Consolidated Yachts is a former shipbuilder and () present-day marine service company located on City Island in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

History

The company was founded as the Gas Engine and Power Company & Charles L. Seabury Company in 1896 after the merger of the Charles L. Seabury Company (founded in 1885 in

Nyack, New York Nyack () is a Village (New York), village primarily located in the Town (New York), town of Orangetown, New York, Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, United States. Incorporated in 1872, a small western section of the village lies in Clarkst ...

) and the Gas Engine & Power Company (founded about the same time in

Morris Heights, Bronx Morris Heights is a residential neighborhood located in the West Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: West Burnside Avenue to the north, Jerome Avenue to the east, the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the south, a ...

). Seabury was famous for its

steam yacht A steam yacht is a class of luxury or commercial yacht with primary or secondary steam propulsion in addition to the sails usually carried by yachts. Origin of the name The English steamboat entrepreneur George Dodd (1783–1827) used the term ...

s; the Gas Engine & Power Company's primary focus was on

naptha Naphtha (, recorded as less common or nonstandard in all dictionaries: ) is a flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture. Generally, it is a fraction of crude oil, but it can also be produced from natural-gas condensates, petroleum distillates, and ...

-powered launches. Among other products, the combined company manufactured

express cruiser An express cruiser is a fast cruising power boat. It is similar to a cabin cruiser, with a full head, galley, and sleeping space with two to six berths, distinguished from it by being more heavily powered and designed for speed. Express cruisers r ...

s, runabouts,

yacht tender A yacht tender is a vessel used for servicing and providing support and entertainment to a private or charter yacht. They include utilitarian craft, powered by oar or outboard motor, and high-speed luxury craft, supporting superyachts, powered by ...

gas engines A gas engine is an internal combustion engine that runs on a fuel gas (a gaseous fuel), such as coal gas, producer gas, biogas, landfill gas, natural gas or hydrogen. In the United Kingdom and British English-speaking countries, the term is ...

and alcohol

range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...

s under the Speedway brand. The manufacturing facility in Morris Heights was referred to as the Speedway Shipyard, and it stood along Mathewson Road, near what is today the location of

Roberto Clemente State Park Roberto Clemente State Park is a state park in Morris Heights, Bronx, New York City. The park is adjacent to the Harlem River, the Major Deegan Expressway ( Interstate 87), and the Morris Heights station on Metro-North's Hudson Line. Hist ...

. On July 16, 1908 Charles L. Seabury & Co's shipyard launched the "largest

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

in the world driven by motor power ... in the presence of its owner Charles Henry Fletcher". She was 111 feet over all, with a 21-foot beam, and 260 horse power and an engineering feat for luxury yachts of the time. After the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

the company

rebranded Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors ...

itself as Consolidated Shipbuilding. It was heavily involved in the production of small yachts and military vessels, employing as many as 3,000 skilled tradespeople to that end. Upon the conclusion of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the company moved from Morris Heights to the former Robert Jacobs shipyard on City Island, and it continued to build ships until 1958. File:GEPC Launch Advert.gif, Advertisement for naptha-powered launches in the 1891 American Yacht List File:Jemima F III (3) yacht.jpeg, The Jemima F., III, built by Charles L Seabury Co. File:Sanborn V. 13 Plate 08 publ. 1900.jpg, Map of the Charles L. Seabury Company facilities in Morris Heights, Bronx

Yachts built

** SY 'Kanahwa' (1899) 475 ton luxury steam yacht for John P. Duncan converted in 1917 to create USS PiquaThe Steam Yachts by Erik Hofman ISBN 0-8286-0040-6

World War II shipbuilding

* tugboats ** , , , ** YT-364 ... YT-367, YT-388 ... YT-393, YT-520, YT-532 ... YT-545 ** DPC-81 ... DPC-92, ST-752 ... ST-757, ST-769, ST-771 * 51 of 343 s ** ... , , ** ... , ... ** ... , , ** ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Consolidated Yachts Defunct shipbuilding companies of the United States Defunct manufacturing companies based in New York City Companies based in the Bronx Manufacturing companies established in 1908 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1958 1908 establishments in New York City 1958 disestablishments in New York (state) Defunct companies based in New York City Morris Heights, Bronx City Island, Bronx Harlem River American companies established in 1908 American companies disestablished in 1958 Yachting in New York City