The Hunt for Stacia Leigh
The Hunt Starts As a company one of our specialisms is finding suitable boats for clients. In this we are assisted by our own bespoke software known, immodestly, as ‘BEST’ (which actually stands for Boating Enterprise Search Tool!). Recently we were engaged for a very unusual assignment. A client wanted to find a specific boat of great historical interest, which was built in the early 1900’s. He was interested in its fascinating history and in trying to find out its current location or what had happened to it. He had already engaged three local researchers for a period. They had not succeeded in the task. So, as specialists, we were called in. Could we help? We were specifically engaged to investigate and report back on what had happened to the boat variously known as Chryseis and Stacia Leigh. Our research team consists of Joseph Dewhurst, John Thain, Mollie Fordyce and Ilistyl Scates-Stenzel. Although they were very busy on other tasks, it only took our researchers a mere three days to find out the history of this boat and what had happened to it. This is its story. It turned out that this boat has done everything, from being part of the pioneering motor industry, to unsavoury connections to the Nazi and Axis regimes, to smuggling arms, to becoming a movie star in not one but 4 films, to being a bed and breakfast. So – for more, read on… It’s early history; 1906 – 1998 The boat was built in 1906 by clipper company Le Havre, hull number 0227, and named Chryseis. The significance (if any) of the name is not clear; however “Chryseis” is one of the female characters who appears during the events of the Trojan War in Greek mythology. The basic metrics are impressive for the time. It had a gross weight of 84 tons, measured 31 meters LOA, a beam of 4.8 metres and a top speed of 9.5 knots. This was the largest petrol driven yacht that had been built up until then. We think, but are not certain, that the hull was designed and built at the Dubigeon shipyard, in Nantes. The rear fittings were by Maison Leglas Maurice in Nantes. However, the location has not been verified. The vast majority of the boat was reserved for accommodation. This gave it a feeling of spaciousness even greater than its size would suggest. In the stern, there were 4 master bedrooms, each with en-suite. On the lower deck there were a further 4 smaller cabins for the crew. In the forward area there was space for a further 6 people, with a head and a kitchen area. The original owner was Louis Renault, co- founder of Renault motors and one of the early pioneers of the car industry. Together with his two older brothers, Marcel and Ferdinand, they formed the Renault Freres company in 1899. Louis Renault went on to become a highly controversial figure, supporting the Nazis during WW2. It was while cruising up the Seine on Chryseis that Renault spotted a 1,000 acre estate at Herqueville, Normandy. Just like any modern-day billionaire, he bought the estate. Chryseis was originally fitted with two 50HP Renault petrol engines, with a secondary 8HP motor powering internal electrics. We can speculate that Louis Renault was interested in investigating how his engines would perform in a marine environment. Or maybe he just happened to have a couple of spare engines laying around. Of course, diesel is generally regarded as the favourite fuel for several reasons, including the risk of fire from petrol. This seems to have been recognised as there were several fire safety precautions evident in the design and structure. The petrol fuel was placed above the ship’s own deck. The tanks were above the waterline in watertight double boxes, with direct flow to the sea. The annular space between the tanks and the caissons was filled with sand, such that the petrol tank was therefore embedded in the sand. The fueling devices were also above the waterline in completely sealed metal boxes. Any fuel that could have flown from these devices would have been immediately flushed out of the hull. These precautions eliminated most of the fire risk. We understand that she was then sold to 1937 to Count Galeazzo Gano of Liveno, Italy. He had previously married Mussolini’s daughter, Edda, in 1930. There is some evidence that the Count was a journalist, although evidently a well-connected one.When Count Gano died, the boat was inherited by Mussolini. After Mussolini’s execution in 1945, Italian rebels used Chryseis to smuggle arms. Once the war was over, Chryseis became a movie star! She was used in four movies; The Count of Monte Cristo Seven Cities of Atlantis Chitty Chitty Bang Bang S.S. Commodore. The later years; 1998 – 2004 – and a name change After her movie career, she lay abandoned for several years until she was purchased by Patrick and Bonnie Hicks in 1998. She had been discovered in a shipyard near Dayton Beach, Florida. We could find no record of how she came to be there. The boat was then moved to Orange where she underwent repairs and enhancements for a month. This included the radical addition of the upper deck comprising of five staterooms which changed her looks radically and increased the internal accommodation further. This was eventually to become her downfall. The vessel was then moved to Galveston, Texas. Here she underwent a name change and was operated as the Stacia Leigh Bed & Breakfast. She was named after the owners’ daughter. She was moored at Pier 22 in Glaveston, Texas. Unfortunately, the vessel became unstable probably due to poor weight distribution caused by guests staying onboard and that addition of an upper deck. She sank in April 2004. 2004 – present day – Where are you now Stacia Leigh? After the sinking, we believe she was raised by T&T Salvage and placed on hard-standing. Where are you now, Oh Stacia Leigh? During our research we found the following images taken at Port Bolivar
Interview with Blue Davies
