Miss Scarlett is a fantastic classic and Grande Dame of the 1000 Islands.  This Retro Modern Yacht meets current ACBY standards with over $2 million invested.  At first, her size is deceiving.  Inside the custom boathouse that the owner had built just for the 52-footer, you cannot judge her overall size.   With a relatively low profile, the pilothouse motor yacht is pleasing to the eye.  By today’s standards, her 12-foot beam is narrow.    Yet, for Miss Scarlett her lean beam is perfect. 

The yacht was built in 1929 at the Gidley Boat Company in Georgian Bay, Ontario.  And she is cedar planked over white oak ribs and frame.   The 52-foot wooden yacht named Mona went through a series of owners from the 1940’s to the late 1980’s in Canada including the heiress to The Toronto Star. The yacht went through an extensive refit that took over seven years and cost an estimated two million. The work started in 1993 and concluded in 2000.  This huge effort was financed by her owner Scarlett Lynne Hindman  She purchased the yacht in 1988.  Her family called her Lynn instead of Scarlett which she preferred.   It was an easy choice for Ms. Hindman to change the name of the 52-footer from Mona to Scarlett.  As a fan of the film Gone With the Wind, Scarlett carried that motif out in the color scheme of the vessel.  Dark green and burgundy curtains and cushions on board match Scarlett’s dress from the movie.  Scarlett is a horsewoman who knew little about boats, but nonetheless, initiated an amazing seven-year restoration.  She had the vessel brought to her barn on her horse farm in Midland, Ontario for the refit.  Remarkably, the wood steering wheel, signal canon, compass and brass bell are the only original parts on the yacht.

 At the beginning, the team thought that the refit project would be minimal, but examination of the hull revealed the need for an extensive reconstruction of the yacht. Much of the cedar planking and white oak ribs were replaced in this ambitious restoration.  In fact, the original 1 7/8-inch ribs where replaced with a combination of 2 and 5 ½-inch laminated oak ribs.  So, the hull is now much stronger.   Eventually, the workers not only replaced much of the planking and ribs, but also used the West System to seal the hull in epoxy using the vacuum bagging process.    Even the inside of the hull was encapsulated in epoxy.  The original decks and cabins were redesigned and replaced.   The hull, machinery, wiring and safety systems were brought up to current ABYC standards so that the vessel could be chartered in U. S. waters. This was no easy bar to reach for a 1929 yacht. Years into the project, the team was fortunate to find some of the last matched grain Honduran Mahogany in the North America for this ambitious project.  The prized wood was found in New York City.  The interior paneling is done in this rich mahogany with matching grain.  The wood joinery is a work of art in my view.   And the handmade hardware for the numerous opening windows and doors are custom chrome fittings where expense was not a consideration.    The cost just to re-chrome the handmade hardware is listed at $30,000.

Miss Scarlett is a single screw vessel. Originally, the yacht had a gasoline engine.   She is currently powered with a Detroit 6-71 diesel rated at 220 horsepower that yields a cruise speed of a leisurely 8 miles per hour. Top speed with full throttle is 14 miles per hour. Being a full displacement hull design not much horsepower is necessary to move her.  With her narrow beam of 12 feet and long waterline length Miss Scarlett is easily driven.  She has a round or soft chine.   And Miss Scarlett has a “barn door”-sized rudder to aid maneuvering.  A bow thruster is fitted for easy docking.

The layout of the 52 is unique.  The galley is up forward in the bow sections.  It has a propane range and oven, refrigerated sea chest, microwave and abundant storage space.  Again, the joinery work and detailing are world-class and makes one think the boat is a floating piece of fine furniture.  The time and money to build out this level of quality is beyond most boater’s budgets. Overhead of the galley is a lovely butterfly hatch that lets in lots of light and air.  In the forepeak is a padded seat called the “queen’s throne”.

Aft of the galley is the dining salon with a U-shaped dinette that can seat 6 to 8.  And the mahogany table can be lowered electrically to form a cocktail-height table or lowered into a queen berth for guests.   Moving aft and up three steps is the wheelhouse.  It has wing doors on both port and starboard.   The helm is in the middle of the vessel with good views forward.  A vintage varnished wood steering wheel is mounted to the helm station with engine gauges, controls, and a classic, large compass.  You find modern Garmin GPS/plotter, an autopilot and radar.  There is a settee aft of the helm for passengers to sit and watch river views over the long bow. A handy bar refrigerator is under the settee.  The cabin floors are done in lovely pecan wood with thin strips of mahogany. The light flooring is a nice offset to the dark mahogany paneling.   

