S.Y. Nahlin 1930
 Length on Deck: 296 ft / 90.2 m
Length at Water Line: 250 ft / 76.2 m
Beam: 36.2 ft / 12.0 m
Draft: 14.75 ft / 4.5 m
Max Speed: Approx 18 knots
In
1929 G.L. Watson & Co. was commissioned by the
heiress Lady Yule to design a steam yacht that would
permit her to "visit every part of the
globe she desired". Following in a line of
acknowledged classics we produced a design
which was at the pinnacle of the evolution of clipper
bow and counter stern steam yachts. Clyde-built by John Brown & Co., Nahlin's elegance was
acclaimed in her day and, with her survival to the
21st century, she remains the ultimate classic
power-yacht.
 After
several extended cruises, including a
circumnavigation, Lady Yule made Nahlin available for
charter. In the summer of 1936 King Edward VIII
chartered her for a cruise down the Adriatic and on to
Istanbul. The presence of Wallis Simpson aboard
attracted great media attention and the news of the
royal romance immediately preceded the abdication
crisis.
These news reports also brought Nahlin to the attention of
King Carol II of Romania who acquired her in 1937.
With the outbreak of war King Carol quit his throne
and Nahlin was left on the backwaters of the Danube.
Ironically, this was to be Nahlin's salvation. Unlike
many pre-war yachts, Nahlin was neither requisitioned
for the war effort, nor modernised in the post war
era. Instead she survived largely unmodified.
 In
1988 William Collier had recently moved to the south
of France and with the encouragement of Nicholas
Edmiston set about investigating Nahlin's fate. Discovered
on the banks of the Danube operating as a floating
restaurant she was in a sorry state but, despite
neglect, Nahlin's beauty shone through. Inspired by
Collier's photographs the pair set about her rescue.
With the collapse of the Soviet block and the
Romanian revolution the yacht was sold to a privatised
company. Edmiston and Collier began the hard task of
her purchase & repatriation. With the volatile
post-communist political situation there was much
frustration, but finally in 1999 Nahlin returned to
British waters and today Nahlin is once again
registered in her home port of Glasgow.
 In
the years since her return to the UK G.L. Watson's
sister company, Yachtworks, have been engaged in
stabilising her condition and preparing her for
restoration. To date the ship has been dry-docked and
her hull has been comprehensively surveyed. Over 450
tons of asbestos insulation, heavy fuel oil and
debris have been been removed. The surviving
interior has been surveyed, and CAD drawings
produced of interior designs and panelling
schemes. Casts have been made of delicate
plaster mouldings and enrichments. These coupled with
the archival material in the G.L. Watson archives
provide an un-rivalled basis for her restoration.
 G.L. Watson & Co. were appointed Special
Consultants to the Nahlin Project in 2000 and with first hand
experience of the vessel, the partners at G.L. Watson
have produced concept drawings of how Nahlin can be
rebuilt and brought back into use as the
ultimate classic yacht.
|
