Steam yacht Delphine is up for auction

On February 5, an auction will take place in France for the SS Delphine—a renowned vintage yacht notable for still being powered by its original steam engines, which have been preserved since its launch. The auction is being held due to a legal dispute, with the starting price for this historic lot set at just €500,000.

Delphine is a 257-foot (78 m) four-deck steam yacht, built in 1921 for Horace Dodge Sr., co-founder of the Dodge Brothers Automobile Company, and named after his daughter. The yacht's marine architecture and exterior design were crafted by Henry J. Gielow, while the interior design was handled by Tiffany's of New York.

Delphine is equipped with two quadruple-expansion steam engines, each generating 1,500 horsepower. These unique engines, designed by Dodge himself, continue to operate today. During the 2003 renovation, the engine room was updated, replacing the original Babcock & Wilcox steam boilers with two modern water-tube boilers. The yacht's steam engines operate at low RPMs of just 150, significantly lower than contemporary marine engines. Delphine achieves a cruising speed of 9 knots (about 17 km/h) and has a range of approximately 2,500 nautical miles. Its maximum speed reaches 15 knots (about 28 km/h).

During World War II, Delphine, under the name of USS Dauntless served as the flagship of Admiral Ernest King, commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Reports indicate that a secret meeting took place aboard the yacht between U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Russian Ambassador Molotov.

Post-war, Delphine served as a training vessel at the Lundenburg School of Seamanship in Maryland. Over the next 18 years, the yacht changed hands several times and, at one point, was nearly scrapped.

In 2003, Delphine underwent a major restoration costing €45 million, after which Monaco's Princess Stéphanie rechristened the yacht. Today, Delphine is renowned as a sought-after charter yacht sailing under the Portuguese flag. During the Monaco Grand Prix, the yacht hosts parties and receptions featuring Formula 1 stars.

Delphine accommodates up to 26 guests in 11 cabins, each with an en-suite bathroom. The owner's suite measures 7.6 by 7.6 meters, while guest cabins are 4.3 by 4.3 meters. The yacht also features a swimming pool, massage room, spa, gourmet kitchen, a small infirmary, and approximately 280 square meters of deck space. Once home to a grand organ, the space now features a piano.

The yacht has a beam of 11 meters and a draft of 6.6 meters.