Moving aft down three steps is the passageway with an access door to the engine room, and a guest stateroom with a bunk bed and lots of storage.  The guest head is aft of the bunk beds.  And all the way aft is the owners’ stateroom with a queen berth athwartships facing port.   Again, there is abundant mahogany paneling and lockers and drawers plus a make-up table for the ladies.  The en suite head is nice in size has a separate shower stall.   Lastly, the owners’ cabin has a companionway and ladder to the lazarette and stern spaces.

Even in the boathouse, Miss Scarlett is bright and cheerful.  The numerous opening windows, ports and hatches bring in lots of sunshine, air and light.  On deck, there is an anchor windlass and chrome signal canon mounted to the foredeck. (Is the latter for pirates?)  The bow thruster helps to maneuver the 52- footer for docking.  The exterior decks are in natural teak. Aft of the wheelhouse is a spacious raised deck for lounging, entertaining and taking meals alfresco.  There are six deck chairs and a cocktail table at this station.  And all the way aft is a lazarette, swim platform and swim ladder.   And on the transom is a custom, beefy davit system for the wooden classic dinghy. 

The vessel is equipped with a 12 kw generator, shore power, and an ESPAR diesel heating system.  The radar mast can be lowered to enter the boathouse or to navigate under low bridges.  Her entire electrical system was upgraded to modern standards.  The engine room has about 7 feet of head room.

Her owner purchased Miss Scarlett in 2010.  When he bought her the hull was painted white.  He entered her in the Antique Boat Museum annual show as well as shows in Montreal and Alexandria Bay.  Scarlett won the People’s Award at the two shows in the 1000 Islands.  Eventually, the owner changed the hull paint to a dark green which goes well with the varnished trim on the exterior.   The new color suits this 1929 classic quite well in my view.    Wherever Miss Scarlett goes, her good looks and classic retro mod design draw attention and raves. On board Miss Scarlett, owners and guests have all the comforts of home.  But what else would one expect on the Grande Dame of the 1000 Islands?

 In the off season, the yacht goes to a large storage barn at Swan Bay Resort which the owner owns and operates.  There, she can receive touch up for her exterior varnish and other needed maintenance.  The vessel comes with a yard trailer capable of safely transporting the 52-footer.

Obviously, this 1929-era yacht is for the discriminating boater who can appreciate the pedigree and investment required to update and preserve this elegant vessel.  

• Mahogany cabin sides inside and out
• Soles are strip planked with pecan and mahogany
• Teak decks and swim platform
• Stainless steel railings
• Safety glass in all windows/ports
• Brass screens throughout
• Late aft cabin w/ ensuite head
• Guest cabin
• Dining salon
• Wheelhouse with settee

Galley: 

• Extensive counter space
• Force 10 four-burner propane range & oven
• Custom refrigeration
• Hunter green counter tops with mahogany edging
• Excellent natural lighting
• Butterfly cabin hatch
• Queens throne seating

Electronics:

• Simrad VHF radio  PS 8400
• Son Alarm scanner depth sonar - coastal navigator
• Raytheon GPS/plotter
• ComNav 220 hydraulic autopilot 
• ComNav fluxgate compass
• Raytheon Pathfinder radar - 70 nm

Electrical system:

• Vetus generator - 12 kw
  
• Charles ISO boost 50 isolation transformer
• 50 amp 240 volt shorepower 
• Freedom 25 inverter/charger (2500 amp inverter)
• Paneltronics electrical panels
• Separate banks for engine start, bow thrusters and house

Power Plant:

• Detriot 6-71 natural diesel
• 220 horsepower
• Low engine hours
• Walk-in engine room
• Aqua Drive flexible coupling
• Michigan 4-blade propellor
• Aquamet 19 Pro Shaft
• Marol hydraulic helm  steering pump & actuator

Additional Equipment:

• Maxwell VWC 3500 anchor windlass
• Delta 55 lb anchor
• 250 feet o f BBB anchor chain
• Jabsco engine-driven damage control pump
• NAF S111 engine room fire extinguisher system
• ARS raw water intake strainers
• Paragon senior domestic water supply system
• Sealand vaccuflush marine heads
• Espar cabin heating system
• Custom refrigeration and freezer system
• Jabsco diaphragm bilge pumps

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