classic land yachts

10 Of The Coolest Land Yachts You Can Get For Cheap

Once the most opulent cars on the road, these classic luxury cars have now depreciated to the point where they're accessible to any enthusiast.

Full-size luxury cars have always held a special place in enthusiasts' hearts, from the Lincoln Continental to the Rolls Royce Phantom, and a number of other  classic cars , These popularly-called land yachts are historical gems of the automotive industry.

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Many of these vehicles come at excessive prices, however. Luckily, some models have deprecated, so for example, you can now easily find some of the most luxurious and most  beautiful Cadillacs at an affordable price . While new models such as the latest iteration of the Rolls Royce Phantom will cost the same as an entire car collection , here are 10 timeless classics that are just as comfortable and luxurious but complete bargains.

10 1982 Bentley Mulsanne ($9,900)

The Americans may be kings of the long, luxurious vehicles, but the Europeans also have a few models to boast about. Especially German models, such as the Bentley Mulsanne.

The model was introduced in 1980 as a performance luxury car, but the price has remained rather affordable despite all the luxury included. The name Mulsanne is vastly inscribed into the Bentley motorsports history, with the five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But luxury and heritage isn't all the Bentley Mulsanne offers as there's also quite a lot of performance coming from its 6.75-liter V8 engine that produces a massive 260 hp.

9 1969 Pontiac Bonneville ($6,000)

The first Pontiac Bonneville rolled off the production line in 1958 and in the next 30 years stood as the top-notch luxury model of the Pontiac brand. The fourth generation of the Pontiac Bonneville was introduced in 1965 and is now one of the most affordable Bonnevilles on the used market.

Style, luxury, and overall enjoyment remained, adding to it the slanted dashboard and wooden interior. The exterior also saw some major adjustments, such as the removal of side creases and widening of the taillights. This classic beauty comes with the powerful 7.0-liter V8 engine rated at 360 hp.

8 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special ($15,400)

The Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special stands as one of Cadillac's most luxurious vehicles ever. The full-size luxury car introduces some styling changes for the 1969 model year, such as the headrests on front seats. The extended wheelbase offered a lot more room, while the exterior changes included dual headlights and no more vent wings on the front doors.

With the 7.7-liter V8 powerplant rated at 375 hp, this black beauty is a special gem in history and one of the most popular Cadillac classics ever built, so it's surprising that pristine-condition models go for such low prices.

7 1959 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Coupé Convertible ($14,700)

Once the flagship model of the Oldsmobile brand, the Oldsmobile 98 and the first vehicle under the 98 name was produced in 1941. Rendered as the top line model, the Oldsmobile 98 featured advanced technologies right from the start, and the 1959 model is no exception.

Powered by the 6.5-liter Rocket V8 engine that produces 315 hp, the 2-door coupe convertible is the right choice for a daily driver and with the luxury and reliability this land-yachts offer, every classic car lover is in for a treat.

6 1972 Buick Riviera ($17,900)

Not many classics can compete with the style, beauty, and drivability of the 1972 Buick Riviera. It's among several iconic classic land yachts of its era but stands out for its sheer design excellence.

The boat-tail is there to make you fall in love with the entire car, while the luxurious interior and powerful engine are there to make your driving experience feel out of this world. The powerplant is a 7.5-liter V8 down-tuned to 255 hp due to EPA emissions requirements. Some of the advanced features for this model year include power-boosted disc brakes, a power steering system, and even remote-controlled mirrors, all helping to better up the driving experience.

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5 1961 Lincoln Continental ($18,800)

Often rendered as the greatest mafia car of all time, the Lincoln Continental breeds luxury throughout ten generations. The first-ever Lincoln Continental rolled off the production line in 1940, but the model is still in production, with the latest version of the Lincoln Continental rolling out last year featuring suicide doors .

The 1961 Lincoln Continental was ahead of its time with its design, style, and luxury, which include the “suicide” rear-hinged rear doors, among other perks. It was powered by the 7.0-liter V8 engine, churning out an impressive 300 hp, making it a perfect classic cruiser.

4 1956 DeSoto Fireflite ($18,100)

DeSoto was in existence from 1928 until 1961 under the Chrysler brand and had a few models that turned heads in its 33 years of operating. One of these models is the top-of-the-line DeSoto Fireflite, which was in production from 1955 and 1960.

It is best remembered for the long, tapering tail fins, which are the first thing anyone will notice on this beauty as they come in a two-toned exterior finish. The DeSoto Fireflite was powered by a 5.4-liter V8 engine that developed 255 hp, able to launch the Fireflite to a top speed of 110 mph.

3 1959 Buick Electra 225 ($9,600)

The Buick Electra 225 was first introduced in 1959 as a renamed Buick Roadmaster and was in production all the way until 1990. Offered as the top-notch Buick Electra 225 was the most luxurious model of the Buick line, and the unique rear delta fins will make you fall in love with the car. Don't let the two doors fool you, as the "225" in the model's name represents the length of the car in inches.

The powerplant of this beauty was the standard 6.6-liter V8 rated at 325 hp and mated to 2-speed Dynaflow automatic. With power steering and power brakes, the Buick Electra 225 is one of the classic cruisers to own.

2 1966 Imperial LeBaron ($11,100)

The first automobile under the Imperial nameplate appeared in 1926 as Chrysler's luxury model. However, in 1955, the Imperial became a separate company and operated until 1983. Nevertheless, the Imperial has birthed a number of luxurious models, including the Imperial LeBaron.

The Imperial LeBaron rolled off the production line with the 7.2-liter V8 engine, generating 350 hp, and among America's finest cars of the era thanks to the contemporary look and the luxurious interior, glowing with leather and wood.

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1 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur ($16,500)

Nowadays, it is hard to find an affordable Rolls Royce, but some models, such as the 1984 Silver Spur can be bought at a rather cheap price. With its long wheelbase, a beautiful rounded design  (the work of Austrian stylist Fritz Feller), and a luxurious interior, it represents one of the most marvelous models of this British car manufacturer.

It's powered by a 6.75-liter V8 engine rated at 220 hp and paired with 3-speed GM THM400 automatic. But despite the large V8 and a gorgeous interior, the prices of these models frequently gravitate around $15,000.

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The Ultimate ’70s Land Yacht: Lincoln Continental Mark IV, 1972-76

The Lincoln Continental Mark IV of 1972-76 will forever be identified with legendary product man Lee Iacocca, but actually, it was Iacocca’s nemesis at Ford, Bunkie Knudsen, who gave the Mark IV the green light. During his brief tenure as Ford president, Knudsen made an unannounced visit to the company’s Advanced Styling studio, where he spotted the car and immediately told lead designer Wes Dahlberg, “Gentlemen, this is going to be the next Mark, the Mark IV. Don’t change anything except for manufacturing and engineering feasibility.”

Of course, the Mark IV was in every way a development of the 1969-71 Mark III, which had been a total Lee Iacocca production. (See our feature on the Mark III here. ) This new Mark adopted Iacocca’s classic Rolls-style grille and spare tire bump, but married them to even larger and more imposing platform—one that was a foot longer (228.1 in) and 600 lbs heavier (5,300 lbs) than its predecessor. In essence, the Mark IV was a Mark III with all the luxury signifiers cranked up to 11, with an additional new gimmick: oval quarter windows, aka opera windows, which became a signature feature of the Mark Series for the next decade.

There was but one Mark IV body style, a gigantic two-door hardtop coupe, but for the personal-luxury segment of the early ’70s, it hit the target right in the bullseye. For comfort, prestige, and style, it was nearly in a class of its own. The quintessential extreme-luxury cruiser, the Mark IV was a sensation in the showrooms, selling better than 48,000 units, more than double the Mark III’s 1971 volume. And 1973 was even better with more than 69,000 sold, allowing the Lincoln division’s production volume to top the 100,000 mark for the first time in history. While Cadillac continued to lead the luxury category overall, the Mark IV outsold its direct competitor, the Cadillac Eldorado, by a comfortable margin.

