At the turn of the century, brave men with greater than life personalities like Ernest Hemingway and matador Sidney Franklin, have cultivated the image of extreme mental and moral fortitude. These gents belonged to a generation that seemed to be constantly on a hunt for new adventures. They fought in dangerous wars, went on safaris, and crossed the ocean to look for wild escapades.

This was a time when courage was immeasurable, and bravery defined men. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean to fight against Nazis or run from bulls at the festival of San Fermin in Pamplona didn’t seem exceptional back then.

Fast-forward to 1989 - a year when courage was again brought to the spotlight with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the news of Tom Gentry shattering all speed records for his Atlantic crossing. The affluent real estate developer and offshore powerboat racer reached England's Bishop Rock after departing from New York, 62 hours and 7 minutes earlier. Exactly like Hemingway and so many brave men before him, Gentry fought off his own fears and the violent force of nature to do something extraordinary.

One would say that Gentry had the stuff legends are made of, and under normal circumstances, his 110-foot Gentry Eagle should have been preserved for generations to come.

But in a sad twist of fate, instead of finding "one of the world’s most famous, fastest and impressive vessels" in a museum or somewhere well-preserved, it ended up being destroyed at a scrapyard on May 11.

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A Brief History Of The Gentry Eagle And The Atlantic Crossing

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Via Auto Evolution

In 1989, Tom Gentry and a crew of five, including his son, Norman Gentry, embarked on the adventure of a lifetime when they decided to cross the Atlantic in a powerboat at record speed. Gentry’s team took the Blue Riband away from British mogul Richard Branson, who held the record since 1986 when he crossed the Atlantic in 80 hours and 31 minutes.

The 117-foot Gentry Eagle was manufactured at the Vosper Thornycroft shipyard in the United Kingdom. Peter Birkett was the naval architect behind this powerful boat. Meanwhile, Robin Rose & Associates designed the beautiful interior. They equipped the boat with two MTU / TEXTRON LYCOMING codog main engines, according to the Charter World. More importantly, the super boat generated a total power of 11560 HP and her total kilowatts were 8506. The maximum speed reached by Gentry Eagle was 64 knots.

In 1992, the owners transformed the Gentry Eagle into an elegant luxury yacht which could accommodate 6 guests and 4 crew members. The refurbishments transformed this legendary boat into a strategic luxury asset that should have ended in the private collection of a speedboat fanatic. The refined finishes, such as hardwood and genuine Italian leather, the beveled carpet and beautiful furniture reflected the grandeur of the interior design, while the amenities on the luxury yacht were also remarkable.

Some elements, like the seven black leather Recaro racing seats and several electronics, were preserved from the days when the yacht was a racing boat breaking global records.

Furthermore, the refurbishment added extra weight to the boat, but despite the changes, the yacht still reached the top speed of 63 knots (73 mph / 116.6 kph), since its propulsion system was retained-along with many features that had turned it into an icon.

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A New Age Of Luxury Yachts

Gentry-Eagle-being-demolished
Via Auto Evolution
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/record-breaking-11500hp-gentry-eagle-being-demolished-at-scrapyard-is-a-sad-sight-188792.html?utm_source=ae_self&utm_medium=ae_moreon&utm_campaign=ae_moreon_news_static#agal_3

Despite its remarkable past, the 117-foot Gentry Eagle didn’t find a new owner. In fact, even a sale that was considered by the Gentry Estate didn’t go through, leaving the Gentry with no other option than to dismantle the boat.

In an age of ultra luxury, when billionaires and millionaires chase mega yachts with state-of-the-art features and luxury amenities, the Gentry Eagle couldn’t replicate the nautical experience of these high-end mega boats. Gentry Eagle’s rooms were too small, and the boat couldn’t accommodate too many guests, while the bespoke finishes were still not up to the standards of the new elite class.

Just to put things into perspective, Jeff Bezos has comissioned in 2018 a gigantic sailing yacht that is currently constructed by Oceanco and will cost an estimated $500 million, according to Elite Traveler. The super yacht will feature three decks and high-end amenities, including a swimming pool, helipad, lounges, business areas, and a cinema, and will be able to host 18 guests, plus a crew of 40.

Basically, Bezos wanted not only the gigantic size for its mega-boat but also the most luxurious amenities on the planet. In fact, the yacht is so big that the 145-year-old Koningshaven Bridge in Rotterdam needs to be temporarily removed and replaced in order to get Bezos' mega-yacht out on the water. Needless to say that Rotterdammers are furious about the idea.