or maybe I should say “more, Aphrodite!“

Many thanks to eastriver for these photos taken last summer.  Just some specs first and then I’ll link to a number of articles I hope you enjoy reading as much as I did.

Built in 1937 for $90,000, adjusted to about $1,730,000 in 2021 money, Aphrodite has twin 1000 hp Caterpillars that can move the 74′ x 14.6′ x 4 boat quite fast;  the greater the speed, the higher the fuel consumption, like a gallon of fuel per mile at 30 mph or 150 gallons/hour at 40 mph. A source of jokes, she’s the charge of Captain Kirk.  Kirk is the first name; Reynolds the last name, but I’ll be he often goes by Captain Kirk.  Her current owner is Charles Royce.

Here‘s more on all that and more.

She was built by the Purdy Boat Company of Port Washington NY for John Hay Whitney (1904–1982), of the prominent Whitney family. For a sense of the Mr Whitney, he was an art collector [and much more] with the works by Manet, Degas, Monet, Picasso, Cezanne, Gauguin, Renoir, Eakins, Van Gogh, etc. in his personal collection.

Current owner Chuck Royce counts Rhode Island’s Ocean House among his projects.

 

An 84 year old yacht does not look this good without massive amounts of restoration done by skilled professionals like the folks at the boat yard in Brooklin ME.

Her decks have been graced by such luminaries as FDR, Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, Nelson Rockefeller . . . .

Many thanks to eastriver for sending along these closeup photos.

For more beautiful wooden yachts, click here and here and here.  Oh sure, here too.