As sales inevitably slowed toward the end of the Mark IV’s production cycle, to reawaken buyers Lincoln introduced its Designer Series, with special editions of the 1976 Mark trimmed out by Bill Blass, Cartier, Hubert de Givenchy, and Emilio Pucci. (See more on the Mark IV Designer Series here. ) When the Mark IV was finally discontinued at the end of the 1976 season to make way for the  1977 Mark V, more than 278,000 units had been sold. If anyone ever asks you what the giant American luxury cars of the ’70s were all about, you could just refer them to the Lincoln Continental Mark IV.

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4 thoughts on “ the ultimate ’70s land yacht: lincoln continental mark iv, 1972-76 ”.

My grandpa bought a new Mark IV or Mark V every year, always a different color to tell them apart. He drove them through the car wash constantly and they all smelled like his pipe tobacco inside.

Great car great story

I wish they would bring the beautiful models of LINCOLN back cuch classic styles like no other cars ever made love the LSC sports cope I owned one 2 door black on black 1991 it was so beautiful had to sell it couldn’t find and one to fix brakes on the car really put me in tears . Ford bring back the classic cars you used to make all cars today are looking to much alike . Warm Regards, Mrs. Reeves of Sparta North Carolina

I haveca set of factory repair manuals if you want them duke454 at hot mail.

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What Was America's Greatest Land Yacht?

This is kind of a silly question. The great American land yacht is a dream. It’s a worthwhile dream to have, but it’s not something that has a tangible realization. Take the 1988 Cadillac Voyage for example.

The problem with the Cadillac Voyage is that it, well, isn’t. It’s not a car. Well, it’s a concept car. It previewed what Cadillacs would look like in the ‘90s, with such glittering high-tech features as four-wheel discs, four-wheel independent suspension, all-wheel drive and ABS! It had a five-speed automatic transmission. Wow!

The later two-door version of this concept, the Cadillac Solitaire, rocked a Lotus-designed V12, but the Voyage was still V8-powered. The interior was a mix of restrained lines and overstuffed seats. That is to say, it was everything you wanted from the old era, and everything you wanted from the new. It even had GPS!

But the Voyage didn’t go into production. Not exactly, as Cadillac noted in its brief history of the car :

This luxury sedan had all-new computer-controlled all-wheel technology hidden under its streamlined body; the front axle was automatically engaged when rear-wheel slippage was detected. The Voyage was equipped with ABS, an electronically controlled five-speed automatic gearbox and a voice-activated telephone system. Its orthopedically-designed seats included more than 20 pneumatic and mechanical adjustments, three memory positions plus cushion massage. The Seville CTS adopted a number of the Voyage’s styling cues when introduced in 1991.

The Sev ille CTS is an under appreciated design, but it’s far from a realization of classic style mixed with modern amenities taken to a world-beating level. It’s just a car.

But the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that there is no perfect American land yacht. The expectations are too high! There’s no way that a car can be comfortable enough, luxurious enough, stylish enough.

The dreaming is what’s important.

But I’m probably wrong. I’ve never even driven a Continental Mark II . What do you think was the greatest land yacht America ever produced?  

Classic Yachts for Sale

Classic yachts embody timeless elegance and craftsmanship, seamlessly blending tradition and beauty into a captivating maritime vessel. Ever iconic, these grandeur yachts are inspired by the swooping curves and lines of transatlantic vessels from the 1920s up to the 1970s. Embodying a sense of nostalgia while heralding the pinnacle of building, what sets classic yachts apart today is their ability to seamlessly blend traditional design with modern technology and innovation, offering a unique combination of old-world appeal and state-of-the-art features. Falling into three categories: classic motor yachts, classic sailing yachts, and neo-classic yachts, classic motor yachts provide an authentic and luxurious experience on the open waters, offering unparalleled levels of comfort and safety.

Historic Yachts for Sale

Often favoured by seasoned yachters, traditionalists, classic sailing yachts successfully capture the spirit of life out on the open waters, allowing enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the thrill of sailing firsthand. Neo-classic yachts strike an ideal balance between legendary yacht design and the latest technological advancements. Several famous classic yachts have left an indelible mark within the yachting world over the years, including the 37m sailing yacht Shamrock V, built-in 1930 for Sir Thomas Lipton’s America’s Cup challenge, and the Maltese Falcon, a stunning 88m sailing yacht known for its innovative DynaRig system. Leading shipyards renowned for constructing classic-styled yachts today include Royal Huisman, Pendennis, and Perini Navi, among others. Whether you desire luxury, exhilaration, or a harmonious fusion of tradition and innovation, a classic yacht is always an excellent choice.

RUNNING ON WAVES - 64m

GDANSK, 2011

39 Guests in 18 cabins

€17,500,000

MYSTIC - 50.9m

CUSTOM, 2007

SYNERGY - 50m

CUSTOM, 2025

€28,000,000

CORSARIO - 48m

RADEŽ D.D., 2019

12 Guests in 6 cabins

MIT-SEA-AH - 47.24m

PENDENNIS, 2004

PERINI 47-M - 47m

PERINI NAVI, 2026

8 Guests in 4 cabins

€39,500,000

S/Y TAMARITA - 46.6m

PERINI NAVI, 1991

ANTARA - 46.33m

10 Guests in 4 cabins

MIRASOL - 45m

DANISH YACHT/HOLLAND JACHTBOUW, 2014

11 Guests in 4 cabins

€12,500,000

ECO YACHT 145 - 44.19m

WIDER, 2023

8 Guests in 5 cabins

€29,700,000

THAT'S AMORE - 42.9m

TURKISH GULET, 2023

IRAKLIS L - 42m

CUSTOM, 2008

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An Ode to Land Yachts

Classic cars are like rolling time capsules—giving us a glimpse back in time. The mid-century American classics on eBay Motors reveal an era when Detroit designers were unhampered by efficiency and safety standards. In the 1950s and 1960s, gas was cheap, engines were giant, and trunks were huge. Slabs of sheet metal connected two chrome bumpers to create ultra-long vehicles often adorned with fanciful fins.

Land yachts, as these behemoths were called, were the top-of-the-line models available in the dealership’s showroom. The cars had long lists of options—all with pillowy rides and plush interiors.

1974 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

Cadillac was the most prominent purveyor of land yachts. The length of today’s 2018 Cadillac XTS sedan is a modest 201 inches, compared to the 1974 Cadillac Coupe de Ville that measured to nearly 231 inches. The ’74 Caddy was powered by a whopping 500 cubic-inch (8.2-liter) engine.

1967 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five

Not long enough? Then check out the eBay Motors listings for this pair of 244.5-inch-long 1967 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five personal limos—a model that stretched to 252 inches by 1975.

1959 Cadillac Roadster

The Bruce Springsteen 1981 tune, Pink Cadillac , pays homage to land yachts like this glorious reworked and befinned 1959 Elvis-inspired convertible, which is modest at a mere 225 inches in length. (Elvis made pink Cadillacs famous when he bought one in 1955, although boxing great Sugar Ray Robinson drove his earlier pink/fuchsia Caddy around Harlem—and on a European tour—in 1951.)

1958 Chrysler Imperial

Chrysler also made cruise-worthy sedans in the 1950s. Its 1956 Imperial extended the measuring tape to 229.6 inches. This 1958 Imperial comes close at 225.7 inches, as does this  1962 Chrysler 300 now available on eBay Motors with an overall length of 215.3 inches.

1976 Buick Electra

The Buick Electra 225—sometimes referred to as the “deuce and a quarter”—was named for its length. The name was retained into the mid-1970s even though the model grew to 233.7 inches—as seen in this one-owner surviving 1976 Buick Electra Landau Coupe. The 1975 Elektra was the longest Buick ever built, at nearly 19-and-a-half feet.

Of course, you could cheat by stretching any number of cars, SUVs, and trucks into a limousine —but those don’t count.

If you get serious about buying any of these land yachts, you’ll want to double-check the length of your garage. Or consider one of these portable, flexible carports .

