ss delphine yacht

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Iconic Yachts: SS Delphine, the 100 year old classic yacht that's still running on steam

The iconic yacht SS Delphine has reached a major milestone, celebrating her 100th birthday in April, 2021. But there are many more accolades besides ringing in her centennial year that make 78 metre SS Delphine so noteworthy. From hosting heads of states while they brokered peace treaties to still running on her original steam engines to this day, this yacht is a true icon.

“She is the only superyacht in the world still operating today with her quadruple expansion steam engines,” says Emmanuel R Buetss, SS Delphine’s Manager. The classic yacht was originally equipped with triple Babcock & Wilcoz boilers, supplying power for her two 1,500-horsepower steam engines. The engine room received an update during a 2003 refit, and she was outfitted with two modern water-tube boilers, which now power the original engines.

The classic yacht SS Delphine was built for Horace Dodge, co-founder of the Dodge Brothers automotive manufacturer in America. She was launched in 1921 at Great Lakes Engineering Works. At the time of her launch, she had the largest gross tonnage of any yacht in America. A short time later in 1926 she was nearly destroyed after catching fire and sinking in New York. Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, she was salvaged and restored to live another day.

In 1942, SS Delphine was requisitioned by the US Navy and christened the USS Dauntless , serving as the flagship for naval commander Admiral Ernest King during WWII. In her time as an admiralty ship she hosted US president Franklin D Roosevelt, vice president Harry S Truman, UK prime minister Winston Churchill and Russian diplomat Vyacheslav Molotov in preparation of the Yalta Conference, which determined the postwar reorganisation of Europe.

“The privileged status of having been Admiral Ernest King's ship certainly helped her avoid the unfortunate fate of other steamships that did not survive the war, allowing her to delight us today with her original splendor,” says Buetss.

After WWII, she was returned to the Dodge family. Over the next five decades she changed hands many times. By 1997, she was in poor condition and her next owner paid a pittance for the iconic yacht but invested a princely sum of €45 million to restore her to her former glory during a five-year restoration project. The refit restored her original layout and design.

“That is indeed why sailing on board the SS Delphine is not only a maritime journey, but above all a journey through time that takes us back to the Belle Époque of the 1920s in the decorations, carvings, wall patterns and carpets that are exact replicas of the 1921 plans,” says Buetss.

In September 2003, SS Delphine was re-christened by HSH Princess Stephanie de Monaco. The current owners bought the vessel in 2015, and she is now offered for exclusive events and charters in the Mediterranean. She can welcome up to 26 guests for overnight stay and 150 guests for day events.

The iconic yacht SS Delphine is now equipped with all the modern comforts one would expect on a charter yacht, including a sauna, hammam, Jacuzzi, gym, swimming pool and even a hairdressing room. But despite these updates, she still has an beautifully old soul. SS Delphine has retained her 1921 Tiffany décor whenever possible, and in particular in her dining room, lounges and suites.

“Sailing on SS Delphine is not only a visual pleasure but also the opportunity to enjoy a steam engine which, beyond its timeless aesthetics, also offers a unique noiseless and vibration-free comfort forgotten by the hectic modern machines,” says Buetss.

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SS Delphine

Motor Yacht

SS Delphine is a remnant of a bygone era: built in 1921 for Horace Dodge, scion of one of the largest American automotive manufacturers, this luxury motor yacht has retained its style and grace. Registered as a passenger ship and SOLAS certified to carry up 36 passengers, SS Delphine can host up to 150 guests for coastal navigation while an expert, international crew of 24 look after the needs of every guest.

Currently based year-round in the Port of Monaco, SS Delphine was originally built in 1921 by Great Lakes Engineering for the Dodge family and went on to serve in the second world war as the flagship of Admiral Earnest King, Commander in Chief of the US fleet. After a long down time, SS Delphine has been resurrected following a complete and painstaking restoration by her new owners and re-commissioned in 2003. The detailing and restoration work has remained faithful to the era in which SS Delphine was originally constructed and provides an atmosphere of luxury and elegance.

A great charter vessel for families, friends or corporate functions, the 78.5 metre SS Delphine offers ample space for entertaining on a grand scale. Due to her Portugese flag, the Captain may perform a legal ceremony, which could provide the perfect venue for a sumptuous wedding. The public areas of this incredible superyacht have independent music systems which can be interconnected, while the smoking room has WIFI available. SS Delphine boasts a bar and lounge with a stunning ¾ concert Steinway piano and a Disklavier Yamaha piano for which a lounge bar pianist can be added to the crew list. A Playstation II and flat screen television are available in the Delphine Lounge.

Onboard life is as luxurious as it must have been in the 20’s: SS Delphine sleeps 26 guests in 11 double staterooms, including two king-sized VIP suites and a cabin with four bunks. Every suite, stateroom and cabin have en-suite bathrooms, televisions, safes, mini bars, entertainment systems and telephones allowing both intercom and satellite use. The two VIP suites also boast flat screens and capacious lounge areas.

Guest onboard the lovely SS Delphine will adore her fantastic amenities: a swimming pool with jet stream, massage bath, Turkish bath, sauna accommodating up to six people, fully equipped fitness room and hair salon. Added to this, the extensive outside deck areas total 1000 square metres of space to entertain and sunbathe.

Water lovers will adore the arsenal of toys that SS Delphine holds which includes four wave runners, water –skiing equipment, which includes wave boards and skis, inflatable donuts and a banana, snorkelling gear, wetsuits and fishing rods. Three inflatable tenders of 75, 115 and 250hp capable of carrying 20 people are available as well as two classic tenders capable of carrying up to 10 people.

SS Delphine is available for charter in the Mediterranean.

• Yacht Builder Great Lakes Engineering Works No profile available
• Exterior Designer Gielow & Orr No profile available
• Interior Designer Tiffany's No profile available

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SS-DELPHINE Yacht – Lovely $25M Superyacht

Measuring a length of 79 meters, the SS-DELPHINE yacht can accommodate 26 guests and a crew of 32. She was built in 1921 by Great Lakes Engineering and she can reach speeds up to 12 knots.

SS-DELPHINE yacht interior

The interior of the SS-DELPHINE yacht was spearheaded by Tiffanys Of New York, founded back in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany, and is currently known for its luxury goods and diamond and silver jewelry.

She is presently the first yacht to be designed by the company. Built for comfort and entertainment, you can find all the amenities you could expect from such a stunning and classic superyacht.

Inside the SS-DELPHINE yacht is a gym, partnered with some top-of-the-line fitness equipment for all the health-conscious onboard guests.

In addition to this, she has a standard jacuzzi for relaxation and an excellent and vast view deck that can hold upwards of 50 people when docked.

Needless to say, the SS-DELPHINE yacht is fitted with air-conditioning to keep guests comfortable while venturing into the far seas.

She can also accommodate many guests with ease and is currently fitted with 12 suites and two VIP cabins that can hold four people to welcome up to 26 guests.

In addition to this, she can have 24 and up to 27 crew members at a time to attend to guests’ needs.

Specifications

The SS-DELPHINE yacht boasts a whopping 78.57 meters or 258 feet from end to end, a beam of 10.82 meters or 35.6 feet, and a draft of 6.6 meters or 21.8 feet.

Powered by her extremely powerful motors, she can comfortably cruise at a speed of 9 knots and can go up to a maximum speed of 13 knots. 

Despite her weighing approximately 1,255 tons with all the equipment and fuel on board, because of her ginormous 250,000-liter fuel tank and her very efficient power-consumption rate of just 1000 liters per hour, she can easily travel up to 2500 nautical miles at a time.

She was engineered with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. And she is super stable when going out to see, thanks to her onboard stabilizer, and is even more stable once she anchors in.

SS-DELPHINE was exteriorly designed by Henry J. Gielow, which was the one responsible for giving her iconic elegant lines. Henry J. Gielow is a famous and renowned exterior designer.

Gielow has been responsible for the design of the El Boughaz I, 53.3 meters long, the Yanbu, which is 50.23 meters long, and the Olympus. SS-Delphine is currently the longest superyacht Henry J. Gielow designed.

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SS Delphine

SS DELPHINE is one of the truly wonderful classic motor yachts. She is a remnant of a bygone era: built in 1921 for Horace Dodge, scion of one of the largest American automotive manufacturers, this luxury motor yacht has retained its style and grace. SS DELPHINE can host up to 150 guests for coastal navigation while an expert, international crew of 24 look after the needs of every guest.

Currently based year-round in the Port of Monaco, in September of 2003 SS DELPHINE was re-launched and re-christened, by H.S.H Princess Stephanie of Monaco , after a thorough refit. Indeed, she won the annual showboats award for best refit in 2004.

The detailing and restoration work has remained faithful to the era in which SS DELPHINE was originally constructed and provides an atmosphere of luxury and elegance .

A great charter vessel for families, friends or corporate functions, the 78.5 metre SS DELPHINE offers ample space for entertaining on a grand scale. The public areas of this incredible superyacht have independent music systems which can be interconnected, while the smoking room has WIFI available. SS DELPHINE boasts a bar and lounge with a stunning ¾ concert Steinway piano and a Disklavier Yamaha piano for which a lounge bar pianist can be added to the crew list. A Playstation II and flat screen television are available in the DELPHINE Lounge.

Onboard life is as luxurious as it must have been in the 20’s: SS DELPHINE sleeps 26 guests in 11 double staterooms, including two king-sized VIP suites and a cabin with four bunks. Every suite, stateroom and cabin have en-suite bathrooms, televisions, safes, mini bars, entertainment systems and telephones allowing both intercom and satellite use. The two VIP suites also boast flat screens and capacious lounge areas.

Guest onboard the lovely SS DELPHINE will adore her fantastic amenities: a swimming pool with jet stream, massage bath, Turkish bath, sauna accommodating up to six people, fully equipped fitness room and hair salon. Added to this, the extensive outside deck areas total 1000 square metres of space to entertain and sunbathe.

Water lovers will adore the arsenal of toys that SS DELPHINE holds which includes four wave runners, water–skiing equipment, which includes wave boards and skis, inflatable donuts and a banana, snorkelling gear, wetsuits and fishing rods. Three inflatable tenders of 75, 115 and 250hp capable of carrying 20 people are available as well as two classic tenders capable of carrying up to 10 people.

• Length : 257.6ft /78.50m Builder : Great Lakes Engineering Works
• Exterior Designer : Gielow & Orr Interior Design : Tiffany's
• Built : 1921 Model : Custom
• Beam : 35.5ft /10.82m Gross Tonnage : 1255 Tonnes
• Draft : 15.1ft /4.60m Cruising Speed : 9 Knots
• Top Speed : 11 Knots

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"SS Delphine" – A 257-foot Steam Yacht

By: rick casali.

One of the largest private yachts ever built and sailed on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River is the 257-foot steam yacht Delphine . She was built in 1921 for Horace Dodge Sr., co-founder of the Dodge Brothers Automobile Company. The massive yacht was built near Detroit in River Rouge, MI, by the Great Lakes Engineering Co., at a cost of over $2 million.

Delphine is powered by twin quadruple-expansion steam engines that produce 1,500 horsepower each. Mr. Dodge designed these large engines, which still operate the yacht today. They turn only about 150 revolutions per minute, which is awfully slow compared to modern marine engines. And they are said to be quite easy on fuel oil. Delphine cruises at 9 knots and she has a range of about 2,500 nautical miles. She was reported to have a top speed of 15 knots. The yacht carries over 200,000 gallons of fuel oil, as well as over 300,000 gallons of fresh water.

Horace and John Dodge were hugely successful in the automotive business. Initially, they supplied axles, engines, and other components to Henry Ford and other manufacturers.  Eventually, they made the decision to build their own motorcars under the Dodge name, and were known for durable and dependable automobiles, sold at a competitive price. Having accumulated millions of dollars in wealth, they built large mansions in Grosse Pointe, MI, as well as motor yachts – all of which were the result of their ingenuity and driven business habits.

Unfortunately, Horace Dodge and his brother John never got to enjoy or sail on Delphine as they both died of influenza in 1920, after attending the National Automobile Show in New York City. At the time of their deaths, they were only about 55 years of age. Horace’s wife Anna took over control of Delphine, and the Dodge family cruised her through the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, and on the East Coast. While at anchor on the Hudson River in 1926, Delphin e caught fire, and partially sank.  Under Anna’s direction, she was re-floated and restored. In 1940, Delphine struck a rock off Manitoulin Island, ON, in Lake Huron, and again went through some restoration and repairs.

During WW II, the Dodge yacht was requisitioned by the US Navy and was re-named the USS Dauntless.  She became the flagship of Admiral Ernest King, who was Commander-in-Chief of the US Atlantic Fleet. It also reported that during WW II, US President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Russian Ambassador Molotov had a secret meeting to discuss war strategy, in the smoking room of the large yacht. Following the war, she was used as a training vessel for steam yachts by the Lundenberg Maryland School of Seamanship. She went through a series of owners over the following 18 years. At one point, she was considered being sold for scrap metal.

Delphine , which was named for Horace and Anna Dodge’s daughter, was ultimately restored, and sold for $22 million.  Another massive five-year restoration from stem to stern was finished in 2003, and was reported to cost 45 million Euros. She was owned by the Tunisian Ineke Brunynooghe – who apparently does not like to fly. Upon completion of the restoration, Princess Stephanie of Monaco re-christened the vessel. Today, she flies the flag of Portugal, and is available for charter.

Delphine has 11 staterooms, which can accommodate 24 guests.  The guest staterooms are 14 by 14 feet, each with a private bath. The owners’ stateroom is 25 by 25 feet. Delphine has a swimming pool, massage suite and spa, a gourmet galley, a small hospital, and about 3,000 square feet of deck space. She has five decks, and originally had a crew of 54. Today, a crew of 32 is the norm. The living spaces in the interior were designed by Tiffany’s. One of her features was the installation of a $60,000 organ. Today, the organ has been replaced by a Steinway grand piano.

In terms of support vessels, Delphine originally had two 20-foot launches for the captain and crew; a 30 foot launch; and a 35-foot express launch for owners and guests that was capable of doing 40 miles per hour. The 1,700-ton vessel has a beam of 36 feet and draws an amazing 14 feet.

Today, Delphine is available for charter in the Mediterranean Sea, and frequents ports in France, Monaco, Italy, and Greece.  This luxury yacht has all the water toys and modern comforts that wealthy charter clients expect. Many Grand Prix drivers have visited Delphine , as she is frequently anchored in Monaco for the famous auto race.

During her history of cruising US waters, it is evident that Delphine transited the St. Lawrence River and Thousand Islands a number of times. Her 14-foot draft would have limited where she could find a berth in the Islands. Mrs. Dodge had good friends in Cape Vincent, and visited them on the Delphine . Alexander and Lucy Rutherford, who owned the Windy Bank estate, entertained Mrs. Dodge on more than one occasion. The property, at the northwest corner of Broadway and Real Streets, and is now owned by David and Sharon Wiley. It is also reported that Mrs. Dodge enjoyed having dinner at the Carleton Hotel, while in the Cape Vincent area aboard the Delphine . The Rutherfords were also entertained by Mrs. Dodge aboard Delphin e on numerous occasions. Her last visit to Cape Vincent was in June, 1955. Mrs. Dodge passed away at her home in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, on June 2, 1970 at the age of 103.  Thus far, I have not been able to uncover any photos of ports-of-call that Delphine made while in the Thousand Islands or Lake Ontario.

Some say that her design length of 257 feet was limited by the capacity of the Welland canal and locks. In the 1920’s, Delphine was the largest private yacht to pass through the locks. The tragic story of owner Horace Dodge, not ever able to enjoy his nautical dream, reminds me of the story of George Boldt and Boldt Castle. It is ironic how health can change the future, despite incredible wealth.

By Rick Casali

Rick Casali is a resident of Wellesley Island.  During his youth, his parents had a cottage from 1947 to 1970 named The Orchards on Grindstone Island.  Rick now splits his time between Stuart, Florida and the River.  He worked for Columbia Gas System for 29 years, and ran their Washington, DC office. Then in 2000, he started brokering boats and yachts, and continues as a broker with North Point Yacht Sales.  Rick and his wife Anne cruise the River in a Seaway 24 Seafarer named "Miss Annie" and they live on Tennis Island.

Be sure to see more of Rick Casali's tributes and reviews . He had now written over a dozen and they are not only interesting but provide an important historical review of River life.

Posted in: Volume 18, Issue 12, December 2023 , People , History , Places , Sports

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Historical Summary:

SS Delphine is the largest steam yacht ever built in the United States. She was ordered by Horace Dodge and named after his only daughter Delphine. She had an impressive restoration completed between 1997 and 2003 with no expense spared. Accommodation is for 26 guests in two VIP suites, nine double staterooms and a four-bunk cabin. Power comes from two 1,500hp quadruple steam expansion engines.

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SS DELPHINE Interior & Exterior Photos

78.57m  /  257'9   great lakes ew   1921 / 2016.

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