Refitted but not replaced: ‘Haida 1929’ holds on to her original charm following refit

By Katia Damborsky 24 August 2018

A vision on the water, ‘Haida 1929’ is a 71m/233ft motor yacht that has kept all of her classic features after an extensive refit.

Built in the year of her namesake, ‘Haida 1929’ is definitively timeless. The owner and the team who performed her refit knew this, and chose to embrace her 1920’s majesty rather than follow in the footsteps of the uber-modern, ultra-sleek motor yachts that saturate the charter market today. In a labour of love that lasted 18 months and drew in around 170 workers, ‘Haida 1929’ emerged from the Pendennis shipyard in Cornwall earlier this year maintaining her elegance but boasting a contemporary upgrade.

Now, for the first time since the 1990’s, the illustrious luxury yacht will be available for private charter. As one of only a handful classic motor yachts available for charter worldwide, ‘Haida 1929’ is quite literally incomparable, given that, at 71m she is a considerably larger charter option.

Stepping onto ‘Haida 1929’ feels like being transported back in time. Although her restoration saw the introduction of modern amenities including a Turkish-style spa and a wealth of water toys and tenders, a barber shop is also ready and waiting for guests looking for a fresh trim or clean shave.

She offers a sumptuous cinema room, but there are no flat-screen TV’s anywhere and guests are instead invited to enjoy the well-stocked bookshelves and range of games available. She is the ideal charter option for families, and those memorable moments of shared peace and happiness are precisely what the owner had envisaged for guests aboard ‘Haida 1929’.

But it’s the stories which make classic yachts like ‘Haida 1929’ so unique and soulful. One of the main challenges faced by the refit team was the hot tub. A prerequisite among the creme-de-la-creme of charter yachts, the team knew that the wood composing her superstructure wouldn’t have the structural integrity to withstand the weight. Conjuring up a creative solution, the shipyard installed pillars to prop up the extra weight that would run through Haida’s 4 decks. They are inconspicuous, harmonising with the decor in the owner’s bathroom or quietly concealed behind bookcases in the salon.

The beating heart at the centre of ‘Haida 1929’ are her engines, which are believed to be the oldest working diesels on any yacht today. The dedicated team at Pendennis were tasked with reworking them without the aid of manuals, spare parts or service agent and they succeeded. However, the engines have no gearbox, so in order to reverse they need to be stopped and restarted using the old telegraphs still linking the bridge to the engine room.

She is the ideal charter option for families, and those memorable moments of shared peace and happiness are precisely what the owner had envisaged for guests aboard ‘Haida 1929’.

Luckily, ‘Haida 1929’ was built to last. Built by a German shipyard, she has an an 8,000-mile range for exploring the Pacific and was temporarily a military ship, painted pigeon-grey and fitted with a gun on the foredeck. She was named after the native Haida people of Alaska and British Columbia and is steeped in history, thanks to her numerous uses and owners. Her current owner had his eye on her for some 15 years before he was finally able to snap her up and organise her refitting.

The owner had a meticulous perception of how he wanted his luxury yacht to look, and he accumulated stacks of pictures, both sourced and penned himself, that translated his vision onto paper. Preserving her Old World beauty was integral to his plans and chief designer Adam Lay was recruited to help him conceive his dream.

The pair of them had a diligent eye for detail, and over the course of the renovation, Lay received envelopes stuffed full of Lorna Piana fabric samples the owner had sourced himself directly from Milan. They spent a long time seeking out antiques and period pieces to give her interior the same ambience as the original exterior. Replica pieces wouldn’t do- her romantic appeal came from her authenticity.

The end result is warm, dark wood finishes polished until they gleam, which contrast crisp, creamy whites and plush fabrics. Oils hang from the walls and fires roar in their grates. Thick shutters are positioned by the windows and can be easily closed to create a cosy, comfortable atmosphere. The seamless layout of ‘Haida 1929’ allows guests to stroll around arm-in-arm, admiring her beauty. She comprises six spacious cabins, with an owner’s suite sitting separately from the rest of the yacht, giving guests the perfect haven to escape back to after a long day on the water.

Replica pieces wouldn’t do- her romantic appeal came from her authenticity.

Arguably one of the most unique and prestigious classic-style motor yachts available for charter, ‘Haida 1929’ is a breathe of fresh air and the ideal charter option for anyone wanting to experience something a little bit different. This classic motor yacht will welcome you aboard with open arms.

To find out more about chartering M/Y 'Haida 1929' speak to your preferred charter broker.