The Long Voyage of the M/V Shorleave For over three decades, the motor vessel Shorleave plied the waters of the Inside Passage and southeast Alaska. Whether as the flagship of the commercial venture, Alaska Charters, or as a private boat, it took to exploring the many bays, harbors, inlets, and islands. Originally commissioned by E.T. Stotesbury, and built by New York Yacht Launch & Engine Co., the Shorleave was originally christened Nedeva, the name Nedeva was the combination of the name Ned, a nickname for E.T. Stotesbury, and Eva, the name used by Stotesburys second wife Lucretia. Edward T. Stotesbury was a prominent railroad tycoon, and J.P. Morgans right hand man. Stotesbury’s most important contribution to history involved the Panic of 1907. Over a three week period starting in mid-October, the New York Stock Exchange fell almost 50% from its peak the previous year. Panic occurred, as this was during a time of economic recession, and there were numerous runs on banks and trust companies. The Panic of 1907 led to the creation of the Federal Reserve System. J.P. Morgan said the panic proved his partner, E.T. knew “more about the details of banking than any other man in the United States.” E.T. Stotesbury originally had not intended to purchase a new yacht until the Spring of 1931, but he decided to move up his request in order to help employment among shipbuilders during the Depression. The seventy-seven-foot wooden yacht was powered by two six-cylinder gasoline motors manufactured by the 20th Century Manufacturing Company and had twin screw propellers that gave it a cruising speed of fifteen knots. The superstructure of the boat is Honduran mahogany and all the decks are teak. The hull is made from white fir, The bottom is 2-inch fir, the sides are 1.5-inch fir, and the stern is 2-inch fir. The yacht’s gross tonnage is 70 tons and its maximum speed is 18 knots. It was refitted with twin General Motors Detroit Diesel 6-71s in the late 40s. The yacht Nedeva was used to transport the Stotesburys between their houses in Bar Harbor, Maine; Philadelphia and Palm Beach, Florida. The intracoastal waterway was often used as a route. In 1934, Stotesbury decided to sell the Nedeva and purchase a larger (100) diesel yacht launched in 1929 by the same manufacturer. End of part one.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 05:20:01 +0000
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