout beds
I could drink coffee looking over the Bahamas in this girl.
Excellent price for this yacht! I love the classics and the fact that she served in wwII makes her even more attractive. I wish she had a longer range but for a coastal cruiser she will make some yacht owner very happy!
True, rgds
The engines are very nice! What a surprise!
She's beautiful!
Beautiful boat and the price isn't bad! I assume there is no generator aboard? For overnights that would be a nice addition, even if it's a small one.
Lovely looking boat and a great price!
I would isolate this boat in a dry place on land just to live in it. it's a beautiful home.
That is a beautiful boat.
Those motors sound and look good. Nice little diesels.
The price freaked me out. Well under 200k is mind-boggling.
I'd have thought at least half a million.
Where is it and what is its registry. 😊
She is at De Valk’s Loosdreicht marina - check out the link in the description 🫡
Worth every penny of its cost.
I’ll take it!
Ω! Θεέ μου! Αυτό είναι κούκλακη,μπιμπερό λέμε!❤👍🏻🇬🇷
Those engines had me drooling....... (Indeed, if drooling created money I could probably buy her!)
Simple a great beautiful boat! Excellent!
You’d never know those engines were in a 91 year old boat!
Reminds me of the boat that Cary Grant had during "Father Goose" in the Pacific.
Fabulous.
Magnifique yacht...!!! On peut voir une unité de ce type dans un très bon film 'Le Baron de l'Ecluse'...avec Jean Gabin..!!!..
Not into boats, but that looks like the Senator’s yacht (Charles Durning and Katherine Ross) from the movie “The Final Countdown”
I am dumbfounded on the price… I thought nothing less than $500k - WOW! Sure wish I had the money to purchase this beautiful boat 😢
Wow! This boat is loved. but high maintanance. If I was to bring her home I'd move her in fresh water to avoid salt corrosion and keep her under cover when not in use.
@Navy1977 Absoloutley no question.
Not sure why it’s referred to as “commuter.” I would, however, love to pilot it to and from work every day. Imagine the job that goes with it would be pre cool too.
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!! Can't believe the price . That's a classic boat for not a lot of cash compared to some of todays overpriced grp cruisers. Now where did I put my lottery ticket????
The crew that manned her in WWII must of thought they’d fallen in a “tub a butta”. LoL
A beauty!
That is beautiful