Historical Articles
From 1920s Luxury to Electric Engine: The Incredible Transformation of an Antique Teak Canal Cruiser
The saga of this remarkable narrowboat was born in the 1920s, a time when river and canal cruising were still rare indulgences. Charles Wadham Lyne, a vicar who incongruously hailed from a wealthy merchant family, discovered the joys of boating holidays while flicking through The Motor Boat magazine, a well-known periodical even in those early days of motorized nautical adventure.
As the vicar delved deeper into the world of boating, a parallel story unfolded in the life of Hugh Poths, another avid reader of The Motor Boat. Retiring from managing a rubber works company in Malaya, Poths arranged for a load of local teak to be sent back to England. His dream? To build his family a boat for cruising on their local rivers. Using his stock of teak from Malaya, Poths commissioned the construction of a boat designed for the delights and challenges of England’s winding waterways.
Alamshar, the imposing Devonport motor yacht, is now in the market at a substantially discounted rate. This unique yacht is a bastion of pedigree and prestige, originally built by her former owner, none other than the late Prince Karim Al-Husseini, also widely recognized as the Aga Khan IV. A spiritual guide and co-founder of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the Prince’s yacht was designed for ultimate luxury.
The 49.9-meter long vessel was delivered in 2014 as a marvel of modern engineering. She is the only yacht in the world powered entirely by gas turbine, capable of reaching speeds exceeding 45 knots. Built in aluminium and carbon fibre composite, her exterior bears the prestigious imprint of Donald L. Blount’s design and naval architecture.