About the Author

Mark C. Bach has oil in his veins and remembers feeler gauges and brake springs. He has a love for all things that move, especially old-school muscle cars. Bach writes for a variety of outlets, including Chevy Classics and FuelCurve.com, and maintains Route66pubco.com.

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J Class: the enduring appeal of the world’s most majestic yachts

• October 9, 2023

Only ten J Class yachts were built before the Second World War stopped the movement in its tracks, but in the last 20 years these magnificent sloops have made an incredible comeback. Why has the J Class remained irresistable? David Glenn explains.

One of the most awe-inspiring sights in modern yachting is the Spirit of Tradition fleet blasting off the start line at the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. It happens every year at the end of April. Chances are it will include at least two J Class yachts, hitting the line on the gun at full tilt, exploding through the cobalt blue Caribbean rollers at anything up to 12 knots as they charge upwind.

Watching Velsheda , Ranger , Shamrock V and Endeavour will bring a lump to your throat, such is the emotion generated by these beautifully proportioned 130ft racing machines with their carbon rigs driving 170 tonnes of steel, aluminium and teak towards the weather mark. It’s heady stuff.

Watching them is one thing; racing quite another matter. In 1999 I was aboard the rebuilt Velsheda , taking part in the Antigua Classic Regatta. I had a single task as part of a four-man team – to tend the forward starboard runner. Nothing else. “Let that go once we’ve tacked and the whole rig comes down,” warned skipper Simon Bolt, as another wall of water thundered down the leeward deck and tried to rip me from the winch.

Dressed in authentic off-white, one-piece cotton boiler-suits, which had to be worn with a stout belt “so there’s something to grab if you go overboard”, they were tough, adrenaline-filled days out. God knows what it was like up forward as massive spinnakers were peeled and headsails weighing a quarter of a tonne were wrestled to the  needle-sharp foredeck as the bow buried itself into the back of yet another wave. Sometimes you daren’t look.

But with the race won or lost, back on the dock the feeling of elation, fuelled by being part of the 36-strong crew aboard one of these extraordinary yachts, triggered a high like no other. You knew you were playing a role, no matter how small, in a legendary story that began in 1930, was halted by World War II and then defied the pundits by opening another chapter 20 years ago. Today with five Js in commission, all in racing trim, and at least two more new examples about to be launched, the J Class phenomenon is back.

Why is the J Class so popular?

Why does a yacht with an arguably unexciting performance – they go upwind at 12 knots and downwind at 12 knots – costing £20 million to build and demanding eye-watering running costs, seem to be burgeoning during the worst recession since the class was born?

There is no single answer, but you only have to look back to the 1930s and the characters that owned and raced the Js on both sides of the Atlantic, sometimes for the America’s Cup , to understand why the class occupies a special place in yachting history. Underlying everything is the look of the J Class. It seems to transcend any change in yachting vogue, displaying a timeless line with outrageous overhangs and a proportion of hull to rig that is hard to better.

They possess true elegance. There is no doubt that captains of industry who want to flex their sporting muscle have been drawn to a class which only the very rich can afford and there are distinct parallels between J owners in the 1930s and those of the past 20 years. The difference is that in the 1930s owners liked to shout about their achievements and hogged the pages of national newspapers. Today, they are as quiet as mice.

Origins of the J Class

The J Class emerged in 1930 and marked a quantum leap in yachting technology, but comprised a hotchpotch of design altered over many years.

The J Class – so named because it was the letter allocated to its particular size by the Universal Rule to which the yachts were built (K and M Class yachts were, for example, shorter on the waterline) – emerged in 1930 and marked a quantum leap in yachting technology.

The so-called Big Class, which flourished in the UK in the 1920s, was impressive, but comprised a hotchpotch of design altered over many years. Yachts like King George V’s Britannia , built in 1893 as a gaff-rigged cutter but converted in the 1920s to Bermudan rig to rate as a J, Candida , Cambria , White Heather and schooners like Westward were even larger and more expensive to run. But as the greater efficiency of the Marconi or Bermudan rig became apparent their days were numbered.

One catalyst for the J Class itself was legendary grocer Sir Thomas Lipton’s final crack at challenging for the America’s Cup in 1931. He did so under the Universal Rule with the composite, wooden-planked, Charles E. Nicholson-design Shamrock V .

It was the 14th challenge since 1851 and the Americans, despite the withering effects of the Great Depression, reacted in dramatic fashion, organising their defence with four syndicates, each bulging with millionaires, putting forward separate Js: Enterprise , Whirlwind , Weetamoe and Yankee , which apart from Enterprise had already been launched.

Key to the American effort was the remarkable Harold Vanderbilt of the New York Yacht Club, who had inherited fabulous wealth from the family’s railroad companies, making him one of the country’s richest men.

Brought up on the family’s Idle Hour estate on Long Island Sound, he was a keen and accomplished sailor, and he used American technology and teamwork to build a far superior J in Enterprise. The defence completely overwhelmed Lipton’s effort. The British press castigated Lipton’s lack of preparedness and old-fashioned attitude. Vanderbilt, who among other things is credited with inventing contract bridge, left no stone unturned. “Mr. Harold Vanderbilt does not exactly go boat-sailing because summer is the closed season for fox-hunting,” stated an acerbic critic in the British yachting press.

Later when Shamrock was owned by aircraft builder Sir Richard Fairey and was being used to train crew for another Cup challenge, Beecher Moore, a skilful dinghy sailor who was draughted aboard the J to try to sort her out, reported in Yachts and Yachting many years later: “We found that when we got on board it was very much like a well-run country house, in that the gentleman does not go into the kitchen and on a well-run J Class the owner does not go forward of the mast.”

J Class tactics: Britain vs USA

A look at the huge gap between the British and American J Class tactics and designs in the early years of the America’s Cup.

In the early days there was a yawning gap between the way the Americans and British approached the Cup and, for that matter, how they ran a yacht. Revolutionary metal masts, Park Avenue booms to improve sail shape (the British copied this American design with their ‘North Circular’ version), bronze hulls that needed no painting, superior sails, and campaigns that cost £100,000 even in those days, blew away the Brits. Lipton had spent just £30,000 to build and equip Shamrock .

In the second Cup challenge in Js, in 1934, Sir T. O. M. Sopwith’s first Endeavour , also designed by Nicholson and equipped with wind instruments designed by her aircraft industrialist owner, nearly won the Cup, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory after leading the series 0-2. Sopwith was also up against Vanderbilt, who this time sailed Rainbow , which many considered to be the slower boat. But the British campaign was hobbled by a pay dispute – Endeavour ’s crew got £5 a week but they wanted a raise for ‘going foreign’ – and the campaign approach was again brought into question when the first thing to be stripped off the yacht when they won a dispute over reducing weight was the bath!

Back in Britain, the 1935 season proved to be the zenith of J Class and Big Class racing, although by the end of it the Js were under the cosh for their tendency to lose masts. Five went over the side that year and Endeavour II , launched with en eye on the next Cup challenge, lost hers twice.

There was added spice in the competition off the shores of the UK with the arrival of the American J Yankee , now owned by millionaire and Listerine businessman Gerard Lambert, who enjoyed sparring with the Brits. But even Yankee lost her mast and the press rounded on the class for being dangerous and wasteful! That wasn’t enough to stop Sopwith, whose tail had been extracted from between his legs following the last defeat in Newport: Endeavour II was towed across the Atlantic in a veritable armada that included  the first Endeavour. The British yachts found themselves up against the most advanced sailing machine the world had ever seen – Ranger , dubbed ‘the Super J’.

Vanderbilt was the man to beat again. Not only had he bankrolled the entire defence as American business remained beset by a struggling economy, but he used highly scientific means to perfect design. The brilliant naval architect Starling Burgess, who had designed for Vanderbilt throughout the 1930s, was now aided by the equally brilliant but considerably more youthful Olin Stephens. Between them they finally selected ‘model 77-C’ from six tank tested.

