United States

Bath Iron Works

SuperYacht Times’ in-house yacht historian Malcolm Wood remembers the largest yachts built in the United States over the last two centuries;Following the <a href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show - 2019">FLIBS event last month</a>, I thought it would be a good time to take a brief look at the largest yachts constructed in the USA from the 19th century to the modern era of the superyacht. It is important not to forget that the advent of satellite communications in the 1970s signalled the emergence of the modern superyacht market as we know it today.<img src="/uploads/store/photo/101042/image/large-564ad09d952dcb620697fb8bb5865bc4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/101042"> Although production of large yachts (150 feet, or 45.72 metres, and over) in the USA commenced with the launch of the 84.1-metre North Star&nbsp;steam yacht built by Simonson, (Greenport, NY) in 1852 and followed by the 76.2-metre Voyageur de la Mer by Holden &amp; Gallagher (East Boston, MA) in 1858, it was not until the 1880s that we saw an increase in the numbers delivered. &nbsp;Let’s take a look at some basic statistics before we go further.The number of yachts of 150 ft (45.72 metres) and over delivered in the period 1850 to 1899 was 62 units and from 1900 to 1939 it was 112 units. It was during the period of World War I and following the Wall Street Crash in 1929 until the start of World War II in 1939 that the numbers of large yachts delivered decreased significantly.&nbsp;In the post-war period from 1945 to 1980, only a handful of vessels were completed including a number of World War II conversions of former naval craft. However, from 1980 until the end of the 20th century, there was the start of an upturn in numbers with the establishment of several new yards. <img src="/uploads/store/photo/105208/image/large-10175fddb7c8234e0e4f25c96ebed3ac.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/105208">Turning now to the all-time largest American yachts: 10. &nbsp; &nbsp;Viking&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1929 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;82.9m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Newport News SBBuilt for George F. Baker Jr as the first turbo-electric powered yacht. She later came under the ownership of Norman B. Woolworth as Noparo but became a war loss in 1944. 9. &nbsp; &nbsp;North Star&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1852 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;84.1m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;SimonsonBuilt for Cornelius Vanderbilt, North Star&nbsp;was the first very large yacht built in the USA. Converted to a passenger vessel in 1854. She was renamed Three Brothers&nbsp;in 1866 and later became a coal hulk at New London, Connecticut. 8. &nbsp; &nbsp;Caroline II&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1931 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;85.0m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/900" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bath Iron Works (Company)">Bath Iron Works</a>Built for Eldridge H. Johnson as the second vessel of this name, the first was a 52.1-metre constructed by Lawley in 1926. She was later known as Moana&nbsp;and Hilo in 1941, before being broken up in 1958. <img src="/uploads/store/photo/5868/image/large-aec07aa2d51592990f8c0cfe54f785db.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/5868"> 7. &nbsp; &nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/28" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aquila85.6m (280'10&quot;)Derecktor Shipyards2010">Aquila</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2010 &nbsp; &nbsp;85.6m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/36" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Derecktor Shipyards (Company)">&nbsp;Derecktor Shipyards</a><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/28" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aquila85.6m (280'10&quot;)Derecktor Shipyards2010">Aquila</a> is by a wide margin the largest purpose-built yacht from a United States shipyard in recent history, not only by length but also by volume, as she measures 2,998 gross tons (GT). She was completed as Cakewalk and sold to her current owners and renamed<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/28" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aquila85.6m (280'10&quot;)Derecktor Shipyards2010">&nbsp;Aquila&nbsp;</a>in 2014. Her exterior was designed by the renowned British designer,<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tim Heywood Design Ltd. (Company)">&nbsp;Tim Heywood.</a><img src="/uploads/store/photo/5875/image/large-ee5691e873087622128d57e2350817e9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/5875"> <img src="/uploads/store/photo/7066/image/large-ac4f3d7791f365f693c0e80f06851a58.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/7066"> 6. &nbsp; &nbsp;Niagara II&nbsp; &nbsp; 1898 &nbsp; &nbsp;86.0m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Harlan &amp; HollingsworthBuilt for Howard Gould, she became a US naval hydrographic vessel in 1918 and was sold for scrap in 1933.<img src="/uploads/store/photo/105210/image/large-986379ff3eecfd520f90a55db40f2c9b.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/105210"> 5. &nbsp; &nbsp;Alva &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1886 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;86.9m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Harlan &amp; HollingsworthBuilt for William K. Vanderbilt, she sank after a collision in 1892. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Savarona III&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1928 &nbsp; &nbsp;89.6m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pusey &amp; JonesBuilt for Richard M. Cadwalader Jr. as the third vessel of this name. She was later named Alder and converted to a banana carrier in 1953. She became a total loss in 1961 after springing a leak. 3. &nbsp; &nbsp;Aphrodite&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1898 &nbsp; &nbsp;92.2m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/900" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bath Iron Works (Company)">&nbsp;Bath Iron Works</a>Built for Colonel Oliver H. Payne. She went to the US Navy 1917 and then to Harry Payne Whitney in 1919. Converted to a passenger vessel in 1920, she was bombed and sunk off Patras in 1941. 2. &nbsp; &nbsp;Corsair III &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1899 &nbsp; &nbsp;92.7m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;MarvelBuilt for J. Pierpont Morgan Sr. She was the third of four Corsairs completed for the Morgan family. Became the US survey ship Oceanographer in 1930 and was broken up in 1944. 1. &nbsp; &nbsp;Corsair IV&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1930 &nbsp; &nbsp;104.7m &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/900" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bath Iron Works (Company)">Bath Iron Works</a>Built for J. Pierpont Morgan Jr. The largest US-built yacht (measured by length overall). Converted to a passenger cruise ship in 1946 after war service. She was wrecked off Acapulco in 1949.<img src="/uploads/store/photo/105209/image/large-c1d2f59ca320c1328f9a1c2ab9b4afef.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/105209"> NB – apart from&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/28" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aquila85.6m (280'10&quot;)Derecktor Shipyards2010">Aquila,</a> all the above yachts were steam-powered vessels. The largest sailing yachts included the 73.2-metre Bretagne built in 1881 by Malster &amp; Reaney, the 55.1-metre&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2266" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shenandoah of Sark55.08m (180'9&quot;)Townsend & Downey1902">Shenandoah&nbsp;</a>built in 1902 by Townsend &amp; Downey and the 1930-built&nbsp;Black Douglas.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://shop.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title=""><img src="/uploads/store/photo/55401/image/large-6524e9c9dfc37e22bf131ecc39bea57e.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/55401"></a>&nbsp; This article was first featured in the latest edition of The SuperYacht Times newspaper. <a href="http://www.superyachtcompany.com/newspaper/the-superyacht-times-subscription">Subscribe now&nbsp;</a>to receive your copy straight to your door and never miss another issue.

