Stephen & Sons Eileen II Overview
Eileen II was launched as Albin in 1934, at the end of the "golden age" of classic yachts. In those days Scotland and especially the Clyde were world leaders in yacht design and construction, and there would have been few designers with a better reputation than Alfred Milne, a pupil of the famous G. L. Watson. An Albin of his design was commissioned by the Glasgow tobacco magnate Robert French, the leading yachtsman of the day. In 1947 the yacht was bought by the wife of Italian publisher Feltrinelli and renamed Gialese. The Feltrinelli family kept the boat until her death in 1983, after which they sold her through a Sotheby's auction. The new owner restored her to her original condition and in 1987 she won the Best Matching Award for the original boat, due to her original interior and deck detailing that had been preserved. In the summer of 1993, she was bought by Erling Storm from Norway and relocated to Oslo. Today, Eileen II is one of the most beautiful classic sailing yachts in the world. There are only two or three yachts her size in Northern Europe, and in Norway she is unique. The construction of the yacht is largely traditional: she has teak cladding on a steel set, the teak boards are fastened to the set with bronze bolts. The yacht is currently for sale at €1,750,000.