Custom Boats Yacht for sale in Portland, OR United States of America

OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY

EL PRIMERO 120 FOOT PLEASURE CRAFT BUILT IN 1893

4 PAST US PRESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ON THIS YACHT!!!!!

"The 120 year-old El Primero hosted numerous presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt; Warren G. Harding; Herbert Hoover and William Howard Taft, and an array of other celebrities!"

"El Primero

OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY

EL PRIMERO 120 FOOT PLEASURE CRAFT BUILT IN 1893

4 PAST US PRESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ON THIS YACHT!!!!!

"The 120 year-old El Primero hosted numerous presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt; Warren G. Harding; Herbert Hoover and William Howard Taft, and an array of other celebrities!"

"El Primero is a 135' steam yacht that was built in 1893. This vessel was once considered one of the most luxurious yachts on the West Coast of the United States, and was one of the few steam yachts to be operated on Puget Sound. The yacht has since been converted to diesel. She was built by Union Iron Works in 1893. With a beam of 5.43 m and a draft of 2.13 m, she has a steel hull and wood superstructure. This adds up to a gross tonnage of 132 tons. She is powered by diesel engines giving her a maximum speed of 12 knots and a cruising speed of 10 knots. The motor yacht can accommodate 12 guests in cabins and an exterior design by E.W. Hopkins.

The yacht's original owner was Edward W. Hopkins, heir to the wealth of his uncle, Mark Hopkins, for whom the Mark Hopkins Hotel is named. In 1896 Hopkins was a member of the San Francisco and the Pacific Yacht clubs.

In 1906 Hopkins sold the yacht to Chester Thorne of Tacoma and the yacht thereafter came to be based in Puget Sound. Thorne in turn wagered the yacht in a craps game and lost the game and thus the yacht to Sidney Albert "Sam" Perkins (1865–1955), a newspaper publisher. El Primero transported four different presidents, including William Howard Taft when he came to Seattle to visit the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 1909.

During World War II the yacht was taken into the U.S. Navy as a patrol vessel and returned to Perkins in 1947. During the 1950s, there were only two steam yachts operational on Puget Sound: El Primero and Aquilo.

After Perkins' death in 1955, the yacht went to his heirs and was later purchased by Sy Devening who was doing business as Puget Sound Excursion Lines, who converted it to diesel power. The yacht passed through two subsequent owners, an American (Arther B. Church) as well as a Canadian and was taken out of service in the year 2000, remaining at a dock in Blaine, Washington.

In 2010, the yacht was purchased by a semi-retired tug captain and engineer. Encountering engine troubles, the new owner had the vessel hauled out at Port Townsend for repairs. With the vessel still in need of restoration, as of January 2010 the new owner was considering taking the yacht to Mexico or Thailand to have the work done. 2013 Ship proudly berthed and displayed at Bremerton, Washington Marina for maintenance, tours, and public functions. In 2016, the hull was repainted with the help of volunteers.

In 2017/2018, El Primero underwent a refit at the Boat Haven Yard in Port Townsend. The main objective was to restore as many of the original features as possible. Some areas, such as the dining room, did not require restoration as it has remained unchanged since the ship was launched."

STEEL HULL EPOXY COATED IN 2018

ENGINES REBUILT IN 2000

ORIGINALLY STEAM NOW REFITTED WITH 2 GM DIESELS

STILL CRUISES AT 12 KNOTS ALL DAY LONG

8 CABINS AND 2 BATHROOMS

ORIGINAL DINING ROOM TABLE AND FURNITURE

GREAT BED AND BREAKFAST

TIME CAPSULE WITH NOTES IN SHIPS LOG FROM PRESIDENTS

RESTORE TO HER FORMER GLORY AND HAVE AN AMAZINGLY UNIQUE YACHT!!!

Boat Name
El Primero
Dimensions
LOA: 120 ft 0 in
Beam: 22 ft 0 in
Engines
Total Power: 360 HP
Engine 1:
Engine Brand: GMC
Year Built: 1955
Engine Model: 671
Engine Type: Inboard
Engine/Fuel Type: Diesel
Location: Starboard
Drive Type: Direct Drive
Engine Power: 180 HP
Engine 2:
Engine Brand: GMC
Year Built: 1955
Engine Model: 671
Engine Type: Inboard
Engine/Fuel Type: Diesel
Location: Port
Drive Type: Direct Drive
Engine Power: 180 HP
Cruising Speed: 10 knots
Maximum Speed: 12 knots
Tanks
Fresh Water Tanks: (1300 Gallons)
Fuel Tanks: (2000 Gallons)
Holding Tanks: (400 Gallons)
Accommodations
Number of twin berths: 6
Number of double berths: 2
Number of cabins: 8
Number of heads: 2
Electronics
Depthsounder
Log-speedometer
Wind speed and direction
Plotter
Autopilot
Compass
GPS
VHF
Radar
TV set
CD player
Inside Equipment
Electric bilge pump
Manual bilge pump
Battery charger
Air compressor
Hot water
Dishwasher
Washing machine
Oven
Microwave oven
Marine head
Refrigerator
Electrical Equipment
Shore power inlet
Generator
Inverter
Outside Equipment/Extras
Teak cockpit
Teak sidedecks
Gangway
Cockpit cushions
Cockpit table
Tender
Covers
Mainsail cover
Article on El Primero

"The graceful 131-foot iron-hull luxury yacht El Primero was born a true luxury yacht, launched at the Union Iron Works in San Francisco with ceremonies appropriate for the pride of a gilded age. Its hull is made of wrought iron plates flush riveted together. It carried a paid crew of 10 men for its first 63 years, and during that time it has had at least four sitting presidents on board the yacht – William Howard Taft, Teddy Roosevelt, Warren G. Harding and Herbert Hoover.

Chester Thorne of Tacoma purchased the yacht in 1906 and brought it north to Puget Sound.

The New York Times published at least two accounts of President William H. Taft traveling on the El Primero, specifically mentioning it was owned by Chester Taft

On September 9, 1907 President Taft traveled from Tacoma to Seattle on Chester’s yacht El Primero, while President Taft was on an around-the-world trip, heading to Japan form Seattle.

On October 1, 1909, after spending two days in Seattle and visiting the Seattle 1909 Exposition, President Taft traveled to Tacoma, again on board Chester’s yacht El Primero.

Unfortunately, in 1911 Chester Thorne lost the boat in a poker game with newspaper publisher Sam Perkins.

Like a canoe it has a very shallow draught for its size, needing only four feet of water at the bow and less than five feet at the stern. The “Clipper” bow and hull, with the trademark concave arch to the bow easily seen in profile (a duplicate of the angle used for millennia in ocean-going native canoes) is a direct descendant of earlier sailing hulls, designed to be easily driven. In fact, it originally carried stand-by sails in case the 225 horsepower triple expansion steam engine failed.

There were two guest staterooms aft of the 8 by 12 foot teak and white mahogany paneled dining room, and an owner’s stateroom in the stern that had its own fireplace. It could sleep 22, a dozen plus the crew who lived in the bow. Messages were sent with bells and speaking tubes, and with a full load of fuel, 36 tons of coal, it could go almost 3,000 miles at its hull speed of 13.4 knots, or 15.4 mph.

Looking at the interior photos, one can visualize why Chester Thorne bought it. It is finished out very much in the same style and age as Thornewood Castle.

Portions of the above are excerpts from the article published by the The Northern Light Newspaper for Blaine and Birch Bay WA: “Stalwart ship sails on through the years," By Jack Kinter."

909 N Tomahawk Island Dr
Suite 104
Portland, OR 97217 United States
Toll-free
Tel
Email Us