Yacht catches fire in port

A YACHT IN FLAMES IN THE PORT OF GUSTAVIA O 04/29/2021

The Portola, a superb motor yacht dating from 1928, almost went up in flames in the port of Gustavia. Today, around 6.30 p.m., while the ship has been moored in front of the Harbor Master's Office for a few hours, thick smoke escapes from the chimney located at the stern. A handful of minutes later, flames erupt from the cabin. “Apparently everything started from the engine hold,” one explains to the Harbor Master's Office. Immediately alerted, the firefighters intervene. In two stages, they manage to contain the disaster. Passers-by are invited by the gendarmes to get away from the boat and the smoke that escapes from it. "It must be expensive for a boat like that, right?" », Asks a man while pulling on his cigarette. Little more than a dinghy, no doubt. All the more expensive since it has a history. He notably appears in the film "Some Like It Hot" with Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marylin Monroe. It was also owned by Errol Flynn. Anyway, his epitaph should not mention the port of Gustavia, thanks to the efficiency of the firefighters and the speed of the staff of the Harbor master's office.

Location is everything. The firefighters had accessibility, which enabled them to provide a better outcome than the last boat fire, which was in Colombier.

https://www.sbhonline.com/forums/showthread.php/100449

So glad this had a happy ending. I would love to see that yacht up close and in person. It looks beautiful!

I put the video on my facebook page. what a beautiful classic boat, so happy they saved it.

Sorry to see this but it looks like it was doused in time.

I love these old wood fantails from the '20s. Glad they put out the fire. Lots of work on restoration for the owner to come. Used to own a wood boat. So much more maintenance that my current plastic one. One day will probably go back and buy a wooden boat again to match our wooden house. But will need to be retired in order to have the time to do the maintenance.

Good to know that the gendarmes invited people to step away.

The yachts are beautiful! My father used to take me to the port to see the yachts. And the regatta is a separate kind of art. He always dreamed of buying his own. And recently I practically fulfilled his dream by contacting miami boat rentals. We found the yacht he dreamed of and I gave him an unforgettable weekend. We went sailing together and fished. I am so happy that I was able to fulfill my father's dream. I hope next year we will repeat it again and we will repeat it as often as possible.