1926 Alfred E. Luders 82' Express Cruiser Previously; Amida & YP-146 (U.S. Navy)
1920's ad for Sterling Marine Engines. Denali was originally outfited with two Sterling Coast Guard engines. The US Navy re-powered Denali in the 1940's with twin Grays Marine Engines (Detroit 671's)
Luders Marine Construction Co., Stamford, Connecticut, ca. 1920's
Denali is an 85 Foot, Luders Express Cruiser constructed out of timber in 1926. She was designed by Alfred E. Luders and constructed at Luders Marine Construction Co. in Stamford, Connecticut in 1926 for Ernst R. Behrend of Erie, Pennsylvania (the same Behrend who owned Hammermill Paper Co. and who donated land to Penn State that is now 'Penn State Behrend Campus). Her hull is double planked with oak frames and teak deck. In 1942 she was bought by the US Navy, who replaced her twin Sterling gas engines with twin Grey Marine 6-71 diesel engines. Denali served as a US Navy Patrol Boat, YP-146 until 1946. Sources claim that Al Capone owned her at one time. She was owned by Mr. Lyman Farwell of Balboa, CA and was a fixture of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club where Humphrey Bogart enjoyed a night cap aboard Denali on occasion. Mr. Farwell's son, Jeff Farwell was best friends with a kid named David Fraser and the two boys spent many days and nights aboard Denali. David grew up to become one of the most renowned luxury yacht brokers in the world and started a company now known around the globe as Fraser Yachts.
Our immediate goal is to find a property to lease where we can haul Denali out of the water and begin the process of restoring her. During the restoration, we will begin the design of a new propulsion system powered by renewable energy technologies. Denali will become a research vessel to test prototypes of zero-net energy technology that will power subsequent versions of Z-NEV, Zero-Net Energy Vessel. Financial contributions and donations of services and land are welcome.
Amida was built for Ernst Behrend of Erie, Pennsylvania. Behrend co-founded Hammermill Paper Co. Behrend later donated the land to Penn State.
"I am very excited about the Z-NEV and I look forward to participating this project. I will be more than happy to provide my expertise in Computer Science to help develop research ideas, solutions, and writing grant proposals for the project. In addition, I also welcome the opportunity to initiate hands-on software projects for my CS capstone class (a senior course I teach at WSUV)."
- Xinghui Zhao Assistant Professor School of Engineering and Computer Science Washington State University Vancouver
"I really like the sound of what you're trying to do! It ties in very closely with my own thoughts and goals.
I feel that one of the major problems with our society today is that most people do not have a solid understanding of basic science and engineering. This has led to a society which does not appreciate how awesome some of today's innovations are (and consequently do not appreciate the scientists and engineers who drive those innovations). It also sadly leads to them to sometimes being taken advantage of by less scrupulous people who peddle impossible machine and devices. So anything that we can do to raise people's knowledge and understanding of STEM is definitely a good thing."
Robert A. Paxton, Ph.D. Associate Professor & Program Coordinator MMET Department at Oregon Institute of Technology Wilsonville
Denali (Amida) featured in a 1928 Sterling Engines advertisement (top left).
Denali's provenience. In this version, her original owner is not mentioned; Ernst Behrend. William N. Beach - bought "Amida" from Behrend and renamed her "Denali." Beach owned a cement company and was the author of "In the Shadow of Mount McKinley," published in 1931