Elizabeth Tiedemann

As seen in Coastal Living magazine
Elizabeth Tiedemann promises her fortunate clients luxurious, smooth-sailing adventures. As the owner of Seascope Yachts in Newport, Rhode Island, she rescues, restores, and charters what she calls "wooden boats with good pedigrees." Elizabeth's late husband, Bob, founded Seascope after restoring Gleam, a vintage sloop, in the 1970s. Later, Elizabeth joined him as a business partner: "Bob kept (the boats) running, and I did the Sales and Marketing," she says. She honors his memory today by serving a growing clientele.

The Fleet: "We have six (boats) including Fawan, a 40-foot, glass-cabin launch built for John Jacob Astor in 1911. Gleam and Northern Light are America's Cup 12-meter-class boats. The others are Mariner, an Alden yawl, from the '50s; Pam, designed for Hiram Walker Distillers in 1921; and the 1918 high-speed cruiser L'Allegro."

Come Aboard: "People step back in time, because the boats all sail as they did in the '20s and '30s. The usual comment is, "Wow, that was amazing!"

Up next? "When and if we have $1.4 million and the time, L'Allegro would be the next restoration. We have the talent in our 15-person crew."

The Future: Seascope will continue to offer custom voyages on the waters off Newport and along the New England coast for groups from two to 500.

Featured in the April 2007 issue.