| Maid Marian II was built in 1929-30 at the New York
Launch and Engine Company in Morris Heights. She was originally christened
“Cleopatra” and launched into the Hudson River November 1931. Her commissioner
was a Mr. Baldridge who at the time of her launch was living with his family in Atlantic
City N.J. Shortly after her launch he commissioned a much larger vessel and sold Cleopatra
to Mrs. Ruth Nash Bliss in 1933. Mrs. Bliss changed the vessel name to Maid Marian II (her
brother had a vessel named Maid Marian). For the next 40 years she traveled around The
Hudson River and the Great Lakes of North America on her own yacht. The vessel was called into service during World War II as a coast guard vessel patrolling Americas East Coast. When Miss Nash retired to Florida after the war, she decided to live onboard her dream boat until the early 1990’s when her health dictated she move ashore. In the early 1990's Mrs. Nash Bliss put her up for sale, as both she and her Maid Marian II were getting on in years. Because of the style, history and charisma of Maid Marian II, she caught the eye of founder and chairman of Amanresorts Adrian Zecha. He and three Indonesian based investors purchased the vessel, had it shipped to Singapore and Amancruises delivered it to Phuket. The vessel was available for guests staying at Amanpuri and was used as the back up vessel in the movies “Cut Throat Island” and “The Phantom”. The vessel was sold to Peter Emblin and David Cole, long term Thailand residents who lovingly restored her to her former glory days. They sold it in 2002 to a Thai based heritage company called ‘Ship Classic Thailand’ who have stripped her of all varnish, purchased new tenders, decked the entire interiors in teak and fitted the galley to commercial restaurant specifications. She is again available for guests staying at the Amanpuri and cruises the best destinations in the Andaman Sea. She is suited to two to five day adventures around the islands near Phuket. Ideally suited to families, eight overnight guests or 30 passengers for day trips she is truly the most classic motor yacht in The Far East. |
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