Asking
€2,590,000

WEATHER BIRD Yacht for Sale

Length
101' 8" (31m)
Builder
Les Chantiers Navals de Normandie
Build
1931/2021
Guests
8
Cabins
4
Crew
5
Asking Price
€2,590,000

Not for sale or charter to U.S. residents while in U.S. waters.

The French two-masted Schooner WEATHER BIRD is not just a classic sailing yacht. This particular boat boasts an impressive career as one of the most historic sailing yachts to navigate the high seas. She measures 101’ (31m) in length and was built in 1931 by Chantier Navals de Normandie, her design overseen by Russian aristocrat Victor Orloff and Frenchman Henri Rambaud. WEATHER BIRD is the ideal yacht for adventurers and offers a platform for explorations. The yacht has received many updates and upgrades over the years, and in 2021 she saw a complete mechanical refit, overhaul and replacement of systems, leaving her in wonderful condition. 

WEATHER BIRD was commissioned for Sara and Gerald Murphy, a high-society American couple whose well-known families flourished in fortune. Gerald’s father founded the Mark Cross Company selling high-end leather goods, while Sara’s family was well-established in East Hampton and owned the famous 30-room mansion dubbed “The Dunes.” After settling on the French Riviera, the couple launched WEATHER BIRD, which served as inspiration for not only them but also an awe-inspiring record of artists that had ventured onboard. WEATHER BIRD has welcomed the likes of the most famous names in art, literature, music and poetry. Some of her most notable guests included Cole Porter, Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, Dorothy Parker and Pablo Picasso. Not to mention the Murphy’s good friends Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is rumored that Fitzgerald characterized the main characters in his novel Tender is the Night after the couple. 

The sailing yacht welcomes up to eight guests in four classic staterooms, and she also accommodates five crewmembers onboard. The master cabin features a large double berth, a vanity desk and excellent storage space. A double cabin and two cabins, both with two single bunks, complete the guest staterooms. 

All WEATHER BIRD’s interior spaces showcase the classic 30s styling and have been maintained since her build; it is like she has been frozen in time. The yacht’s main salon has a timeless, romantic feel with a beautiful contrast of dark and light woods, a flow of natural light and showcases a U-shaped seating area with a table, a bar area and storage spaces. Her exterior deck spaces are spacious and offer seating areas for guests to socialize and relax while admiring the passing landscapes. 

Highlights

  • A truly historic, famous classic sailing yacht
  • Seventeen month rebuild and refit completed 2021
  • Overhaul / replacement of all mechanical systems
  • New generators
  • Remarkable superyacht of her time
  • Gaff rig schooner

Amenities

  • Fishing Equipment
  • Personal Watercraft
  • Wi-Fi

WEATHER BIRD in the News

Specifications

Builder Les Chantiers Navals de Normandie
Model Custom
Length (LOA) 101' 8" (31m)
Year 1931
Year Refit 2021
Gross Tonn. 71
Draft 11' 5" (3.48m)
Beam 21' 3" (6.5m)
Location Athens, Greece

Accommodations

Staterooms 4
Twin Cabins 2
Double Cabins 2
Crew Sleeps 5

Dimensions & Capacity

LOA 101' 8" (31m)
LWL 58' (17.98m)
Max Draft 11' 5" (3.48m)
Fuel Tank 660 g (2,500 L)
Fresh Water 660 g (2,500 L)
Holding Tank 660 g (2,498 L)
Gross Tonn. 71

Construction

Hull Material Wood
Ext. Designer Victor Orloff
Max Speed 10 Knots
Cruising Speed 8 Knots
Have Questions?

Complete the form below and one of our experienced sales brokers will be in touch soon.

Full Details

Restoration / Refit

2021 Complete mechanical refit, overhaul and replacement of systems. New upgrades throughout over 12 months, including overhaul of engines and new generators.

2016

Rig refit; new rigging and electric/ electronic cables

2015

Rudder removed for check; bearings replaced

2011-2012 At Marmaris, Turkey

Making and fitting of new iron keel

Associated new galvanised and epoxy coated steel floors

Associated new keelbolts and fastenings

Other hull revision

Removal, cleaning and painting of bilge tanks

Plumbing inspection and electrical replacement

Engine room rationalisation and refit

2007-2008 At Marina di Scarlino, Italy

Plank replacement and refastening

Frame reinforcing

1997-1998 Major refit at Cantiere Navale dell’Argentario, Italyg

New teak deck

Some planking and fastening work

Restoration internal, including new furnishings, and external, including deckhouse