The yacht was considered ugly by some and not a natural to look at, but Vanderbilt’s team trusted the science (still the difference between the Americans and the Brits) and Ranger with her bluff or barrel bow and ‘low slung’ counter was the result. She proved to be dynamite on the race course and Endeavour II didn’t stand a chance. She was beaten in five straight races by large margins. The Americans and Vanderbilt had done it again. War then brought an end to an extraordinary era in yachting.

Only ten J Class yachts were built to the Universal rule and not a single American yacht survived. Most were scrapped for the war effort. In any case, the American way was to discard the machine once it has served its purpose. In Britain they faired a little better, and some Js were mud-berthed on the East and South Coasts. Two survived in the UK: Velsheda , originally built by the businessman who ran Woolworths in the UK (W. L. Stevenson named her after his daughters Velma, Sheila and Daphne), but which never challenged for the America’s Cup; and Endeavour , saved by becoming a houseboat on the Hamble. Shamrock ended up in Italy and survived the war hidden in a hay barn.

J Class resurgence

Seemingly resigned to the history books, the J Class made a triumphant return in the 1980s.

In his seminal book about the J Class, Enterprise to Endeavour, yachting historian Ian Dear predicted in the first edition in 1977 that the likes of the Js would never be seen again. By the time the fourth edition was published in 1999 he was quite happily eating his words!

The American Elizabeth Meyer was, without doubt, instrumental in bringing the class back to life when in the 1980s she extracted what was left of Endeavour from a  amble mud-berth, began rebuilding her in Calshot, and then moved her to Royal Huisman in Holland, who completed the restoration superbly. With the transom of the original Ranger mounted on a bulkhead in her saloon, Endeavour is still regarded as one of the best-looking and potentially fastest Js.

She was owned briefly by Dennis Kozlowski, the disgraced tycoon who ran Tyco, who famously said: “No one really owns Endeavour, she’s part of yachting history. I’m delighted to be the current caretaker.” Unfortunately he ended up in prison and the State of New York became Endeavour’s ‘caretaker’ before they sold her to her current owner, who has kept the yacht in the Pacific. She’s currently being refitted in New Zealand.

Ronald de Waal is a Dutchman who until recently was chairman of the Saks Group in the USA and has made a fortune in clothing. He has dedicated a lot of time to improving Velsheda over the years since he had her rebuilt by Southampton Yacht Services to a reconfigured design by Dutch naval architect Gerry Dykstra. Ronald de Waal steers the yacht himself to great effect and has had some legendary tussles with Ranger, the new Super J built in Denmark for American realestate magnate John Williams.

The rivalry between the two is fierce and even led to a collision between the yachts in Antigua last year. But Velsheda would have been lost had it not been for British scrap-metal merchant Terry Brabant who saved her from a muddy grave on  the Hamble and famously sold his Rolls-Royce to cast a new lead keel for the yacht. With very little modern equipment he sailed her hard in the Solent, chartering her and crossing the Atlantic for a Caribbean season, all without an engine! Without Brabant’s initiative Ronald de Waal wouldn’t have what he has today.

Shamrock V is owned by a Brazilian telecommunications businessman Marcos de Moraes who had the yacht rebuilt at Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth in 2001. He tends to keep away from the race course but with a number of events being planned in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics he might be tempted back. The latest new J to launch, Hanuman, a modern interpretation of Endeavour II, has recently entered the racing fray. She was commissioned by serial yacht owner Jim Clark (Hyperion and Athena), the American who brought us Netscape and Silicon Graphics, and who remains a colossus in Silicon Valley.

Hanuman, named after a Hindu deity, built by Royal Huisman and designed by Gerry Dykstra, has had no expense spared when it comes to rig and sail wardrobe. Last year she beat Ranger in the Newport Bucket but in March this year she lost out 2-1 to the same boat at the St Barths Bucket. They were due to meet again with Velsheda at the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta in April. Another Dutchman, property developer Chris Gongriep, who has owned a number of yachts including Sapphire and Windrose of Amsterdam, has given the go-ahead for a new  version of Rainbow, which is well advanced in Holland at Freddie Bloesma’s aluminium hull fabrication yard. The yacht, reconfigured by Gerry Dykstra, will be in the water in 2011 with a full-on race programme.

About to be launched is Lionheart, the biggest J so far, redesigned by Andre Hoek and built in Holland by Claasen Jachtbouw, after an extensive research programme.  Unfortunately, her owner’s business commitments mean that he won’t be able to enjoy the fruits of this project – she’s for sale with Yachting Partners International and Hoek Brokerage. What an opportunity to join a class with such a remarkable history and one which looks destined to run and run!

First published on SuperYachtWorld.com on Aug 4, 2010

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Admired for their elegance and desired wherever they go, classic yachts attract a large number of owners and charterers. For those wanting a genuine sailing experience or who want to capture the real romance and thrill of yachting, these historic beauties have an enduring appeal. Every classic has a unique story to tell — whether it’s racing with royalty or hosting the Hollywood elite, or perhaps even serving in the war effort.

And each of the yachts featured here defined the glamor of her respective era. But what is it about these storied vessels that makes every generation of owners prepared to sink time and financial resources into their restoration? Here are 10 of the most exquisite classic yachts afloat today, a handful of which are available for the yacht aficionado to charter or even own.

Kalizma served in the British Royal Navy in both World War I and World War II / ©Morley Yachts

Builder:  Ramage & Ferguson Built:  1906 Refit:  1955, 1991, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2020 LOA:  150.1 ft Number of guests:  10 Crew:  10

One of the finest vintage yachts afloat,  Kalizma  (pictured top) has an iconic past with a tale steeped in history. Originally commissioned by Robert Stewart, vice commodore of the Royal Eastern Yacht Club (whose wealth came from his Scotch whisky distillery and estate),  Minona , as she was named upon her launch, was the first steam-powered yacht to have electric lighting.

Designed by naval architect GL Watson & Co, leading designers of their day, and built by Ramage & Ferguson in Scotland, she is a testament to expert craftsmanship — and has stood the test of time with her classic Edwardian looks and fresh contemporary updates.

As  Minona , she served in the British Royal Navy in both World War I and World War II, serving as an Auxiliary Patrol Vessel between 1914 and 1920, and in 1939 as HMS Minona. During her time as the flagship and base for His Majesty’s Deep Sea Rescue Tug Services in Scotland, she was responsible for saving the lives of crewmen from over 1,100 vessels.

The classic yacht was fully restored in 2020, rejuvenating her old-world charm / ©Morley Yachts

As a frequent guest of Aristotle Onassis aboard his yacht  Christina O , Burton was inspired to purchase the classic yacht as a congratulatory gift for Taylor after she earned an Academy Award for her performance in  Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? The yacht was subsequently renamed  Kalizma , after the stars’ children Kate, Liza and Maria, and refurbished with all new interiors said to have cost more than twice her asking price. Adorned with an art collection with works by Monet, Van Gogh and Picasso, and an extensive library, she became their floating home for the next decade.

It was on board  Kalizma  while berthed on the River Thames that Burton presented Taylor with the 33-carat Krupp Diamond, also known as the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond. Then, while berthed in Monaco, he gave her the record-breaking $1.5m 69-carat Cartier diamond, which arrived under police escort. Taylor wore the jewel, which became known as the Taylor-Burton Diamond, for the first time on a necklace at Princess Grace’s 40th birthday party.

A number of royalty, including Princess Grace of Monaco and Prince Rainier III, and distinguished personalities such as Rex Harrison and Tennessee Williams, were later guests of the most famous Hollywood couple during their high-profile ownership.

Kalizma  has gone on to have a number of owners since then, including serial classic yacht owner Peter de Savary.  Kalizma  was de Savary’s flagship and floating headquarters for the British team at the 1983 America’s Cup challenge, hosting several spectators in Newport.

Acquired by Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya in 2006, and then by philanthropist Shirish Saraf in 2019, she has since been fully restored, rejuvenating her old-world charm with all the luxuries and amenities expected of a modern superyacht. Today she is available to charter in the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific with accommodation for 10 guests in five staterooms, including a stunning master suite, two doubles and two twins.

