Historical Yachts

Research

Research beyond the archive.

Independent historical research for owners, buyers, brokers, shipyards, family offices and institutions.

Historical Yachts documents the history, ownership, provenance, design and restoration of significant yachts. The public archive is free and stays free.

Commissioned work goes further: it is prepared for one vessel and one purpose, built from archives and registries rather than repeated accounts, and it states plainly what the record does not support.

Research products

01

Provenance Review

Concise historical due diligence for a single yacht.

From EUR 1,250

Starting price, subject to research scope. Archive access and external research costs are quoted separately.

Request a Provenance Review

A short, source-referenced review of what the record currently supports about a vessel: its original identity, its builder and designer, the ownership chronology that is publicly documented, and the points where the history is unclear.

Included

  • Original identity and known former names
  • Builder and designer history
  • Ownership chronology where publicly documented
  • Major refit and restoration timeline
  • Archive and registry source review
  • Conflicts, gaps and unverified claims

Deliverable Concise PDF research file.

02

Full Provenance File

For owners, buyers, family offices, advisors and institutions.

From EUR 3,500

Starting price, subject to research scope. Foreign-language archives, institutional access and image rights are quoted separately.

Commission a Full Provenance File

The extended documentary file: an expanded ownership chronology and registry trail, the yard and design context behind the vessel, the rebuilds that changed her, and a structured appendix showing where each statement comes from.

Included

  • Expanded ownership chronology
  • Previous names and registry trail
  • Major refits and rebuilds
  • Builder, designer and yard context
  • Historic photographs and source references where rights permit
  • Significant events and published references
  • Unresolved provenance questions
  • Structured source appendix

Deliverable Detailed PDF report with source appendix.

03

Listing Research Pack

For brokers, shipyards, owners and marketing teams.

From EUR 1,500

Starting price, subject to research scope, vessel age, archive availability and turnaround.

Request Listing Research

A fact-checked history prepared for publication: what the record supports, phrased so it can be used in listing copy, press material, sales books and show presentations — with a source sheet behind every line.

Included

  • Concise verified yacht history
  • Original build context
  • Builder and designer background
  • Ownership and name changes where publishable
  • Restoration and refit chronology
  • Fact-checked timeline for listing copy, press releases, sales books and show material
  • Source sheet

Deliverable PDF pack and a plain-text fact sheet for copywriting.

04

Owner Legacy Book

A private historical book documenting one yacht for an owner or family.

Bespoke

Scoped individually. Editorial production, photography, printing and specialist archive fees are quoted separately.

Discuss a Legacy Book

A long-form volume covering the vessel from construction to present stewardship: archive research, ownership narrative, restoration history, interviews, photography planning and source curation, structured for print.

Included

  • Archive research and source curation
  • Ownership narrative
  • Construction and design story
  • Restoration chronology
  • Interviews where commissioned
  • Photography planning
  • Print-ready editorial structure
  • Bibliography and references

Deliverable Print-ready editorial manuscript; print production quoted separately.

At a glance

Comparison of research products, audiences, deliverables and starting prices
ProductPrepared forDeliverableFrom
Provenance ReviewConcise historical due diligence for a single yacht.Concise PDF research file.From EUR 1,250
Full Provenance FileFor owners, buyers, family offices, advisors and institutions.Detailed PDF report with source appendix.From EUR 3,500
Listing Research PackFor brokers, shipyards, owners and marketing teams.PDF pack and a plain-text fact sheet for copywriting.From EUR 1,500
Owner Legacy BookA private historical book documenting one yacht for an owner or family.Print-ready editorial manuscript; print production quoted separately.Bespoke

Displayed figures are starting prices and are subject to research scope. Final scope and fee depend on vessel history, archive availability, languages, source access and research depth.

How findings are classified

Documented fact
Supported by a primary or archival source that is named and locatable.
Reported claim
Published or widely repeated, but without a primary source behind it.
Conflicting source
Two or more records disagree; both readings are given with their origin.
Unverified detail
Plausible but unsupported at the time of writing, and marked as such.
Source citation
Every statement carries its reference, including the archive or collection.
Read the full methodology

What commissioned research is not

  • Not a technical survey
  • Not a legal opinion
  • Not a title guarantee
  • Not a valuation certificate

Historical Yachts is an independent editorial and research project. Commissioned research does not imply brokerage representation of seller or buyer, and cannot guarantee the completeness of third-party archives on which any historical record depends.

Research enquiry

Describe the vessel and what the research needs to establish. Enquiries are answered in writing, with a scope and a fixed quotation before any work begins.

Information submitted here is used only to respond to your enquiry.