Maid Marian II was launched in 1931 at New
York's Launch and Engine Company, Morris Heights. Maid Marian II, or Cleopatra, as she was originally
named has had a long and stable life having only 2 owners in her entire life before arriving in Asia.
Her commissioner was a Mr. Baldridge who at the time of her launch was living with his family in Atlantic
City N.J. Shortly after her launch he commissioned a much larger vessel and sold Cleopatra to Mrs. Ruth
Nash Bliss in 1933. Mrs. Bliss changed her name to Maid Marian II (her brother had a vessel named Maid
Marian). For the next 40 years she traveled around The Hudson River and the Great Lakes of North America.
Apparently she was called into service during the war as a coast guard vessel along Americas East Coast.
When Miss Nash retired to Florida that became her new home until the 1990's.
A major refit was undertaken around this time and it was then that she received her faster more
"modern" look, particularly around the front salon and bridge areas.
In the early 1990's Mrs. Nash Bliss put her up for sale, as both she and Maid Marian II were getting on
in years. Maid Marian II was bought by a group of Asian investors and brought by container ship to
Singapore. Then motored to Phuket, Thailand.
Maid Marian II was then all but abandoned on a mud flat at the north of Phuket Island. Her days of glory
seemed all but over and a piece of history looked set to disappear.
However, with the help of local
craftsmen and women, tonnes of new wood, gallons of paint and varnish, all new wiring, plumbing, air
conditioning, galleys and on and on (not to mention cash) Maid Marian II is now renewed and motoring
happily around her new tropical home.
She motors regularly around the environs of Phuket, and as far a field as Langkawi and Singapore.
Ideally she is suited
to two to three day
adventures around the islands near Phuket. Due to her fully self contained nature a group of friends,
up to eight overnight or 30 for a day trip, can enjoy parts of Thailand that are generally out of reach
of most visitors.
Maid Marian has not been rebuilt as an accurate reconstruction of a 1930's vessel but more as a gentile
comfortable climate appropriate luxury ship that reflects days gone bye. |
Lower deck guest accommodation consists of 2 suites with their own bathrooms and 2 double
bed guest cabins with one shared bathroom.
On the upper deck are a salon / entertainment room, library, dining room and large aft deck with access
to the roof top sun deck. There is also one guest bathroom and galley. Outside showers are installed on
both sides of the boat. The bridge and Captains bed and work area are also accessible from this deck.
The front lower deck area accommodates up to 8 crew comfortably as well as housing the main galley,
engine room and other functional areas of the vessel. Maid Marian's crew is a Captain, engineer, cook,
tender driver, two deck hands, one cabin boy and a hostess. |
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