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From old to new - Yacht Conversions

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Starrider, Oct 14, 2008.

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  1. Starrider

    Starrider New Member

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    Has anyone got some interesting stories, designs and pics of old vessels(Fishing and military,etc) that has been converted into something tastefull yet functional. We have seen the typical disasterous attempts by some in the Rogues thread, but there are many success stories out there, so lets hear about them folks. One that I really like is the conversion of SuRi...absolutely stunning.
  2. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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  3. Starrider

    Starrider New Member

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    WOW, some awsome design work there. I love the boat deck at the stern, and plenty room has been left for entertaining on the remaining 3 decks..the top one being a helo pad I presume. One can see this was a high end job..paint finishes and fittings. Def a very far cry from the backyard fibreglass attempts that plague most conversions.
  4. Seafarer

    Seafarer Senior Member

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    Before... anyone have any afters?

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  5. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    They're called a Huckins :D
  6. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    I had suddenly had a McHales Navy flashback. :D

    That'd be awesome though... a PT yacht.
  7. Seafarer

    Seafarer Senior Member

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    Ha! Good one... there's more than a kernel of truth to that. :p
  8. revdcs

    revdcs Senior Member

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    There was one in Malta in the mid 70's. Still looked very military. She could slip along at a fair clip but tended in bounce rather badly in anything over a moderate sea.
  9. Starrider

    Starrider New Member

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    Here is one of such conversions that can described as a success, but it does lack that WOW factor. The vessel pictured here is the Nautilus, ex SAS Nautilus, a Ford Class Seaward defence vessel.

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  10. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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  11. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    StarRider,

    This thread has been moved to the General Discussion Forum. Please keep images under 640 pixels. I have reduced your pics above.
  12. Jorge Lang

    Jorge Lang Senior Member

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    The Abu Dhabi MAR Shipyard is working on converting a couple of retired Royal Navy Frigates into yachts. They are only 135 and 141 meters. I wonder what they would do when the Nimitz launches its last plane?
  13. Loren Schweizer

    Loren Schweizer YF Associate Writer

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    The most impressive aspect of Plan B(ex-Flinders) is her faired hull which I'll wager took an awful lot of 'mud' & manpower to accomplish.

    As regards the PT Boats, since they were constructed of wood--plywood for some, double-planked mahogany for others--not only was time not their friend, but after VJ Day, many were just burned up by the Allied military who did not wish to be burdened by their upkeep costs (who said the Navy was dumb).
    Hence, the handful of PTs in existence today are museum pieces.

    Primarily powered by triple Packard V-12s, converted from aircraft engines (1500HP each) displacing over 40 liters, they could cruise at 23 kts and top out at over 40 kts where the boat would burn 500gph, good enough for six hours when carrying a full 3000gal load of av gas.
  14. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Speaking of PT boats, in 1957 my mother purchased an 85' ASR (Air-Sea-Rescue), powered by triple Packards. She paid $20,000 for the boat in Gulfport, MS and spent the next 2 years converting it to a private vessel. The Packards were removed and replaced with twin-gas engines. Sorry, I don't know the particulars.

    While on the hard, a gentleman took an interest in the project and spent some time discussing a new deckhouse design with my mom. A week later, he sent her drawings and she liked it so much, she not only used the design... she married him.

    He designed me two years later and my mom built me.
  15. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Your design is technically a collaborative effort. The labor was definitely all hers though. LOL
  16. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Back in the late 50's/early 60's there were several conversions from PT's. On such was out here in Shinnicock Bay (quickest boat on the bay). Saw one in Ft.Lauderdale in the early 90's that was a full conversion to MY with deckhouse, salon, etc. It's been a long time since I've seen any. Does anybody know if any are still floating?
  17. OutMyWindow

    OutMyWindow Senior Member

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    John Wayne converted this 1942 136ft Minesweeper into a luxury Yacht called "Wild Goose"...

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  18. Rene GER

    Rene GER Senior Member

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    The Onassis yacht "Christina O" was a canadian frigate.

    "Galeb" was built in 1939 as a banana freight ship. Then was it a cruise ship and a mine layer. In the mid of 1950 used the yugoslav leader Marshcall Tito the ship as a presidental yacht.

    Don't forget the "Bart Roberts"
  19. Seafarer

    Seafarer Senior Member

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    http://www.pt728.com/index.php

    The fellow who owns the PT boats here on the Hudson was kind enough to loan his dock and facility to the fireboat John J. Harvey for a work week last week. Since the Harvey was taking PT-728's dock, 728 was at West Point and Highland Falls in the lower Hudson valley. 45 minute rides (which actually turned out to be over an hour each) for $20. Some amazing ingenuity in building those craft. Shame more didn't survive.
  20. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Are you what they call a "one off?". Didn't she get the recall notice? Obviously there weren't warranties... :eek:

    How could you leave yourself so open to the s.a.'s on the list! :D