Famous Yachts

How about Christina O...

Originally built in 1943 as a Canadian convoy escort, the yacht was purchased by shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1954. Onassis spent over $4 million to convert the ship, which he named after his daughter, into the most elegant and advanced private yacht afloat.

The Christina was Onassis' "floating home" from 1954 to 1975.

During that time, the vessel's guest list was the ultimate who's who of dignitaries and Hollywood stars, including such luminaries as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, King Farouk of Egypt, opera diva Maria Callas and numerous others. John F. Kennedy first met Winston Churchill aboard the yacht and two of the most celebrated wedding receptions of the century were held on her decks - Prince Rainier to Grace Kelly and Onassis himself to Jacqueline Kennedy.

After Onassis' death in 1975, his daughter Christina donated the yacht to the Greek government. In 1998, the yacht was bought by John Paul Papanicolaou, an Onassis family friend and shipping industry leader. He began Christina's three-year restoration, involving meticulous research, engineering and

Perhaps the most famous spot on board is Ari’s Bar where John F. Kennedy first met Sir Winston Churchill in 1957. The intricately detailed bar contains barrels and sea chests hinting of pirate treasure, whaling harpoons and an illustrated wall map of the world. The circular bar itself was originally crafted from the timbers of a Spanish Galleon, wound with heavy sailing rope and is adorned with footrests and handholds of ornately carved whales' teeth. It features a glass top over a lighted relief of the sea, which depicts the development of ships through history with tiny model ships that can be moved around by magnets. The barstools are covered in whale foreskin, a fact that Onassis delighted in telling his guests.

Can't forget Malcolm...

The Highlander was built at the De Vries Lynch shipyard in Holland and has proven her seaworthiness on voyages across both the Pacific and the Atlantic, through the Great Lakes and up the Amazon. Still, the waters she knows best are those of her home port - Manhattan.

Designed by the late Jon Bannenberg with assistance from naval architect Fritz de Voogt, Highlander V is 151 feet long, 29 feet 3 inches at the beam with a draft of 9 feet 9 inches. Capable of worldwide sailing, the ship is powered by twin G.M. 16V149 diesels. The 1,800 horsepower these diesels deliver gives The Highlander an average cruising speed of 13.7 knots with a top speed of 14.3 knots. The ship has a water capacity of 5,300 gallons. Its fuel capacity is 19,700 gallons, providing The Highlander with a cruising range of over 4,000 nautical miles.

On board are a Bell Jet Ranger III helicopter, two tenders a 19-foot Cigarette and a 23-foot Donzi - and two BMW motorcycles... all greeen ofcourse!

Hhmmm.... sounds like the "lady" wanted the boat all to herself.

50/50 formerly DSV

A Feadship from the De Vries shipyard, this is "DSV" She was launched in 1956 after being built for Marge Schott, the former owner of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. In fact, I have two, three gallon VSOP Cognanc bottles that she had made into lamps from the Reds 1940 World Series. "DSV" stands for Double Schott 5. Marge sold her to Arthur Godfrey, the TV personality in the 40's and 50's. There is a scene in a biography on film of Godfrey of him on her (the boat). From there she was sold to a banker in Maryland that donated her to the state while Spiro Agnew (Nixon's VP) was governor. Spiro had her amended so that she can be a legal charter boat in the US. While Agnew had her in the states possesion, he did a lot of "big wig" enteraining for the likes of Jackie Gleason, President Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. In Fact, I have all of the log books from 1956 to present except for # 3 which supposedly "disappeared" because Kennedy and Monroe were on it together.

To Help save her please visit: www.ricked.com/boats3

Cosmic Muffin's "Stratospheric Price!

Howard Hughes’ 1939 Boeing 307 Stratoliner / Private Yacht, once owned by Jimmy Buffett is on Ebay for $9,000,000.00

(This ebay auction ended on 2/25/05)

(PRWEB) February 26, 2005 -- As mentioned in The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio, this was the first commercially built pressurized airplane that was designed to fly above the weather, or 20,000 feet, that was the reason for Howard Hughes purchasing TWA in 1939. This plane was one of ten built and only one of two still in existence. The other surviving 307 Stratoliner is owned by the National Air and Space Museum at the new Dulles Udvar-Hazy Annex.

In 1964 due to damage from Hurricane Cleo in Fort Lauderdale the surviving Hughes 307 fuselage was saved and modified into a 56’ yacht and launched in 1974. In 1992, while cruising around Fort Lauderdale, Jimmy Buffett discovered the “Plane Boat” and wrote her into his best- selling novel “Where is Joe Merchant?” He later composed “Desdemona’s Building a Rocketship”, from the “Banana Wind” CD also about the vessel.

This is the only land-based airplane turned yacht in the world and now functions as a personal yacht for David Drimmer and Aaron Kiss, owners of “Photo Sails”, a new and worldwide patented advertising medium featured at Photosails.com. Now this fully functional yacht is operated using the original 1939 aircraft controls that used to fly the plane. Powered by twin Yamaha 50 HP four-stroke, high-thrust motors and capable of cruising at 13 knots, this extremely maneuverable vessel can turn 360 degrees in its own length.

Teak and holly wooden floors now adorn the entire sole of the vessel and its newly rebuilt hull is in perfect shape. A generator and new electronics along with original Raymond Loewy designed furniture and fittings are featured in the salon next to the original bar that Rita Hayworth had custom windows installed so she could see the clouds go by while she poured martinis for many famous guests like Hedda Hopper and George Jessel.

Countless media outlets, including People, Oprah, Ripley’s, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Travel, Discovery, HGTV channels, have enjoyed the privilege of exposing the now named “Cosmic Muffin”, the name chosen by Jimmy Buffett and remains the name of the craft today.

For more information, visit Planeboats.com

Londonaire? Really! That boat's been in Ft. Lauderdale longer than the Spruce Goose in mothballs. I never knew it by that name! However, we had our own names for it, including...

... airboat
... seaplane
... floating fuselage
... Buffet's barge

And my favorite, well... it rhymes with Toys for Tots.

"Yachts for *****"

Limojet

Adding on the Modified Plane Theme

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7251&item=4536876004

Found some updated pics of Cosmic Muffin, (ex-Londonaire)...

Presidential yachts?

(cool shots guys, keep those [spy] pics coming!

I was curious to know what [ex]presidential yachts are still afloat?
Anybody in the know? Locations?

Thanx,
F. Rapaport

The former USS Williamsburg , presidential yacht of President Truman is up for sale in San Remo/ Italy I believe, although I have no clue of her present state. Obviously the brokers will only sell in conjunction with a major restoration.

http://www.fenikia.com/-en/broker.htm
select "classic" and scroll to bottom.

She was and is a real yacht!

At the time of the movie Adnan Kashoggi was her owner and her name was NABILA. Later she was TRUMP PRINCESS and nowadays you can see her often at Cannes as KINGDOM 5KR. A couple of days ago she was at Malta: http://www.yacht-images.com/modules...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php