Go Earth Marketing Manager, Jacey Roberts, had the pleasure of sitting down with Blue Davies, to talk about all things boating. Blue has a wealth of experience within the leisure-marine industry, including 5 years as the Head of Training at British Marine. More recently, Blue has joined the team at Go Earth as our Brand Ambassador. With a plethora of knowledge and contacts, invaluable to Go Earth and it’s clients alike. Firstly, welcome to the team, Blue! Secondly, what do you think of Go Earth’s new website? Thanks for the warm welcome, Jacey! I am thrilled to be working as a Brand Ambassador for Go Earth. The new website looks great – it looks slick and is easy to navigate – making it easy to locate the services you may be interested in. How do you think Go Earth’s services can help boat buyers? The Go Earth offer is unique and offers such a broad range of services that a boat buyer will be able to access a range of independent advice and guidance in their journey to buy a boat. What trends do you see or predict in the boating industry? The main trend I think will be technology and how it makes boating easier to access, simpler to partake in and safer. This in turn will attract more family-oriented users and hopefully a more diverse section of the community. With the easy-to-use technology, a wider range of people can get into the boating industry, compared to a white male dominated market. Also, social media will help, seeing a variety of different people to get into the boat search. How would a beginner put ‘dip their toe in the water’ with boating? Seek out your local Sailing Club, most will have opportunities for beginners to give it a go, whether is sailing or powerboating. Take a course, get qualified and build your confidence, then in time the next step is to give Go Earth a call and look in to buying your own boat. What are some great reasons people should buy a boat? A lifetime of adventures awaits you, and what better way to experience that than in your own boat? It has great health and wellbeing benefits as well; fresh air, exercise and the freedom of the seas. Owning a boat can seem daunting and there is much to consider before buying, but ultimately it can be easier than you may think. Purchasing a boat doesn’t have to cost the earth either, starting from as little as £3000 for a 5-metre sail boat. There are excellent programs for children as well, where they can learn to sail and be confident in their abilities. What are some questions you should be asking the seller before purchasing a boat? Always have a survey completed on the boat you are buying and if possible, it’s like when buying a car, you wouldn’t buy a car without checking if it has an MOT. Also, take someone with you who knows about boats, especially if you are new to boating. This is where Go Earth come into their own, providing all the advice you will need to make a purchase or not as the case maybe. What are some destinations you would recommend to visit on a boat in the UK? I live in the Solent on the south coast of England and the waters around the coast line are fantastic, with the Isle of Wight close by and rivers like the Hamble and Beaulieu easy to access with stunning scenery. Jacey: I live in the ‘Cheshire circle’ which hosts a number of canals, nestled within chocolate box villages. The canals are a great way to spend time on the water – you can hire narrowboats which is great fun for all the family.
Innovation for Boat Buyers and Boat Brokers
Here at Go Earth, we pride ourselves on being innovative and resourceful – and like to ‘think outside of the box’ when it comes to how we approach our products and services. With that in mind, we thought it would be interesting to showcase our latest innovations; The Boating Enterprise Search Tool (BEST) and Boat Simulator game. Brand Ambassador, Blue Davies and Marketing Manager, Jacey Roberts discuss the BEST and the Boat Simulation game created by Go Earth. To kick things off, can you briefly explain what the BEST Software is? Blue: In simple terms, the BEST Software is a tool to enable brokers to have access to more boats, to enable a larger volume of boats to be sold. A straightforward process using the software to quickly locate and identify a specific type of boat and price to meet the buyer’s requirements. What are the benefits for a broker using the BEST Software? Blue: The main benefit is the access to a wider selection of boats to match the ideal boat their customer is looking for, ultimately doing more business. Jacey: We are ultimately eliminating all the hard work for the brokers by adding hard to find data of brokers which sell all types of boats. On average, how much faster do you think the BEST Software is compared to a generic Google search to find the ideal boat? Blue: I would suggest it would reduce time spent finding the ideal boat for a customer in terms of days. Jacey: We got transport providers and surveyors through geo-location, so if a broker is unfamiliar with a location, we have resources to assist with the deal, such as transportation. Who should buy the BEST software? Blue: Simple, any brokers looking to increase their boat sales. You can try the BEST Software and you can make your own mind up to how helpful it is to your own business. Moving on to the Boating Simulation game – Did you have fun playing it? Blue: Yes, I am not a gaming person, but I did enjoy the Boat Simulator and getting a feel for what it could be like trying to manoeuvre a boat. It’s an introduction of what it will be when you get a chance to get on a boat in real life. How realistic is the boat game to real life? Blue: Like any simulator / video game it cannot replicate the real environment, but it does give the user the opportunity in a safe space to try their skills, without endangering anyone or anything. Having answered all the key questions related to the BEST software we hope we have made it clear, what is the BEST software. We would like to thank Blue Davies and Jacey for their valuable feedback on the new and exciting ventures which Go Earth has taken on!