Revision of electrical and hydraulic systems, and sea valves

New stainless steel black and grey water tanks

Construction

Oak carvel planking on oak frame

Laid teak deck

Iron ballast keel

Deck Layout, Equipment And Ground Tackle

Varnished teak cap rail

White painted bulwark

Teak laid deck

Teak passerelle

Chromed fairleads on taffrail, port and starboard

Chromed mooring cleats port and starboard

Teak grating/ step

Ash and bronze running topmast backstay tackle

Giles style levers port and starboard for lower mast runners

Parat stainless steel winch on teak chock on aft deck

Wood mainsheet blocks

3 x Parat sheet winches on stainless steel plinth

2 x Teak and chromed bronze cleats

Panama fairleads port and starboard

Chromed cleats port and starboard

Ship’s wheel on aft bulkhead of engine room trunk cabin

Engine throttle control

Large chromed compass binnacle with steering compass

Aft trunk cabin

Port companionway to engine room

Starboard companionway houses ship’s isolator panels and navigation instruments

Large enclosed cockpit with seating fwd of aft trunk cabin

Cockpit table

Entrance to deck saloon

Deck saloon with ‘railway carriage’ style sliding windows

Varnished handrails port and starboard

Boarding ladder stowed starboard side

Spare passerelle stowed port side

3 x Winches at mast base

2 x Foresail sheets stainless steel winches at mast base on steel plinth

Pin rails mounted at shrouds port and starboard

Seating with storage under either side of main mast fwd of deck saloon

2 x Staysail sheet Parat winches on stainless steel plinths port and starboard

2 x Butterfly hatches – large dining table over first hatch

4 x Bronze fairlead port and starboard

Ventilators

Mushroom vents

2 x Chromed cowl ventilators on Dorade boxes

Liferafts port and starboard on teak chocks at base of foremast shrouds

Varnished wood boxes port and starboard for stowage

Foremast – single spreader

3 x Stainless steel winches at formast base

Staysail on boom – sheets via ash and bronze blocks

Raised sliding hatch over crew cabin

Table over fwd end of sliding hatch

Windlass with 2 x warping drums and 2 x capstans (power source 220V)

240m Stud link galvanised anchor chain

Raised foredeck ares with teak grating over anchor chain giving large bathing area

4 x Chromed fairleads, port and starboard

Bow roller each side of stem with two large c80kg Bruce anchor

Main mast - single spreader

Throat and peak tackle port and starboard

Bowsprit

Accommodation And Domestic Equipment

Owner's cabin to starboard

- Double doors

- Large double berth; drawers under

- Vanity desk

- Hanging locker

- Book case and lockers

- Butterfly hatches in deckhead

- 1 x Opening port

- 2 x Deckhead lights

- 3 x Bulkhead lights

Large en-suite

- Automatic toilet

- Ceramic basin; hot and cold tap

- Shower area

- Bidet

- 1 x Opening port

- 3 x Deckhead lights

 

Guests:

Double cabin to starboard

- Double berth; drawers under

- Bureau

- Banquette

- Hanging lockers

- 3 x Deckhead lights

- 3 x Bulkhead lights

- 2 x Opening ports

En suite WC compartment

- Manual toilet

- Ceramic sink; hot and cold tap

- Shower

- Opening port

- 4 x Deckhead lights

Guest cabin to port

- 2 x single bunks

- Hanging locker

- 1 x Opening port

- 3 x Bulkhead lights

- 1 x Deckhead light

Guest cabin to port opposite owner's cabin

- 2 x single bunks

- Hanging lockers

- Deep shelving

- 1 x Opening port

- 1 x Deckhead light

- 2 x Bulkhead lights

 

Crew:

Crew Accommodation Forward

- WC and shower to port

- Electrolux washer dryer to starboard

- Enclosed berth to port

- Crew mess area with seating on centreline

- Single berth to starboard

- 2 x further berths forward port and starboard

- Lockers

- 3 x Deckhead lights

- Sliding hatch in deckhead

- Ladder to foredeck

 

 

Captain's cabin to starboard

- 1 x Opening port

- Small bureau

- Hanging locker

 

Deck Saloon

- U-shaped seating area forward with table

- Bar area to starboard with large top loading fridge

- Much locker space; glass lockers

- Bureau to port; plate lockers

 

Galley:

- 5 x Burner hob and oven to starboard

- Electrolux dishwasher

- Panasonic microwave

- Many plate lockers

- Pot & amp; cutlery lockers

- 4 x Bulkhead fridges

- Icemaker

- Butterfly hatch in deckhead

- 1 x Opening port

- 4 x Deckhead lights

Rig, Spars, Sails And Canvaswork

Gaff schooner rig

Single spreader mainmast

Single spreader foremast

Boom crutch

Mainsail; topsail

Foresail; topsail

Fisherman

Staysail

Jib

Flying Jib

Boom sail covers for main, foresail and staysail

Awnings over main boom and fore boom

Mechanical Electrical And Tankage

Main engine

Cummins Mercruiser 300hp Diesel (Overhauled 2021)

Bow thruster (Overhauled 2021)

2 x Fischer Panda Generators (New 2021)

Battery chargers Overhauled 2021

Batteries: Lead batteries 1000AH 24 volts (2013) (tbc)

Inverters: Mastervolt 1500watts 24/220 volts (tbc)

Victron 1600 watts 24/220 volts (tbc)

Autoclave pumps: 2x 24 volts (tbc)

Reverse Osmosis Watermaker - ESSENTIAL 400 (New 2021)

Air Conditioning (New 2021)

Stainless steel tanks

Water (2500L)

Fuel (2500L)

Grey water (c100L)

Black water (c500L)

Navigation, Communications And Electronics

Sailor VHF

Lorenz GPS Plotter

Furuno radar

Simrad autopilot (tbc)

Hummingbird sonar

Safety

2 x Canister liferafts

Life ring and light

Fire extinguishers

Other Equipment

Cushions for bow grating and cockpit

Wooden chairs and deckchairs

1 x freezer 200vt

Sparkling watermaker

Other Equipment, Toys

Tender: Novurania 5.3m with 150 hp outboard

Tender: Novurania 4.2 m with 50 hp outboard

Waverunner

Water-skis

Kneeboard

Tubes

Banana

Canoe

Fishing equipment

Note: The company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, withdrawal without notice, and tax when applicable. 

How to Buy a Yacht Our experienced brokers will assist you throughout your yacht buying journey