A historical perspective on the largest American yachts 

In our latest historical feature, Malcolm Wood examines the largest American yachts ever built. 

Born In The USA: Exploring the largest American-built yachts 

Built in 1930 by Bath Iron Works for the American newspaper magnate, Hugh J. Chisholm, the 74.3 metre USS Williamsburg is a vessel with immense historical significance, and at the time of her delivery, was one of the world’s largest privately owned yachts. <img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/150130/image/large-e2dae8819002e39898490a9619b20b37.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/150130">In 1941 she was purchased by the US military for use as a Patrol Gunboat. After four years serving in WWII she was decommissioned in 1945 and converted for use as the presidential yacht for President Truman. During this time, the White House was undergoing extensive renovation and the Williamsburg was used almost as the nautical home of the president for a period. Her array of visitors included Winston Churchill among other visiting heads of state and dignitaries, resulting in the fond nickname of the ‘sea going White House.’Once president Eisenhower took office, he declared the White House no longer had any use for the yacht. So, in 1969, the impressive superyacht was converted into a floating restaurant in the city of New Jersey. She was eventually abandoned in the 90s after the District of Columbia reportedly made a complaint of the vessel being an eyesore in the community. As a result, she was shipped overseas, sadly out of sight and unfortunately out of mind.USS Williamsburg is now laying in an Italian shipyard in La Spenzia, awaiting a new owner willing to refit the yacht. She is currently listed for sale by Camper &amp; Nicholsons International, offering a potential buyer an exciting opportunity to restore this historic vessel to her former glory.Other historic refit projects over the past couple of years include the ongoing project of the 1961 57.6 metre superyacht Lady K II (ex. Radiant I, Princess Tanya), and the 65 metre classic 1938 motor yacht Shemara, which was successfully launched earlier this year. The end result of a restored USS Williamsburg would undoubtedly produce a spectacular superyacht, the only question that remains is whether or not an investor will step forward to maintain this 74.3 metres of history.By Gemma Fottles