From €90,000 to €100,000 (approx. $101,800 to $113,100) per week. Contact Tim Morley, founder, [email protected], +33 680 863 091, morley-yachts.com

• Shenandoah of Sark

Shenandoah of Sark is a symbol of one the most glamorous eras in yachting / Courtesy of Burgess Yachts

Builder:  Townsend & Downey Built:  1902 Refit:  1972, 1996, 2018 LOA:  178 ft Number of guests:  10 Crew:  12

Built at the turn of a century for American banker Charles Fahnestock,  Shenandoah , as she was then known, was one of the most high-profile yachts of her age and a symbol of one the most glamorous eras in yachting. Delivered in 1902 by the Townsend & Downey Shipyard in New York, she quickly gained a reputation not only for her celebrated design but for the parties held on board.

During these formative years  Shenandoah  played host to some of the world’s most powerful families and international royalty while in her homeport of Newport, Rhode Island. A few years later, Fahnestock retired and sailed her to the Mediterranean, where her reputation as one of the most elegant sailing yachts on the circuit was solidified, with parties held along the Côte d’Azur and Amalfi Coast becoming the most sought-after ticket for the yachting fraternity.

While cruising the Mediterranean,  Shenandoah  turned the head of German aristocrat Landrat Walter von Bruining, who went on to purchase the three-masted schooner and rechristened her Lasca II. Under Bruining’s ownership, Lasca II spent time in Germany and England, where he enjoyed just one summer in Cowes on the Isle of Wight before World War I broke out.

Commandeered by the British, she subsequently became the property of British shipbuilder Sir John Esplen, who reinstated her previous name and installed two engines on board.  Shenandoah  then went through a number of different names and owners, including an Italian prince and the Danish sculpture philanthropist, Viggo Jarl, between the wars. Jarl endowed a substantial part of his fortune on the renamed Atlantide, updating her with new diesel engines and an electricity plant, and embarking on a series of long passages to the West Indies and through the Panama Canal to South America.

Shenandoah of Sark is today a perfectly preserved piece of sailing history / Courtesy of Burgess Yachts

After surviving two World Wars, Atlantide’s run of good fortune was apparently over. During the next few decades she went ‘underground’ and is rumored to have seen her fair share of smugglers and gamblers, cruising throughout the Americas and Caribbean, before ending up in the Mediterranean, where she was seized by the French government in a tax scandal.

Following many years of neglect, she was rescued in 1972 by the inventor of the Bic ballpoint pen, Baron Marcel Bich. Restored to her former splendor and christened  Shenandoah  once again, Bich sailed the yacht back to America as a spectator boat for the America’s Cup — the first time she had been back to her original homeport of Newport for over 70 years.

Shenandoah  spent several years under Bich’s ownership, immaculately maintained, before being purchased by industrialist Philip Bommer. Having witnessed  Shenandoah  sailing when he was just 13, Bommer had spent the ensuing two decades dreaming about owning her, and in 1986 his ambition was fulfilled. Extensively refit and restored once again,  Shenandoah  became a renowned charter yacht, before once again entering years of neglect.

Rescued once again, refit and refurbished,  Shenandoah  was an America’s Cup spectator for the second time, this time in New Zealand in 2000, before competing in the Millennium Cup superyacht regatta. Five circumnavigations later, with a number of successful transatlantic races and classic regattas under her belt, and via a number of owners and award-winning refits, the rechristened  Shenandoah of Sark  is today a perfectly preserved piece of sailing history.

• Christina O

Christina O is arguably the most famous classic yacht still afloat / ©Stef Bravin

Builder:  Canadian Vickers Built:  1943 Refit:  1954, 2001, 2015, 2018 LOA:  325.3 ft Number of guests:  34 Crew:  3

Christina O  is a part of yachting legend. Arguably the most famous classic yacht still afloat, the fabled yacht of Aristotle Socrates Onassis has regularly entertained some of the world’s most powerful and famous people. She may not be a classic beauty like Delphine and Talitha but, thanks to the lavish parties hosted aboard by Onassis, with guest lists full of some of the most well-known names of the time, including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Christina (as she was then known) regularly featured in newspapers and on the cover of glossy magazines.

Becoming a part of the zeitgeist of her era — and as famous as some of the Hollywood stars who came aboard — she remains today a visible symbol of the glamorous lifestyle enjoyed by the yachting crowd from the late 1950s throughout the ’60s.

As an in-demand charter yacht, her eternal appeal to a modern clientele is proven / ©Stef Bravin

In those days this was a vast sum of money, but the investment paid off. Not only did Christina hugely enhance his status and fortune — as a venue for hosting businessmen and politicians, as well as film stars — but she also served as the backdrop for his famous romantic relationships, including his love affair with the renowned soprano Maria Callas. It was on board the converted frigate that John F. Kennedy met his idol Winston Churchill during a dinner hosted by Onassis, and a decade later where Onassis began his courtship of the widowed Jackie Kennedy. The yacht was even their wedding venue.

Despite seeing some deterioration under the ownership of the Greek government,  Christina O  has been refurbished and refitted; today she retains the fantastic opulence Onassis so extravagantly bestowed on her. In fact, she positively oozes ’50s Hollywood glamor; it could even be said she has only improved with age. As an in-demand charter yacht, her eternal appeal to a modern clientele is proven.

All the modern comforts and luxuries that are expected on a luxury yacht seamlessly blend with her original features. All of the 17 guest suites have been refurbished, yet maintain the pastel decor selected by style icon Jackie O. The original, mosaic-tiled pool that transforms into a dance floor has also been restored, while the famous Ari’s barstools retain their original upholstery, believed to be sperm-whale foreskin — now there’s a conversation starter when you are perched at the bar.

Christina O is the perfect yacht for large family groups or event charters / ©Stef Bravin

The Camper & Nicholsons-built Grace has led many lives during almost a century afloat / ©Classic Charters

Builder:  Camper & Nicholsons Built:  1928 Refit:  1947, 2009, 2013, 2018 LOA:  147 ft Number of guests:  16 Crew:  12

With a unique and historic pedigree, the Camper & Nicholsons-built  Grace  has led many lives during almost a century afloat. Built as a luxury yacht in 1928 and originally christened Monica, she was used by the British as part of the war effort. While serving in the Royal Navy as HMS Rion, she sadly suffered serious damage as part of the Dunkirk evacuation fleet.

Rescued by Aristotle Onassis in 1951 and renamed  Arion , she played host to iconic figures like Winston Churchill and Elizabeth Taylor. On hearing of Prince Rainier’s engagement to Grace Kelly in 1955, Onassis presented the classic motor yacht to them as a gift for their forthcoming 1956 nuptials.

Grace is available for charter in the Galápagos Islands for up to 16 guests and 12 crew / ©Classic Charters

Rechristened  Grace , she is available for charter in the Galápagos Islands for up to 16 guests and 12 crew. Great attention to detail has been given to restoring her original features, including the original brass ship’s wheel from 1927, which is still inscribed with the yacht’s original name. The master suite, known as the Grace Kelly Suite, is in the original location, while two further master suites and two twin-bedded cabins are all decorated to the highest standards.

Her communal guest areas feature period-style, custom furniture in keeping with her elegant build. In addition to her alfresco dining and lounging areas and hot tub, the toybox is geared towards exploring the Galápagos National Park and includes kayaks, snorkeling equipment and two Zodiac tenders.

Delphine is the largest steam-powered yacht ever to be built in the US / ©SS Delphine Cruises

Builder:  Great Lakes Engineering Works Refit yard:  Scheepswerf Zeebrugge Built:  1921 Refit:  1926, 1997, 2003, 2016 LOA:  258 ft Number of guests:  26, 150 day guests Crew:  26

Commissioned by auto magnate Horace Dodge and named after his only daughter,  Delphine  is the largest steam-powered yacht ever to be built in the US. Sadly, Horace never got to see the launch of this third private yacht he built, as he passed away just a year before her delivery. However, his wife Anna and their family loved and cherished  Delphine , cruising on board her in the Great Lakes and along the East Coast, hosting cocktail parties on board.

