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Aphrodite & a Wally at my marina this weekend

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by CTdave, Jun 5, 2006.

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  1. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    I was at my marina this weekend & found a couple of interesting vessels...

    "Aphrodite is a 1932, 74', 36kt commuter. She is on the cover of the latest "Soundings" magazine with the full (very interesting) story. The present owner found her in Stuart Florida, sitting on the bottom and in terrible condition. She was wearing a different name but he knew he had found Aphrodite. He flew in an expert to see if she could be saved & then moved up north for a 100% rebuild. I heard that the article made a mistake & which they say where Aphrodite was rebuilt. It was NOT in Brooklyn NY. I'll get the details & report back.

    Attached Files:

  2. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Aphrodite is gorgeous, quite a find no doubt.

    Is that the tender of Carrera?
  3. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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  4. TRY

    TRY Senior Member

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    Aphrodite or Liberty?

    She definitely looks a lot like the Hodgdon built Liberty!
    That was early 2000's or late 90's (I think).

    Attached Files:

  5. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Good memory TRY! I spoke with some workers (or crew?) on Liberty, late in 2004. They gave me some details, but I can't remember much past yesterday. It would be interesting to find out if Liberty was patterned specifically after Aphrodite, or just a general re-creation of a 1930's style commuter.

    Here's a link showing interior pics of Liberty...

    http://www.hodgdonyachts.com/liberty.shtml
  6. viking 58

    viking 58 YF Historian

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    Absolutly stunning, I always love to see someone put that much love and dedication and money into restoring an old beauty. Is there a link to the article in soundings? I see it is a NYYC boat do we know anyting about the owner?

    Dave, which marina is that? I see the pictures are labeled RYC, Riverside Yacht Club?
    I used to live in Old Greenwich across from the Stamford Brewer Yacht Haven
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2006
  7. viking 58

    viking 58 YF Historian

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    It appears that it was done in Brooklin, Maine



    Brooklin Boat Yard readies for launch

    Aphrodite is a 74-foot Long Island Sound commuter yacht originally built in 1937 by the Purdy Boat Company. This project is a complete restoration using the original boat as a template. The boat has been completely documented and disassembled, and the final original frame was removed in September 2004. Once all structure work has been completed, replanking the hull will begin, followed by systems installations. The boat is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2005.

    http://www.brooklinboatyard.com/aphrodite.html
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2006
  8. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    Aphrodite, the third commissioned by John Hay Whitney, was built by the Purdy Boat Company in 1936-37. She had two Packard V12 800 hp:s.

    The Bruce King-designed Liberty from 1996 is said to be inspired from this Aphrodite although a hightech composite construction.
  9. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Thanks Lars! I tried to re-visit Hodgdon's site in search of more info, but it appears we've crashed their server. :D
  10. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    Yes, it was at Riverside Yacht club for the weekend. The owner (RYC Member) Chuck Royce will be keeping Aphrodite in Newport. He is an avid collector and I hear through the grape vine that he has dozens of antique boats. Chuck is the "Royce" of Royce Funds.
  11. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    For me, i love a Wally. They are new and fresh and offer a modern and daring design. Something i think that other conventional builders are afraid to do. Most mega yachts practically are similar just with cosmetic changes and styling. Wally's are different and for me are a good change to the megayacht world but thats ok if you like the retro Carl. :D I'll have a *slight* slice of your pie. :rolleyes:
  12. Codger

    Codger YF Wisdom Dept.

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    Kudos to Mr. Royce. Aphrodite was worth saving. It's nice to know that the craftmanship to achieve a re-build of that order still exists on this continent. Beautiful vessel!
  13. Tad

    Tad New Member

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    Liberty was not modeled on or based on Aphrodite, but on another slightly earlier commuter, Saga, designed and built for Charles Payson at the Wheeler Shipyard in Brooklyn NY in 1935. Aphrodite (III) was designed and built for Jock Whitney (later owned by John Pannell) by the Purdy Boat Company in 1937. Her recent total rebuild was done by Brooklin Boat Yard in Brooklin, Maine.

    The owner of Liberty had a smaller commuter (Ragtime) he wished to replace with a new boat in a similar style. They didn't really want another Ragtime but something with more flash, we were casting about for a concept and Tim Hodgdon contacted Phillip Moore, Author of Yachts in a Hurry. He had owned Saga at one time and faxed a faded profile drawing north. Tim showed that to the owners, they said yes, it landed on my desk and eventually became Liberty.

    A major difference is that Saga had a distinct centerline to her stern, very much like the upside-down bow of a boat. Sonny Hodgdon built a hull model that was to become the tank model of Liberty with this center spine. No one liked it, so we just planned it off and thus Liberty's stern started to resemble that of Aphrodite.

    Get a hold of the book and you will note Liberty's resemblance to Saga as shown in the front piece. Including the curved mast.

    All the best, Tad

    http://www.tadroberts.ca
  14. Tad

    Tad New Member

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    Incidentally, Saga was built to beat Aphrodite II , then Aphrodite III was built to beat Saga up and down Long Island Sound.

    Tad
  15. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    Thanks Tad for filling us in on the history. I got my information from "The Megayacht Century" publication, where they also say that the owner of Saga was the brother in law to the owner of Aphrodite...

    /Lars
  16. wdrzal

    wdrzal Senior Member

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    Was Aphrodite actully a rebuild,as it seems to me the new Aphrodite has no remains of the old. As the old was only dis-assmebled for use as a pattern for the new construction. I know this is just semantics but what should she be called?
  17. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    I donĀ“t know how much is left on Aphrodite, but it is often like this with restoration projects, both with houses, cars and yachts, that very little or sometimes nothing remains from the original. Still, as long as the original does not exist somewhere else, the rebuild is considered as the original...:)
  18. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    In speaking with Aphrodite's captain, it sounds like every piece of wood was replaced. Most all of the hardware is origonal. In fact, I was impressed with the gear/throttle mechanisms. I forget what the proper terminology is for the old style of ship controlls where they were big, brass (bronze?) with levers on both sides but Aphrodite has the original smaller scale of these controls which were internally converted to electronic controlls.

    Even though the wood is new, she is truly a classic.
  19. viking 58

    viking 58 YF Historian

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    In my 1956 Lloyds Register of American Yachts book there is a listing for Aphrodite, it says the engines are: 2 Gas Eng. 4 Cyc. 6 Cyl. 5 1/2 x 7 Hall-Scott

    as this was in 1956 could this be a repower from the original Packards or are these the originals?
  20. Tad

    Tad New Member

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    According to Philip Moore the engine history of Aphrodite II is thus;

    1937 twin 800Hp V12 Packards, model 3A-2500
    1942 twin 1350Hp V12 Packards, 38 mph
    1946-47 twin 1500Hp V12 Packards, 45 knots
    1958 twin 275Hp Hall-Scott Invaders, 26 knots
    1969-70 twin 275Hp 8V-71 GMs
    1978 twin 350Hp V8 Crusaders, 25 knots

    I have no idea what is in her now?

    Tad