The Splendour: A Yacht's Journey And Legacy

The yacht Splendour was owned by actor Robert Wagner and his wife, actress Natalie Wood. The vessel was the scene of Wood's mysterious drowning in 1981, after a night of partying with Wagner and her Brainstorm co-star Christopher Walken. The 55-foot yacht was removed from Honolulu waters in 2020, having sat unused for over 20 years.

The Splendour was owned by actor Robert Wagner and his wife, actress Natalie Wood

The Splendour was a 55-foot yacht owned by actor Robert Wagner and his wife, actress Natalie Wood. The couple spent their 1981 Thanksgiving weekend on the yacht with Wood's "Brainstorm" co-star, actor Christopher Walken, and the yacht's captain, Dennis Davern.

Tragedy struck when Wood drowned in the waters off Catalina Island, near Santa Catalina, California, after a night of partying. Her death was initially ruled an accidental drowning, but conflicting witness statements from Wagner, Walken, and Davern led to an extensive investigation.

In 2011, 30 years after Wood's death, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reopened the case. Authorities now consider Wagner a person of interest.

The yacht, which was hauled from Honolulu waters in 2020, has changed owners several times since Wagner sold it in 1986. Ron Nelson, who bought the yacht from Wagner, claimed that Wood's spirit haunted the vessel and that he experienced several "supernatural" incidents on board.

The yacht was 55-foot long

The yacht, The Splendour, was 55-foot long and was owned by actor Robert Wagner and his wife, actress Natalie Wood. It was on this yacht that Wood spent her final moments before her mysterious drowning in 1981.

The yacht was bought by Ron Nelson in 1986, five years after Wood's death. Nelson spent 10 years restoring the boat, trying to keep the makeover as close to the original as possible. He retained the stateroom with the blue bed, which was dubbed 'Natalie's Room', and the tiles in the room. The initials 'WW' were still etched onto the captain's seat, just as they were when Wagner and Wood owned the boat.

Nelson bought the boat because of its history, and he said he had read 'pretty much every article ever written' about Wood's death. He also claimed that he had experienced supernatural incidents on the boat, including weird falls and feeling like something was sat on his bed.

The yacht was hauled from the Ala Wai Harbour in Honolulu in 2020, where it had been sitting unused and deteriorating for over 20 years.

The boat was docked in the harbour of Oahu in Hawaii

The vessel had been deteriorating for years, racking up unpaid mooring fees and was in danger of sinking. It was finally removed from Honolulu waters in 2020.

The yacht was bought by Ron Nelson in 1986, five years after Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner's wife, mysteriously drowned off the coast of Catalina Island. Nelson spent 10 years restoring the boat and said he was almost ready to begin chartering voyages.

Nelson kept many aspects of the boat the same, including the stateroom, which contains the same blue bed, dubbed 'Natalie's Room', and the tiles. The initials 'WW' are still etched onto the captain's seat.

Nelson said he bought the boat because of its history and had read almost every article about Wood's death. He also claimed that there had been a lot of strange things that had happened on the boat.

The vessel was sold to Ron Nelson in 1986

Nelson carried out small renovations before taking two friends on a trip to Catalina Island, where Wood died. He described the trip as a "last goodbye to Natalie". Afterwards, they made the two-week trip to Hawaii, where he spent 10 years restoring the boat.

Nelson tried to keep his makeover as close to the original as possible, keeping the stateroom with the blue bed, dubbed "Natalie's Room", and most of the tiles. He also kept the initials "WW" etched onto the captain's seat.

Nelson said the 60ft boat's history was one of the reasons why he bought it, and told Hawaii's KITV.com: "I have read pretty much every article ever written about her death."

The initials WW were etched onto the captain's seat

The Splendour was a 55-foot yacht owned by Hollywood couple Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood. Wood drowned in 1981 after a night of partying with Wagner and "Brainstorm" co-star Christopher Walken on the yacht, which was anchored off Santa Catalina Island.

The initials "WW" were etched onto the captain's seat of the Splendour, and they are believed to stand for "Walken, Natalie Wood", or "Wagner, Natalie Wood". The former is more likely, as it was etched during the time that Wagner owned the boat.

The yacht was bought by Ron Nelson in 1986, five years after Wood's mysterious death. Nelson kept the initials "WW" etched on the captain's seat as a tribute to the actress. He also kept the stateroom with the blue bed, which was dubbed "Natalie's Room".

Nelson carried out small renovations and took two friends on a trip to Catalina Island, where Wood died. He considered this a "last goodbye to Natalie".

Nelson spent 10 years restoring the boat and told Hawaii's KITV.com that he had read "pretty much every article ever written" about Wood's death. He also claimed that there had been a lot of strange things that have happened on the boat.

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