With all her luxuries, including 10 magnificent staterooms, a music room, card room, dining room and smoking room, and a crew of 55, she positively defined 1920s East Coast glamor. In 1926, while she was docked on the Hudson River in Manhattan, two cabins caught fire, and with too much water poured in by the fire department,  Delphine  sank. Unwilling to live without her, the Dodge family salvaged her from the deep and restored her faithfully, with some additional renovations to her interior.

Delphine the largest luxury classic yacht of her era with her original steam engines still in service / ©SS Delphine Cruises

Reacquired by the Dodge family after the war, she was restored to a private yacht and rechristened  Delphine  once again. Over the next three decades  Delphine  sailed under numerous ownerships and different names, including almost 20 years spent as a training ship for merchant seamen, until finally being sold (for scrap metal prices) in 1997.

Having crossed the Atlantic for the first time and berthed in the Mediterranean, she was towed to Bruges, Belgium, where she underwent a six-year, $60m restoration. Her new Belgian owner scoured museums and archives for  Delphine’s  original blueprints, in an effort to ensure that the engineering and architectural refit was faithful to her original design, right down to the 20-ft-tall quadruple steam engines, six-person Turkish bath and hairdressing salon. Even her bespoke tenders, handmade from Honduran mahogany, remain exactly as they were when she was brand new.

Rechristened in 2003 as  Delphine  by HSH Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, she is today the largest luxury yacht of her era with her original steam engines still in service. To put that into context, her 6-ft-tall propellers are powered by water converted into vapor pressure by diesel fuel. She consumes 600 liters an hour at cruising speeds. When you consider that many modern motor yachts of a similar size use more than 1,000 liters of fuel an hour,  Delphine  could almost be considered environmentally friendly. Full steam ahead.

The iconic Haida has sailed through a succession of adventures / ©Edmiston Yachts

Builder:  Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Refit yard:  Pendennis Built:  1929 Refit:  2018 LOA:  233 ft Number of guests:  12 Crew:  18

At the time of her launch in 1929, this clipper-bow yacht was christened  Haida , after the native people of Alaska and British Columbia. It is the name for which she is best known, and to which she has recently reverted following a comprehensive refit. However, the iconic  Haida  has sailed through a succession of adventures and has had many different names during her storied life.

Haida’s  original commissioning owner spent over a decade cruising the west coast of America, pursuing his interests in marine science and fishing. In 1940, the oceangoing yacht was commandeered for service in World War II by the US Navy. She had a heroic naval career, saving many lives and protecting key installations while patrolling San Francisco Bay.

Haida’s recent, award-winning refit by Pendennis has combined the grandeur of 1930s yachting with state-of-the-art superyacht luxuries / ©Edmiston Yachts

She has resided in the Mediterranean ever since, under various ownerships of dedicated, high-profile owners, including Löel Guinness, becoming one of the world’s most famous superyachts.

Haida’s  recent, award-winning refit by the renowned  Pendennis Shipyard  has combined the grandeur and elegance of 1930s yachting with state-of-the-art superyacht luxuries. Despite replacing over 100 tons of steel within her hull structure,  Haida 1929  (as she is now known) retains the sophisticated and timeless exterior lines originally designed by Cox & Stevens.

Even the original Krupp engines remain, thought to be the oldest working engines of their type. Deck spaces are generous, especially on the recently extended sun deck, which has been split around her iconic funnel. Period furniture and artworks re-create the charm and ambience of her heritage, while a light color palette and modern amenities have been integrated.

Her notable features include a barber shop, spa, hammam, biofuel fireplace, indoor and outdoor cinemas, and stepped pool. Elegant and refined, Haida 1929 is a truly original classic. Refit project management by Edmiston Yachts.

La Sultana has led many lives during her 50-plus years afloat / ©Camper & Nicholsons

Builder:  Georgi Dimitrov Built:  1962 Refit:  2018 LOA:  213ft Number of guests:  12 Crew:  17

She may not hail from the golden era of yachting like other classic yachts her size, but this former Soviet spy ship is certainly not short on history. A true gentleman’s yacht,  La Sultana  has led many lives during her 50-plus years afloat. Originally built in 1962 in Bulgaria for use as a passenger ferry,  Aji-Petri  (as she was then known) was the fifth of a series of 12 ships that carried passengers and cargo through the Black Sea between the ports of Istanbul and Yalta.

La Sultana’s striking interior features Art Deco touches that draw inspiration from the stylish vessels of the 1920s / ©Camper & Nicholsons

Some 50 years after her build, she was discovered by a French gentleman. It was during a colossal seven-year, multimillion-dollar restoration in Casablanca that the yard unearthed several espionage instruments, including a radioactivity detector and several electronic devices from the Cold War. With the addition of her raised bow, touch-and-go helipad, machinery, piping and wiring, commercial engine and a huge keel, the rechristened  La Sultana  emerged from the shipyard as a majestic cruising yacht.

Today, her striking interior features Art Deco touches that draw inspiration from the stylish vessels of the 1920s, while the Arabian Nights-inspired decor is both eccentric and exotic. The new layout features an indoor 16-ft counter-current swimming pool and hammam, and seven luxurious staterooms, including a vast master suite on the upper deck, two VIP staterooms on the main deck, and four staterooms on the lower deck, all with en suites — quite a difference from the original build with its 102 cabins.

Her large deck areas include lots of relaxation and entertainment areas, as well as a classically styled spa pool on the foredeck, located forward of the new helipad. With more than a nod to the golden age of yachting, the rebuilt La Sultana is a classic motor yacht for modern times.

Malahne is one of just a handful of British-built, pre-war motor yachts to have survived into the 21st century / ©Edmiston

Builder:  Camper & Nicholsons Refit:  Pendennis Built:  1937 Refit:  2015 LOA:  164 ft Number of guests:  10 Crew:  11

Designed by Charles E Nicholson and built by Camper & Nicholsons in 1937,  Malahne  is one of just a handful of British-built, pre-war motor yachts to have survived into the 21st century. Originally commissioned by William Stephenson, head of the British arm of the Woolworth store chain and a passionate yachtsman, this classic 1930s gentleman’s yacht has led a glamorous and colorful life, with many ups and downs. Stephenson owned both the J-Class yacht  Velsheda  and  Malahne , and named them after his daughters Velma, Sheila and Daphne, with the first few letters of their names forming ‘Velsheda’ and the last few letters ‘ Malahne .’

She spent her first few years cruising the Mediterranean, and crossed the Atlantic a number of times before being handed over for military needs during World War II. During her time serving as a patrol cruiser in the English Channel,  Malahne  also participated in the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.

A 2015 refit produced a design more faithful to the original / ©Edmiston

A decade later, she was sold to a Saudi sheikh who renamed her  Adel XII  and changed her beyond recognition, with an almost sacrilegious angular new superstructure and modern interior quite out of keeping with her classic past. Twenty years later, she passed into more sympathetic hands, and underwent a hugely ambitious restoration at the British shipyard Pendennis. The restoration experts there sought to bring her back to her original classic yacht form, but with the addition of a few 21st-century comforts.

While Pendennis worked on recreating her original hull form and undoing the damage wrought by the previous owner, classic yacht experts GL Watson & Co were drafted to rework her exterior lines; meanwhile, design experts from Oliver Laws — who designed the Art Deco interiors of the  Connaught hotel and Claridge’s  — set to work on her interior, producing a design more faithful to the original, including a number of original antique 1930s pieces but with a modern Art Deco twist.

Today, thanks to such a comprehensive and sympathetic refit by her devoted British owner,  Malahne  is a tribute to modern engineering and British craftsmanship. One of the finest classic yachts for  charter , she features state-of-the-art equipment and Art Deco interior styling. Were he still alive, there’s no doubt that Sinatra would be delighted to tap his dancing shoes once again on board her stunningly restored teak decks.

