She was conceived in the mind of an American philanthropist as the embodiment of his lifetime quest for the perfect schooner yacht. She was launched in a shipyard in Kiel, Germany, owned by the controversial Krupp family. She became embroiled in a monumental scandal involving the mishandling of construction contracts for Pearl HarborÕs defence. She starred in the Cinerama movie ÒSouth Seas AdventureÓ. She spent decades as a floating school for oceanography and high school students. She was owned by food magnate Calisto Tanzi and was embroiled in ParmalatÕs scandal that shook Europe and the financial world.
This is the story of a great classic ship admired for her beauty, elegance and speed, of the events that marked her unusually rich history and unique destiny, of the near disasters that befell her, of the numerous lives she touched in so many ways.