Gas Engine and Power Company & Charles L. Seabury Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipbuilding, Marine services |
| Predecessor | Charles L. Seabury Company, Gas Engine & Power Company |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Headquarters | City Island, The Bronx, New York City , United States |
| Products | Yachts, naval vessels, gas engines, alcohol-fueled cooking ranges |
Number of employees | 3,000 (World War I era) |
Consolidated Yachts is a marine services firm formerly engaged in ship construction, headquartered on City Island within The Bronx, New York City.
History
The enterprise was established in 1896 through the amalgamation of the Charles L. Seabury Company, founded in 1885 in Nyack, New York, and the Gas Engine & Power Company, which began operations around the same period in Morris Heights, Bronx. While Seabury gained recognition for crafting steam yachts, Gas Engine & Power was distinguished for its production of naptha-powered launches. The unified company manufactured a range of vessels including express cruisers, runabouts, and yacht tenders, alongside gas engines and alcohol-fueled cooking ranges marketed under the Speedway label. Their shipyard at Morris Heights, known as Speedway Shipyard, was situated on Mathewson Road adjacent to the site now occupied by Roberto Clemente State Park.
On July 16, 1908, Charles L. Seabury & Co unveiled the Jemima F. III, a 111-foot motorized luxury yacht equipped with a 260-horsepower engine; at the time, it was recognized as the largest motor-driven yacht worldwide and represented a significant technological achievement.
Following World War I, the company adopted the name Consolidated Shipbuilding, shifting its focus toward constructing small yachts and naval vessels and employing as many as 3,000 workers with specialized skills. After World War II concluded, production was relocated from Morris Heights to the former Robert Jacobs shipyard on City Island, where shipbuilding activities persisted until 1958.
Yachts built
- The SY Kanahwa (1899), a 475-ton luxury steam yacht commissioned by John P. Duncan, was later transformed in 1917 into the naval vessel USS Piqua.
World War II shipbuilding
- Construction of tugboats including , , , and , as well as series YT-364 through YT-367, YT-388 to YT-393, YT-520, and YT-532 through YT-545.
- Production of submarine chasers: responsible for building 51 out of 343 s, encompassing vessels from to , , , among others up to PC-1559.