There couldn’t be a more classic-looking yacht reflecting the golden age of yachting than Talitha / ©Unkown

Builder:  Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Refit:  Devonport Yachts Built:  1930 Refit:  1993, 2009 LOA:  262 ft Number of guests:  12 Crew:  20

With her flared clipper bow, impressive funnels and traditional counter stern, there couldn’t be a more classic-looking yacht reflecting the golden age of yachting than  Talitha . Originally commissioned by Russell Algar of the Packard Motor Car Company, the originally named  Reveler  was sadly not yet delivered by the German shipyard F. Krupp in Kiel when Algar died.

Sold to Charles McCann of the Woolworth family and renamed Chalena, she was later requisitioned by the US Maritime Commission in 1942, and entered service as a gunboat with new armaments mounted fore and aft. Operating under her new military name of USS Beaumont in the waters between Midway Island and Pearl Harbor, she survived the war without serious incident, and in 1946 was decommissioned and returned to private ownership.

Talitha features an all-new Art Deco interior with all of the trappings of a modern classic / ©Unkown

Described by The New York Times as a “floating fantasy,” she featured a re-design of the distinctive clipper bow and new teak decks but, sadly, it wasn’t to last and, following some engine problems, she was laid up once again in the late 1980s. In 1993 she was brought to the attention of her next and current owner Sir John Paul Getty Jr.

Under the guidance of legendary designer Jon Bannenberg, she was painstakingly restored to her former glory, with both exterior and interior redesign and brand new engines. The addition of a pair of funnels and an extended wheelhouse was at the time criticized by many, but Bannenberg’s vision proved them wrong when the renamed  Talitha G  (named after Getty’s second wife) was relaunched to great acclaim, with more than a nod to her 1930s design.

One of the most detailed, distinctive and beautiful classic motor yachts to be relaunched in recent times,  Talitha  is suitably reflective of an incredibly glamorous era of yachting. Featuring an all-new Art Deco interior with all of the trappings of a modern classic, she is a real head-turner, not only for the Hollywood celebrities spotted on board, but for her own stunning looks.

The classic sailing yacht Eros has led a colorful past, with lords, ladies and royalty all captivated by her charm / ©Classic Charters

Builder:  Brooke Marine Built:  1939 Refit:  1999, 2016, 2019 LOA : 115 ft Number of guests:  8 Crew:  5

Delivered in 1939 by British shipyard Brooks Motor Craft, the classic sailing yacht  Eros  has led a colorful past, with lords, ladies and royalty all captivated by her charm and beautiful lines over her eight decades afloat. Originally christened  Jeanry , she was commissioned for the daughter and son-in-law of a British lord who unfortunately spent very little time on board her before she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy to participate in the evacuation efforts at Dunkirk during World War II.

Following the end of her wartime service she went on to be owned by Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos, second only to Aristotle Onassis in the shipping magnate stakes and also the first man to be called a billionaire. Niarchos rechristened her  Eros  in honor of the Greek god of love and passion, and under his ownership the wooden schooner became a fixture on the Mediterranean yachting circuit, hosting the cream of European society, including King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.

Eros offers charter guests the chance to experience genuine sailing on a stunning classic yacht / ©Classic Charters

Eros  went on to change ownership just one more time before being rescued by her current owner in 1992. Meticulously restored to her original grandeur over the course of 18 years, she was relaunched in 2016 and now offers the refinement of a bygone era combined with the latest superyacht luxuries. Retaining many original details, including the Admiralty bronze fittings of the ship’s bell and restored Burmese teak planks, her complete overhaul involved repairs and replacements to her steel structure, and over 20,000 new bronze bolts, among many other things.

Today,  Eros  offers charter guests the chance to experience genuine sailing on a stunning classic yacht, either cruising in the Caribbean or Mediterranean or racing in classic regattas in the Caribbean and New England. Boasting state-of-the-art technology, 22 hydraulically assisted winches and 9,000 sq ft of sail,  Eros  can reach speeds of up to 10 knots under sail.

And for those looking to simply sit back and relax, her four guest cabins include a master stateroom with private en suite featuring a Jacuzzi bath, a double stateroom with en suite, and two twin cabins with shared bathroom. Out on deck, she boasts numerous seating and lounging areas for socializing, relaxing and alfresco dining.

Eros  also offers plenty of on-the-water entertainment, with a great selection of water toys for her more active guests to enjoy.

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Classic Yacht for Sale

A more civilized era, a gentleman's yacht, classic yachts, madiz €9,750,000 | 55.4m.

€9,750,000| 55.4m 1902 AILSA SHIPBUILDING CO. Mega Yachts

SHENANDOAH OF SARK Price on Application | 54.35m | 10 Guests

Shenandoah of sark.

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MALICLAIRE €600,000 | 37m

€600,000| 37m 1909 CLASSIC YACHT Mega Yachts

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€3,900,000| 33.5m | 6 Guests 1939 FEADSHIP Mega Yachts

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Sobre las olas.

€780,708| 32m 1929 WILMINGTON BOAT WORKS Mega Yachts

O REMINGTON €690,000 | 28.6m

O remington.

€690,000| 28.6m 1946 CUSTOM BUILT Mega Yachts

MILENA €980,000 | 27m

€980,000| 27m 1928 FRED SCHOLTZ Mega Yachts

SKY €1,685,000 | 26m | 5 Guests

€1,685,000| 26m | 5 Guests 1890 THETIS WARE Mega Yachts

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€592,420| 24.84m | 8 Guests 1926 ALDEN / CUSTOM Mega Yachts

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€2,663,592| 24.38m | 8 Guests 1947 TRUMPY Mega Yachts

M/V UNION JACK 80 HERITAGE TUG €1,102,176 | 24.38m | 12 Guests

M/v union jack 80 heritage tug.

€1,102,176| 24.38m | 12 Guests 1941 CUSTOM BUILT Mega Yachts

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Five classic superyachts brought back to life from the brink

Related articles, superyacht directory.

Not every owner relishes the prospect of a shiny new-build when they have the option to restore a beloved classic. Read on to discover some of the world’s most fascinating and valuable classic superyachts, which were brought back from the brink by their patient owners...

There is something intensely magical about the act of restoration: the feat of rescuing something that has fallen into a state of disrepair and returning it to its original condition. For owners, there is a process of falling completely for the yacht – something which compels them. British sailor Tracey Edwards recalls how restoring the yacht that became Maiden ceased to be purely about practicalities. “I fell in love with her,” she remembers simply. It is something to which many owners could relate.

 The recovery of something that was once great is a venture infused with nostalgia and romance. Particularly, perhaps, when its heyday is recorded in writing or in photographs that survive. And while this could apply to lots of things, the very word “wreck” is strongly redolent of boats. 

A wreck that has been restored, of course, is no longer a wreck. But henceforth she will always have once been one – and this fact will remain an element in the boat’s story, a source of pride and interest for those who continue to sail her.

Built in 1930, Atlantide (as she is now known) is now in her 90s – a venerable old lady, sprightlier than most nonagenarians after judicious refits. She is a beautiful boat with an illustrious past.

Designed by Alfred Mylne , Atlantide served as a tender for a J Class America’s Cup challenger. Then, in 1940, she was one of the “Little Ships” that evacuated more than 330,000 Allied troops from the Dunkirk beaches, entitling her, unusually, to fly the St George’s Cross.

After a post-war refit, she spent 50 years in the Mediterranean and was given her current name in the 1980s. Then, shortly before 2000, she was bought by yachtsman and technologist Tom Perkins, who devoted time and money to the further refit that Atlantide desperately needed.

Yacht designer Ken Freivokh remembers the project with great fondness, travelling to Malta with Perkins to view the boat. When he did so he was horrified. Her condition, he recalls, was “very, very poor, half-abandoned”. She was being used as a dive-boat, and an out-of-keeping superstructure had been put on top, destroying the boat’s elegant sheer line and making her look “very strange”.

What he could see immediately, however, was her underlying beauty and potential. But she needed a major restoration, and about 90 per cent of the plating along her spine had to be either restored or replaced. Freivokh contacted an aluminium worker who built an entirely new and more appropriate superstructure.

