Argo: Welcome Aboard the Argo

The Ralph M. Parsons Company, Published [No date: circa 1970]. Wraps, staple bound, 37 pp.; 22 cm; illustrated with cartoon line drawings and ship deck plans. In Good condition. Blue illustrated wraps with a nautical signal-flag design, white shelf wear with some color loss along edges, spine, and rear cover. Covers detached from the staple binding; interior text block remains stapled and intact. Pages lightly toned but unmarked. Back cover "My Visit Aboard the Argo" page neatly completed in ink: April 18, 1970, Orange County, hosted by the Parsons company. Laid in: four black-and-white photographic postcards (two exterior views of the ship, two of the staterooms) in a partial envelope affixed to the inside rear cover; a folding map of Catalina Island; a folding sheet of the Argo's berth at Terminal Island; and a printed list of the guests aboard the voyage. A guest hospitality booklet issued to visitors aboard the M.Y. Argo, the 190-foot motor yacht of The Ralph M. Parsons Company, the Los Angeles engineering and construction firm. Built in 1950 at Welding Shipyards, Norfolk, Virginia, the vessel was christened Danginn for her first owner, shipping magnate Daniel K. Ludwig. The Parsons company acquired her in 1958, rechristened her Argo, and through the 1960s entertained some two thousand guests a year aboard, berthed at Terminal Island in Los Angeles harbor. The booklet sets out the ship's history, accommodations, statistics, and facilities, with deck plans and a glossary for landlubbers. The vessel survives today, much rebuilt, as the motor yacht Chrysalis. Contents: History; Why "Argo"?; Guest Accommodations; Party Facilities; Recreation Facilities; Food and Beverage Service; A Few Do's and Don'ts for a More Comfortable Voyage; Statistics; Crew; Cruising Range; Communication Facilities; Electricity; Emergency Equipment; Navigational Equipment; Laundry; Galley; Fresh Water Supply; Launches; Flags; Masts; Berthing Facilities; Landlubbers Dictionary; Cabin and Deck Arrangement; My Visit Aboard the Argo; Autographs. …