The 38.4-metre classic Pusey motor yacht Acania is currently undergoing a full-scale rebuild at Delta Marine's facilities in Seattle, US. The hull has been completed, while the superstructure is "95 per cent assembled", with completion expected in "as little as 18 to 24 months" according to head designer Christian Oliver.
Originally built in 1929 at Pusey & Jones' shipyard in Wilmington, Delaware, Acania cruised under many owners in the 1930s, including a stint with the famed silver screen actress Constance Bennet. Other historic footnotes include her Navy service during World War II and her assistance in the TIGHAR Expedition search for the wreckage of Amelia Earhart. She fell into a state of disrepair in the 1990s, where she was discovered by her current owners, who spoke to BOAT about finding her in a "backwater slough" in Seattle.
Read More/My Life In Boats: Erik Nickel on reviving his 38m yacht Acania"Due to many ownerships over the years, much of the original design had been heavily altered or removed entirely," explained Oliver. "Sadly as a result, a substantial mount of the original yacht had to be scrapped and re-created."
However, the Portugal-based studio was able to take elaborate 3D scans of Acania to document what remained. Individual components were carefully removed, catalogued and stored wherever possible, for reinstallation on the finished yacht.
Over 200 microfilm slides of the original John H. Wells construction drawings, provided by the Hagley Museum, also provided a "fantastic starting point" for understanding the yacht's original details and arrangement, supported by in-depth research performed by the client's personal historian.
The rebuild aims to be "sympathetic" to the original design, including a "period-correct Art Deco aesthetic" for the interiors. Acania will naturally benefit from modern amenities, too, including air conditioning, a conventional tender deck crane, fin stabilisation, shore power converter, food lift and a bow thruster.
"In order to establish a handmade interior aesthetic, we are employing historic techniques such as deliberate brush strokes on painted elements, as well as an 85 per cent sheen level on interior varnishes," Oliver added.
Other vintage touches include re-wired antique lighting, artwork and décor, with even the deck furniture made from Acania's original teak decking.
BOAT will update the story as the build progresses.