Freivokh and his team were given exceptional input, the licence (and the money) to do whatever they felt necessary. In addition to the standard requirements of yacht renovation, they had extraordinary paintings and antiques at their disposal. They were able to commission further art deco artworks too – of a style that complemented the yacht and her era. The boat and her contents might have ended up, he reckons now, as “inch-for-inch the most extraordinary yacht afloat”: a big claim, but one that’s hard to deny.

After Perkins’ passing in June 2016, Atlantide was sent to Royal Huisman in the Netherlands by another owner and American technologist – Jim Clark, who also built J Class boat Hanuman as well as Hyperion . It is fair to say that, for all the ups and downs of her past, Atlantide ’s future looks rosy, well beyond her centenary in 2030.

Western Flyer

We might think 2021 a bad year, but in 1940, as Nazi Germany invaded Norway, the world truly “went to hell”, wrote the future Nobel-laureate John Steinbeck. Far from these hostilities, having published The Grapes of Wrath to both acclaim and notoriety the previous year, Steinbeck motored along the coast of Mexico and California, into the Gulf of California. There, as he had hoped, “the great world dropped away”.

In an out-of-season sardine-fishing “purse-seiner”, then named Western Flyer , he and a small crew examined and collected marine animals, negotiating “wrecks and wayward currents”. Though they marvelled at “the incredible beauty of the tide pools” and “the swarming species”, it was no idyll. Things seemed “to sting and pinch and bite” worse than in other places. The region was “fierce and hostile and sullen”. Written up as The Log from The Sea of Cortez , largely as a result of Steinbeck’s enduring fame, the venture has entered literary folklore – and attached added renown to the boat.

During the decades since, the Western Flyer has – like all fishing boats – pursued catches (different species, caught often in quite different areas) as marine populations have shifted and declined: perch; king crab; salmon – far to the north or further south. The story of Western Flyer is the story of the Pacific west-coast fishery, and the story of humanity more broadly.

Rechristened Gemini , at times her ownership was hazy. Located by her unchanging call sign WB4044, she had come to resemble a ghost ship: paint peeling, mud-spattered, strangled by weed and timbers rotting. She has sunk at least twice, become completely unseaworthy, and all the time the price of restoration has grown.

She is owned now by a marine geologist called John Gregg who is restoring her with the help of Tim Lee, a shipwright from the west coast. Whereas the wheelhouse, Lee remarks, could remain remarkably intact and original – around 90 per cent of it – the hull was in a shocking condition. The starboard side, in particular, he remembers, was “completely rotten”. “If the boat had rolled over” she would probably, he remarks, “not have been salvageable.”

While some backbone timbers are original, it has been necessary to basically build a new hull. Time cannot be denied. But she – and the wider world – are lucky indeed that she has found people enthusiastic and committed enough to restore her, and to ensure that this piece of literary history can continue to “fly” along the western coast.

Shenandoah of Sark

More than once the famous yacht Shenandoah of Sark has been pulled back from the brink. As others have observed, she has really lived. She has seen all sides of life and come, in the process, perilously close to extinction.

First built for an American financier in 1902, she was in Germany before the First World War and then confiscated by the British Navy. She was given the name Shenandoah after the war, then rechristened again, this time by an Italian prince – another boat to be called Atlantide . She spent the Second World War concealed in a Danish shipyard, her masts and one of her engines removed to make her unseaworthy (and less appealing to thieves). Her post-war history included an almost year-long zoological and oceanographic expedition along the African west coast, as well as time spent smuggling in Central America – her precise location is unknown. Seized by French customs in 1962, she was tied up and left to rot before being bought and restored by a French industrialist.

Working as a charter yacht, she was sold in 1986 to a Swiss businessman who ordered a complete restoration at New Zealand shipyard  McMullen & Wing . The majority of the riveted hull was replaced, and the result was impressive: in 1996 she won the ShowBoats International award for Best Classic Yacht Restoration.

Together the owner and the yard have lavished attention upon every detail: from polished teak or redwood planking, to art deco lights and a unique, detachable deck cockpit. Further attention since to her rig and her mechanics has ensured that this is one yacht in a very fine position to advance far into – and perhaps complete – her second century.

Well past her centenary (having been built in 1913, on the eve of the First World War) Vagrant is one of the oldest yachts still afloat. There are a small number of older human beings living – but not many. And the comprehensively refitted Vagrant will almost certainly outlast them all. In 2017 she had a major refit – for almost two years – in Dutch restoration yard Royal Huisman. Her owner’s instructions were that “ Vagrant should be ready to last for another one hundred years.” Well, who can say? It certainly isn’t impossible.

Back in the distant past, Vagrant ’s designer, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff , dominated the America’s Cup between the late 19th century and the early 1930s. A boatbuilder, he was also a proficient sailor, placed in the National Sailing Hall of Fame, and helming in the America’s Cup at least once.

Vagrant was built for Harold Vanderbilt, of the famous dynasty. Herreshoff built boats for the financial big guns – William Randolph Hearst, John Pierpont (JP) Morgan, Jay Gould. Yachts, like houses, were (and are) a symbol of wealth and success, and Herreshoff’s were the finest.

Now, under relatively new ownership, Vagrant – one of the most revered classic yachts afloat – is being restored to her former greatness. Her steel hull needed substantial work (sandblasting areas of corrosion left some plates too thin and in need of replacement). But her teak interior has justified the wood’s reputation as the best natural material for a marine environment: beautiful, hard, rich in protective oil, resistant to rot and little prone to warping.

Sure enough, when removed and examined, much of the wood in the cabins could be treated and reused, even after so long (with the redesign to accommodate things such as electric lighting, plugs, heating and air conditioning, which were absent from the original boat). This clear link with the past serves to emphasise that this is very much the same boat.

Other departures from the original – aluminium masts, for instance, with internal furling for the mainsail and fisherman’s sail – seem an update rather than any kind of insult to the original maker. She might still sail under her old name of Vagrant but she has, very clearly, a loving home.

Having been built in the late 1920s, the sailing yacht Cambria was assumed, like so many, to have been destroyed during the Second World War. In fact, she had fallen into complete oblivion: vanishing not only from the present, but also from the historical record. One authoritative book on the yachts of William Fife , the renowned Scottish boatbuilder responsible for Cambria , omitted her completely. Only subsequently has she been rediscovered in every sense – restored to history and restored in the present.

Cambria was built originally for a newspaper magnate – Sir William Berry – who rose from complete obscurity (having left school in South Wales at 13) to become owner of the largest media empire of the day: publisher of titles still active and well-known, like The Sunday Times , Financial Times and The Daily Telegraph . Berry’s publications happened to include Yachting World , giving him a route to its editor. 

Soon after its construction, Cambria won an early race, then for a few years raced some 50 times a year. Her beauty was much admired, and fame seemed assured. (Berry asked his wife whether she might like a matching yacht, an offer she sadly declined.) Rules of the time hindered Cambria , however, and not long afterwards she changed hands. Her name was changed and she retreated, during the 1930s, into obscurity – and then into oblivion.

Her sketchy post-war history includes an ill-fated circumnavigation during the 1970s, before being bought, and mothballed, in Australia, until finally she was rediscovered near the Great Barrier Reef. Her basic structure, mahogany planking on a steel frame, remained intact and was remediable with careful repair work. Only in the 21st century did she return to British waters, after more than half a century. With a new mast, of spruce pine, and a thorough refit in Southampton in 2006 which saw Cambria stripped back and the boat’s stem reworked. There is no doubt now that Cambria does once again fulfil Fife’s basic requirement of a yacht – that she be both “fast and bonnie”.

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Take part in yachting history and spend some time aboard a classic superyacht for your next holidays. Whether it was owned by celebrities, commandeered by the Royal Navy during WWII or raced in the most prestigious regattas, you will feel  and live the naval history while aboard. 

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M/V UNION JACK 80 HERITAGE TUG

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