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Mark Grosvenor relied on his and his dad’s bluewater experience in building his salty, 96-foot Doggersbank Offshore motor yacht.
by Bill Ando
photography by Pamela Jones (Interior) & Stephane Bravin (Exterior)
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01/01/2005
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| Bloemsma & Van Breemen |  |
Grosvenor values his crew, so
he saw that their quarters were finished to the same standards as his own
stateroom. Dry storage is located under the sole, where a pair of
refrigerator/freezers and plastic storage trays, kept in place by fiddle boards,
keep stores to feed 10 people for three months – much more time than Patriot’s
5,000-mile-range at nine knots will keep her at sea. Equally important is a
“cellar” under the waterline to keep vintage wines cool.
The wheelhouse was
lengthened by 14 inches from the original Vripack design, displacing a bench on
the Portuguese bridge. The observer’s table – a work of art trimmed in teak and
black walnut inlaid with rosewood continents and maple oceans – was raised to
accommodate book storage below. The dayhead was relocated from the wheelhouse to
the galley, making room for a navigation table.
Patriot’s crew consists of
Capt. Ron LePard and his wife, Monica, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef. Despite
Monica’s credentials, there are times she gets to rest. “My wife likes to cook,”
Grosvenor says. “Occasionally we’ll have a family evening and she’ll cook in the
main galley.” The galley’s large windows give it an open feel and there is ample
space for two chefs. Elegantly curved sliding doors close it off from the dining
room.
The salon and dining area are divided by a hand-built, 1:75-scale model
of Soleil Royal, a 17th century French battleship. It was a gift to Grosvenor, a
major philanthropist, who received it from a Philippine-based children’s charity
to which he had made a large donation. Grosvenor is also chairman of the
International SeaKeepers Society.
Other ornamental items aboard Patriot
include a walrus tusk on the salon wall that Grosvenor picked up in a Parisian
flea market. It is engraved with elaborate scrimshaw depicting the story of the
whaler Catalpa, which clandestinely rescued political prisoners from Australia
in 1875. “We pick up one-of-a-kind items from our travels, so the collection
will grow during our cruising,” he says.
While the interior is an elegant
personal statement, the flybridge quietly hints at Grosvenor’s love of the
outdoors. Two Nautica tenders and a pair of WaveRunners are stored alongside the
hot tub, granite-topped barbecue and wet bar. The crane tucks away in its own
garage behind the hot tub. It also holds up the center of the sun awning that
streams from the radar arch, creating a “big top” effect.
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