Blue Guitar creates a stir wherever it goes
By Michael Turton
The rumor mill was abuzz on Sunday morning (Sept. 20) when the Village awoke to the sight of a beautiful yacht anchored off Dockside Park called Blue Guitar. A quick online search turned up sources that claim that the 103-foot vessel, which gives its home port as London and flies a British flag, is so-named because it’s owned by rock-and-blues guitar legend Eric Clapton.
Alas, while Clapton owns a yacht, at last report it was the 156-foot Va Bene, valued at about $60 million.
Still, Blue Guitar was impressive. Few who viewed the yacht, built in 1967 in Southampton, England, would have turned down the chance to be one of the seven guests it can accommodate, or even the five-person crew.
While walking along the river’s edge Sunday morning, over on the former DeLucia (Dockside) property we saw this magnificent boat, cruising past Cold Spring and were duly impressed. Tried to determine what nationality by the flag on the stern but couldn’t quite make it out. Now we know. Underwhelmed, whether Clapton (do like his music, though) or whomever is the owner, but it was still impressive. Used to see more of them years ago, especially at West Point on certain big football games.
Sorry to break the news, but Blue Guitar was never owned by Slowhand. (This same rumor is heard when Blue Guitar anchors in Annapolis.) Clapton owns the exquisite Va Bene super yacht which can be seen here: http://va-bene.rentabo.com/ and has been reported on and talked about extensively by press and Clapton himself, who personally designed much of the aesthetic redesign of the ship’s interior.