It’s the silly season in American political discourse, and so it is that boat names became an issue in Connecticut’s race for governor.
Governor Dannel Molloy is a Democrat. The Challenger is Republican Tom Foley, who owns a Feadship motoryacht called Odalisque.
Here’s what the Washington Times newspaper wrote about a recent debate:
It took a nasty turn in response to a question about the names of their boats. Malloy once owned a boat named Sapphire and Foley owns a yacht named Odalisque, a word of Turkish origin for a concubine.
“If I had a boat named after a sex slave, I would have changed the name,” said Malloy, who made no fewer than four “sex slave” references and asked Foley how he, as a father, could give his boat such a name.
Foley said the name is a reference to several great works of art and, in the art world, the name means “a beautiful woman, a beautiful thing.” He also alleged that Malloy was behind on the taxes for his boat before he sold it off and ran for governor.
“At least I pay my bills,” Foley said.
According to the 40-Year-Plan Blog by Ken Krayeske, Foley has listed Odalisque for sale in January 2013. Foley is asking $5.9 million for the 1973 Feadship, a Cadillac among yachts. The boat was docked at Fort Laderdale at the time of the listing. Here’s what Krayeske wrote:
For the curious, the boat is docked in Fort Lauderdale right now. As has been discussed, it is flagged in the Marshall Islands, and so despite being in American waters, his crew is not subject to American labor laws. Registering the vessel offshore allows Foley, a Connecticut resident, to avoid paying personal property tax on Odalisque.
Here are specs on the boat from the BoatQuest.com website:
