LUXURIOUS YACHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20986, 24 September 1931, Page 10

LUXURIOUS YACHT.

MR. VANDERBILT'S VESSEL. I FAST MOTOR-CRUISER. PROBABLE VISIT TO DOMINION. An account of Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt s motor-yacht Alva, which is on a world cruise at present and will shortly visit . New Zealand, was given jn Wellington this week by Mr. G. Sage, of the steamship Makura, who visited the yacht while . it was lying at anchor recently at Papeete. |. It was plain from Mr. Sage's description that the yacht is one of the most palatial private yachts afloat. It was built at the Cermania shipyard, Kiel, and its ton- [ nagc is 2160, which makes it ono of tho largest vessels of its type in the world ' According to Mr. Sage, the expenses while the yacht is on its cruise amount to 2500 j dollars a day. j It was designed by its owner, Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt, son of the famous Arnerij can banker, who is a multi-millionaire and a marine architect by profession, with offices in New York. Hie Alva is powered with twin eight-cylinder Diesel engines, each of 2600 h.p., which gives it an average-speed at sea of 16 knots. It has r a white hull and superstructure, with 5 yellow funnel, and has steel masts with modified crosstrees for which a full suit | of sails are carried in case of engine trouble in mid-ocean, 'lhe forward mast has a searchlight and electric syren. 3 Lavish Equipment. ' On its present cruise the" yacht has ' travelled from Kiel to Southampton, and thence to New Panama Canal, ' Galapagos Islands, Marquesas Islands, Tahiti, and the Society Group, and Samoa. It will probably visit New Zeaj land before continuing the cruise to Australia, Java, the Philippine Islands and j Japan. Mr. Vand crbilt is accompanied on the | f yacht by four guests. The crew numbers 55, nearly all of whom are Germans, who speak good English. '! here are also two 5 motion-picture cameramen, taking films iu " f natural colour; an artist painting tropical fish, specimens of coral, shells and marine growths; a taxidermist to classify and a mount insects and butterflies caught on [ the cruise; and two radio operators in j charge of the most powerful radio installation ever placed aboard a private vessel. Loud speakers arc arranged in all parts of the yacht, even in the crew's quarters, and a daily newspaper is published ou r board. The Guest Accommodation. > The guest accommodation is luxurious, " with the main saloon panelled in mahogI any, and four staterooms each furnished ■ in a different style. On the upper deck i is the smokeroom and lounge, under the ; bridge is the chart-room, captain's room and another spacious lounge. Ample | space is allowed everywhere, with easy chairs that can be moved to any part ol the wide after-deck. ' "All the private rooms had been constructed quito regardless of cost," Mr. 1 Sage said. "They would be equal to any ' similar suites on any of the crack At--1 lantic liners. Forced hot and cold air, and abo ice-water, was laid on to every | part of the yacht. j "On the forward deck was a salute gun, ' a light quick-firer, mounted on a perman- i | cnt, base. A machine-gun was stowed j : i away below. The bo'sun said that the i i vacht had been equipped with a machine- i ' i gun for cruising in Eastern waters. A i j complete (liver's outfit was carried in ca-e ; j of emergency and a deep-sea trawl, with j : five miles of steel cable, was on the . ' fo'c'sle head. Two built-out steel guards' ■ were in position at tho stern to prevent } the cable from fouling the propellers. | ' "An electric sounding machine, two lifeboats, and two high-powered speedboats, : direction finding apparatus, and many > other refinements are part of the Alva's equipment. Each member of the crew has a separate room with hot and cold water laid ort."