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— May 2005
By Diane M. Byrne
Owning a 1939-built, all-mahogany yacht involves other arduous tasks: “With a boat like this, it’s an ongoing restoration that never really ends,” John says. But he’s not complaining. Even though they’ve had to replace ribs—35 to 40 over five years, he claims—and have upgraded practically every mechanical system from the wheelhouse to the engine room, the Berminghams view it as a labor of love. Even when they discovered that the mahogany handrails on the aft deck were rotted because they’d been drilled into to support aluminum-frame sliding glass windows—“the kind you’d find on a house,” John recalls with disgust—they were only too happy to remove the structure and replace the wood. Besides, the enclosure made it difficult to maneuver in a tail wind.
According to John, the looks they get are “priceless.” Eleanor, which is based in Palm Beach, Florida, in the winter and Norwich, Connecticut, in the summer, never fails to attract both curious onlookers and old salts when she pulls into a marina. The Berminghams also cherish the many friends they’ve made through these conversations as well as charters they’ve hosted over the years.
So it begs a question: Why are the Berminghams selling her, for $525,000? Because they recently opened a new antiques business in New York, and as a result, they haven’t spent a night onboard since last July. They say they’d rather have someone who has the time and attention to pay to Eleanor see her through to her next chapter. If you’re interested, contact Bartram and Brakenhoff ( (954) 779-7377 or www.bartbrak.com. For further information about the yacht herself, visit www.yachteleanor.com.
Down the Ways
This article originally appeared in the April 2005 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.