The former "largest fiberglass yacht ever built" visits the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.
NEWPORT BEACH - Once confused with John Wayne's yacht, Wild Goose, Silverado, formerly known as the "largest fiberglass yacht ever built," was recently anchored for a short time at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.
Built in 1974 by Willard Boat Works for chocolate authority Harry See, her 5-mile, 3 1/2-hour drive to Lido Shipyard from Costa Mesa is just as impressive as her sheer size.
With a police escort in tow, San Diego Boat Movers towed the boat across land, successfully navigating the vessel to her destination despite a flat tire, morning traffic, lightpoles and power lines raised especially for the yacht. At the entrance to Lido Shipyard, a small booth had to be moved by forklift for the yacht to pass.
Most surprising about the journey is that many of the launching crew were on the boat while she was being moved across land - taking pictures, sitting on the bow and holding up electric wire.
"She's quite the ship," said Tom Allen, former project manager of Silverado and later her captain under owner Max Wyman.
"It was a tremendous project," Allen said. "It (the boat's construction) took about three years to complete."
Silverado has a six-person full-time crew, personal chef, galley, five staterooms and her most prominent feature - a dining table with seating over a glass bottom. Operating expenses are roughly $600,000 to $700,000 a year, mostly for maintenance and crew. Silverado has also played host to prominent American figures, like President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy.
"If you were to build (her) today, she would cost $20 million to $30 million," said Capt. Steve Rieheman, who has been Silverado's captain for 5 1/2 years. At the time she was constructed, Silverado cost $2 million, according to Rieheman.
Today, Silverado travels four to five months of the year up and down the West Coast, spending most summers in Alaska fishing and most winters in Mexico with her owners - a group of California and Nevada businessmen.
Silverado will be guest docking at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum through the first part of June before heading up to Alaska for the summer.