Luken yacht may end up parked near downtown. Click to enlarge.
photo by John Wilson
One of the South's largest yachts is set to become a fixture of downtown Chattanooga.
Local businessman Henry Luken said he has bought the former Lyle Finley home on Battery Place and plans to build a deluxe-size dock for his 157-foot yacht on the Tennessee River below the house.
Mr. Luken said the yacht "is effectively 160 feet and there needs to be room for the rope, so the dock needs to be 180 feet long." He said it will extend 50 feet out into the river at its location near Maclellan Island and the Veterans Bridge.
He said his attorney is currently going through the permitting process with TVA and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Mr. Luken said the dock should not be a problem for his neighbors on Battery Place, saying they could not see it unless they go to the edge of the cliff.
Mr. Luken said he will repair some steps leading down from the Finley home to the river. There had been speculation the multi-millionaire would put in an elevator system to get down to the river.
Mr. Luken, who struck it rich in the phone business, said the big pleasure craft has proven to be popular already. "Tourists love it," he said.
The yacht is now afloat just above Chickamauga Dam in Lake Chickamauga. It looms on the horizon for those who drive by on Highway 153.
The yacht was built by the Christensen Shipyards Ltd. of Vancouver, Wash. Mr. Luken is one of the owners of Christiansen.
He said he has been in talks on acquiring some property at the former Combustion Engineering to bring some of the Christiansen boatbuilding operation here. He said no deal has been reached on that acquisition.
Phil Hackney, an official of the MarineMax firm operating the marina at Ross's Landing, said Mr. Luken has spoken with them about sometime docking his yacht at the "hard edge" at the landing.
He said that would be in the spot where the huge Delta Queen tied up earlier this summer.
Mr. Hackney said the landing is not yet equipped to provide the type of electrical needs a boat the size of the Luken yacht would require.
He said no boat is allowed to stay longer than 10 days at Ross's Landing.
Mr. Hackney said on a list of the largest pleasure boats, the Luken yacht comes in at the mid-70s. He noted that the owner of Domino's Pizza has one 236 feet long. He said that one is so big that it would not be able to navigate the Tennessee River at Chattanooga.
Mr. Hackney, whose firm said it is making strides in making downtown Chattanooga boater friendly, said Mr. Luken "loves to show off his boat."
Battery Place is located next to Bluff View - high above the Tennessee River.
TVA officials said they were not aware of a permit being applied for on the Luken dock.