NAHLIN is one of the last three large steam yachts to be constructed in the UK. Built for Lady Yule [Annie Henrietta] a jute millionairess and widow the NAHLIN carried a crew of 58. Her first appearance was at Cowes Week, August 1930. She had been designed by G.L. Watson & Company and built by John Brown & Company of Glasgow.
The vessel was originally furnished with six en-suite staterooms for guests, ladies sitting room with sea views on three sides and a library.
In 1936 NAHLIN was chartered by the "Duke of Lancaster" who was actually King Edward VIII and used by him in the company of Mrs. Wallace Simpson during their love affair.
NAHLIN was purchased by the Romanian government in 1937 for the sum of £120,000
. The yacht was renamed LUCEAFARUL [The Evening Star] by King Carol who also had the vessel's gymnasium replaced by a stateroom. Following King Carol's abdication she remained the property of the Romanian Government and survived the years of Communist rule serving as a passenger ship and latterly as a restaurant on the River Danube. She was renamed LIBERTATEA [Freedom] in 1948.In the latter part of 1999 the yacht was shipped to the UK aboard the Dockwise Heavy Lift Ship SWIFT.
When LIBERTATEA arrived in the UK she was laid up at DML's Devonport Dockyard and remained there until the end of April 2000. She was brought to Liverpool and arrived on May 3, 2003 being berthed at the then Cammell Laird owned Clarence Dry Docks adjacent to Stanley Dock where she was expected to undergo the initial phase of what was expected to be a $35million dollar restoration.
In October 2000 G.L. Watson & Company the yacht's original designers were appointed as special consultants to the restoration being supervised by Yachtworks Ltd.
LIBERTATEA was removed from the Clarence Dry Docks around July 23, 2001 to a berth elsewhere in the Liverpool dock system. Since her arrival G.L. Watson's sister company, Yachtworks, have removed over 450 tones of asbestos insulation, heavy fuel oil and debris and the interior surveyed.
The ship has now regained her original name NAHLIN and port of registry - Glasgow.
