Most amazing boat I've ever seen - M/V Aphrodite - 1937 Commuter Yacht - NGC

[coastdude]

I worked  on the bay in Rhode Island in 1980 and saw boats like this pushed up on the sand flats to rot, after owners couldn't pay for their marina berths or keep the maintenance up to them. Some classic old buildings I remember facing the same fate. Its great to see someone make such a commitment to preservation of history. Thanks!

[lrutt]

I restored a 34' Pacemaker in the 80's. All Alaskan white cedar hull and Mahogany and teak everywhere else. It was a 'sedan' so it had a lower berth and the upper berth was all open from just before midships all the way to the stern. Huge open area for entertaining.  It had a nice set of bifold glass french doors that would close off the upper cabin. No flybridge. It had twin Chrysler Crown sixes and V drives. Took me 2 years to make that boat water worthy. It had been sunk 3 times before. But I  got it to float and we had a grand time on it. It was on a massive 3 axle trailer. That was in the upper great lakes.

It was a displacement hull like the Aphrodite. Would not plane but would run smooth just cutting through the water. You don't get a big hurry on a boat like that.

Being from Nebraska piloting a boat this size was not an item on my resume if you know what I mean. But with twin sets of controls kind of like those shown. you had amazing control. Each hand controlled each motor and transmission. Throttle back, put into forward, and move both  throttles ahead and your going. There was a meter on the dash that told you when you had both motors 'synchronized' or running the same RPM. You could also tell this by sound with the harmonics created. Funny how you could just dial them in to the same hum by ear and be spot on by the gauge.

With those dual motors and drives  you could literally make that thing turn within it's own length. Put one drive in forward and one in reverse, it would just pivot right around sweet as can be.

Damn I miss that boat, some great parties and cruises on it. Would not even want to try and have a wood boat like that in Florida.

[Jose Mendez]

Wonderful! 

During my upper east coast travels this past spring, I had the opportunity of visiting the Mystic Sea Port in Mystic Connecticut. I Learned so much about early sailing vessels and Whaling. Mystic restored the Mayflower 2, La Amistad and others. I can appreciate the restoration that went into the Aphrodite.

[boatdetective]

Impressive and beautiful. I especially noted the small wake and lack of wave making. (It lacks sails though)  I am a little surprised that people found the copper rivets unusual.

John- copper rivet construction was quite common in the UK, but relatively rare in the US market. NG Herreshoff was an early proponent of bronze screws, and I imagine many US builders followed suit. Riveted construction is quite a bit more time consuming than screws. Rivets are way superior, though.

[kevdog3019]

This is a must see video of a full restoration of a Riva/Lamborghini partnership called the Aquarama.  Twin 12 cylinder Lambos.  You get to hear and see these buggers as their tuning.  It's pure porn throughout.
Enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwHB7BXOLMk

[oldbike54]

 Meh , can I fish from it ?

 Dusty

[boatdetective]

This is a must see video of a full restoration of a Riva/Lamborghini partnership called the Aquarama.  Twin 12 cylinder Lambos.  You get to hear and see these buggers as their tuning.  It's pure porn throughout.
Enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwHB7BXOLMk

Rivas are very interesting. The topside skin is molded in a single piece on a form. Very light and strong. The framing system is plenty rugged and the plywood bottom makes sense. From a structural perspective- they are really well thought out. Much better than any old pre war runabout.  Not unpredictably, the wiring system is all ass backwards.

RE the Lambo motors-  I would suspect these engines were fast spinning and high hp.  Most Rivas had Crusader engines. Back at that time- they would have had 454s or possibly Chrysler 440s. The 440s had really rugged bottom ends and mad torque. In the end- it's big torque that pushes boats faster- not horsepower.