AMERICA'S GREATEST YACHTS
A Four
Part Documentary
Series
The story of significant yachts, their owners and adventures.
Producer: Bruce Nalepinski, Writer/Director: Tom Garber, Consultant: John Rousmaniere
When we look at America's greatest yachts, we see diversity in design and usage. Defined as any boat utilized for recreation, yachts have been the tool for many a sailor's self discovery and self promotion. From the flamboyant adventures of J.P. Morgan commuting to New York on Corsair, to the humble Joshua Slocum sailing alone around the world in the comparatively tiny Spray, every great yacht suited the specific needs of its owner.
This theme will be explored in 4 one hour episodes, covering significant boats and their owners from the mid nineteenth century to the mid twentieth century. Each episode will utilize interviews, narration, archival photographs/motion pictures, and dramatic re-creations.
The story of the men and women who owned and sailed pleasure boats from the 1850's to the 1950's is as interesting as the yachts themselves. Men like William K. Vanderbilt Jr. and J.P. Morgan, who maintained their social status by displaying vast quantities of wealth, chose yachting as their arena for conspicuous consumption. Owning a large cruising yacht, a high speed commuter, and a racing sailboat, all staffed by professionals, and ready to go at a moments notice, was common among this class of people. These yachts became an integral part of the owner's elaborate lifestyle, serving as tools for negotiating business deals, transportation to and from work, or spectacular platforms for entertaining.
For others, yachts were a vehicle of self discovery, a test of one's skills, or a challenge to harness the forces of nature. More practical than flamboyant, and influenced by the published adventures of R.T. McMullen, a group of sailors began cruising America's coasts in small singlehanded boats in the 1880's.
Taking singlehanded sailing to the extreme, the brave adventurer Joshua Slocum sailed Spray, solo around the world from 1895 to 1898. Likewise, historic yachts such as Atlantic, Malabar X, and Dorade were developed out of this desire to venture far from shore, and return safely.
Episodes
RACING: High Stakes on High Technology, From the low black schooner America that started the fury in 1851, to the J Boats that signaled the end of an era in 1937, racing yachts were set apart by design and construction innovations, setting the pace for speed. Wagers up to $60,000 per race were not uncommon.
LUXURY: Floating Pleasure Palaces, J.P. Morgans Corsair, considered by many as a perfect yacht at 344', or Cyris Curtis's Lyndonia with 7 tile bathrooms, epitomized opulence. The sea plays no favorites though, as the tragic sinking of Mohawk in New York Harbor symbolized the dangers of excess.
COMMUTERS: Roaring Speed, Born of the need to maneuver quickly in crowded harbors, commuter yachts became a"must have" for every well equipped yachtsmen.
CRUISING: Adventure and Discovery, For sailors like Cornelius Vanderbilt and George Crowninsheild, a well provisioned cruise to Europe was a grand adventure. More recently, races to Bermuda spawned off-shore yachts like Dorade, Baruna, and Malabar X.