The steam yacht Vanessa in coastal waters

Designed by the great G.L. Watson and built by Ramage & Ferguson at Leith in 1899, Vanessa was launched as the Golden Eagle. A steel screw schooner of 356 tons gross (159 net), she measured 159 feet in length with a 25 foot beam and was powered by her builder's own triple-expansion 3-cylinder engine of 106ngp. By 1914 and by then named Vanessa, she was owned by Mr. A. Salvin Bowlby of Gilston Park, Harlow, Essex who immediately offered her for government use when the Great War broke out. Hired as an auxiliary patrol yacht on 15th October 1914 and armed with 2-6pdr. guns, she served throughout the War - latterly as Vanessa II when the destroyer Vanessa was ordered in 1917 - being released back to her owner in March 1919. In 1939, by which time she had reverted to her original name of Golden Eagle, she was again requisitioned for war service as an anti-submarine patrol vessel although her name was changed to Carina to avoid confusion with the popular paddle steamer Golden Eagle, also on wartime duties. Released in 1946, Golden Eagle survived into the 1960's even though after 1948, when her engines were removed, she became a pure sailing vessel.