History Articles
The historic 71.5-metre classic superyacht Argosy has been ushered to a distinguished new chapter in her journey. The vessel made its way to Feadship’s renowned facility in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands, for a grand, three-year rebuild project. The redelivery has been scheduled for September 2028, and is eagerly awaited by maritime enthusiasts around the globe.
In the thick of the Second World War, while Britain bravely held off enemy invasions, a dire threat arose. Convoys of ships bringing essential supplies were falling prey to deadly torpedoes from German E-Boats. Enter Hubert Scott-Paine, a former powerboat racer and founder of the British Powerboat Company armed with an ingenious solution — the Motor Gun Boat 81.
This 70ft high-performance gun boat was equipped with a wooden hull designed for planing and three powerful Packard 1,250hp petrol engines. The result was a craft capable of an incredible 40 knots — a speed unheard of for boats of its size even in today’s standards, let alone nearly a century ago. For armament, it sported a two-pounder gun capable of firing over 100 rounds a minute at a range of over two miles, and depth charges that could strike underwater foes.