Boats of all types captivate us for more reasons than we can reasonably relate, but all of our favorites exude a strong personality.
We talk about these boats from time to time and we’ve been lucky enough to experience a few of them firsthand, which got us thinking about how many amazing yachts our editors must have been aboard in this magazine’s 104-year history! With that in mind, we’ve searched back issues of Yachting to revisit a few of our favorites. These are by no means exhaustive — we could come up with another hundred we like just as much — but they’re a good start.
The list is motley but we tried to balance it by looking for yachts that were seminal in some way. Several of the following are historically significant, because they marked the beginning of a trend, showed the courage of the owner to defy convention or were the personal passion of a public personality. At least one met an untimely and tragic end. So many boats, so many stories. Enjoy.
Liberty: Pictured above, Liberty celebrates the great commuter yachts of the 1920s and 1930s.
Shamrock V: Shamrock V is a magnificent original from the golden age of yachting.
For Your Eyes Only: This jet powered motoryacht reached a top speed of 34 knots during Yachting's sea trial.
Boston Whaler 13: The Boston Whaler 13 may have been the first fiberglass boat with full foam flotation between the hull and liner.
Palawan VI: Thomas J. Watson Jr. followed Magellan's route aboard the 60-foot auxiliary Palawan VI.
Honey Fitz (ex. Lenore II): Lenore II ushered in the quest for high-tech fast diesel cruisers.
Hyperion: This 155-foot sailing yacht designed by German Frers has pushed the frontiers of electronics, along with rig and sail developments.
Wallygator: Wallygator was among the pioneers of full power-assisted sailing.
Alva: Alva may have been the original, over-the-top superyacht but she nonetheless was put into service during WWII and became the USS Plymouth.
Dorade: Olin and Rod Stephens sailed Dorade to victory in the 1931 Transatlantic Race. She also won Fastnet and Bermuda races.
Maltese Falcon: Even five years after her launch, Maltese Falcon causes a sensation wherever she goes.
Christina O: The Christina O was host to heads of states and movie stars during the '60s.