Top 12 Coolest Boats
We have curated our best 12 coolest boat list. Get ready to see the amazing creativity in the boating industry! Lets get started… Sea Breacher http://www.humberworkboats.co.uk/ The Sea Breacher is a totally awesome-looking boat created by the New Zealander Rob Innes and his partner American Dan Piazza—who are also the founders of the American company Innespace Inc. It can dive five feet beneath the surface and leap 16′ in the air, but its coolest feature has to be that it looks like an orca. Priced at $65,000 or so, this boat will lighten your wallet. But is it worth when you make all the heads turn in the marina? Maybe. Is it worth it to have such a cool boat? Definitely The SWATH Sea Shadow blogspot.com The Sea Shadow is a SWATH—small waterplane area twin hull. You may be surprised to learn that this unique craft was built all the way back in the 1980s by US navy for testing, but with one look, you’ll understand why it makes our list. Earthrace www.boats.com The Sea Solar Sail, built at a cost of $26 million, is the first ever solar-powered boat. This 102’ long by 49’ wide craft doesn’t just look like the craziest boat under the sun – it also is powered by it – the sun. Just imagine the amount of energy saved! Covered in solar panels, in full sunlight the boat produces 127 fossil-fuel-free horsepower, and can cruise at up to 10 knots. Miss Geico speedonthewater.com Miss GEICO is owned by AMF Riviera Beach, which is owned by Marc Granet, Scotty Begovich, Scott Colton, Gary Stray, Gary Goodell and sponsored by the American insurance company GEICO. The most powerful version of Miss GEICO was a 50-foot vessel powered by twin Lycoming T-53 turbine engines. It hit speeds in excess of 210 mph. That boat caught fire during a race, but nobody was injured. USN LCAC Marine Link The Marine Link was a turbine-powered raceboat with 4,200 HP in the stern that could break 200-MPH, that was built by Mystic Powerboats in Deland, FL. Unfortunately, the boat burned to the waterline because of a hydraulic fitting failure and can no longer be seen. Footprint Boats www.humberworkboats.co.uk The Footprint does resemble the shape of a Star Trek shuttlecraft—at least in the aft (front) half. And yes, the pop-up camper is also at the back. But whatever you think about combining these three things together, this thing looks cool. Intended for cruising on lakes and inland waterways areas, the Footprint can carry larger groups thanks to its 8’2” beam (width). It’s cool! Nauti-Craft Suspension Boat awesomestuff365.com The Nauti-Craft, a true work of nautical art, incorporates the remarkable features of off-road vehicles into its design to eliminate common sea-faring problems. Nauti-Craft’s top-tier technological advancements ensure safety, stability and comfort at high level. Hyper-Sub Submarine Boat www.neatorama.com The opportunity to ride in a submarine—like a scene out of a thriller novel—is now a reality, brought about by the hybrid construction dubbed the Hyper-Sub Speedboat. This cool speed boat brings all of the many features of a regular speedboat with those of a submarine to open up an entire world of opportunity not previously possible. The Speed Submarine can travel at speeds at 26 knots and operates with ease below sea surface regardless of pressure levels or other conditions. Kormaran K7 Transforming Watercraft therebeldandy.com You know those people who are always bragging about their boat? It’s time to put them in their place. The Kormaran K7 is the boat capable of changing form and function while IN MOTION to suit your precise needs. One has to see it in motion to really appreciate this boat. It seems like a legendary creation until you get to see it in action. The specialty behind its engineering is the fact that it allows the craft to alter the gap between the two hulls and to adjust the passenger cabin height. This makes it possible for the amazing vessel to operate as a single hull craft while offering the stability of a catamaran or even trimaran. Humber Work Boats Who says you have to choose between your family and your friends? The Jet Capsule is a luxury vessel that allows you to fit in the entire family and a few friends for a memorable excursion. And it’s affordable. In addition to its sleek, streamlined design and comfortable ride, the Jet Capsule comes in custom designs to suit your personal needs. The Zebra Electric Wooden Boat ThisIsWhyImBroke The Electric Zebra is a luxury boating company that offers a new take on the industry. The Electric Zebra’s goal is to transform the luxury boating industry by taking care to address two common concerns that many enthusiasts have come to accept with resignation: silence and style. How is this possible? As the name suggests, the Zebra utilizes a very appealing stripe pattern that makes it an instant eye magnet for anyone who has an eye for elegance. It also employs the ideal blend of colors, a demure brown and cheerful orange to create the ultimate contrast and engage every beholder. SeaBubbles The Silicon Review With the increasingly sophisticated world of transportation, everything that was initially impossible is now possible. One example of technological progress is the creation of a flying hydrogen boat, the SeaBubbles. You’re going to like it! You might not believe that this cool boat can fly over the water without making the water ripple. Highlighting a motto, “Zero Wave, Zero Noise, Zero Emission,” this boat does not even make a noise like other boats in general. Therefore, it is undoubtedly more environmentally friendly. So there it is, our top coolest boats picks. If you liked reading this article, then make sure to read our other boating articles.
