One more thing Mark.... I do own the BCC 40 Molds......Big boat. yep.... Probably as much room as a 52 footer inside.... Got a spare million? Bob
From: ocean37@hotmail.com> To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 05:47:01 +0000> Subject: Re: M_Boats: Our Lapstrake heritage> > > Hi Mark..> > I still want to see your Flush Deck 17 when I get a chance...> > Some trivia for us Lyle Hess buffs..........> > The BCC28 and Falmouth Cutter 22 were smooth hulls. I was there when Lyle and Ernie Gyrie were> long boarding the 22 plug. I watched them lay up the first Nor'Sea 22. (which is what the first 10 or so > boats were called back in 1978-79)> > Previously Sam and Betty Morse hired my friend Bruce Meyers, the inventor of the Dune Buggy in the > 1960s...(now 82 years old; I attended a recent birthday party at his shop) Bruce will tell you he made> and lost 6 million dollars back in the late 60s....hahaha. but he was a master mold maker...not as good as> Jerry Montgomery, but close.. Bruce tooled the SamMorseCompany BCC 28 for Sam.> > When Heritage Marine sold the Nor'Sea 27 and Nor'Sea 22 at auction, Sam, Lyle and I went together.> > I bought the Nor'Sea molds and tooling and Sam agreed to buy the Nor'Sea 22 molds. Sam changed the name> to the Falmouth 22. This was in April 1980. > > Bruce Meyers tooled my Nor'Sea 37 for me in the late 80s. (bad back and all......) Lyle drew the lines> on the plywood floor we built for the stations......> > Sam ran out of work in 1992-93 and sold the company to George Hickama..(sp?) George had it for about> 2 months and ran out of money and took Roger Olsen in as a half owner. Roger moved George out a couple of months later. Tom and Dick, the two craftsman who worked for Sam since the beginning stayed on with Roger.> > Sam passed away 6 months after retiring in 1993. (NEVER RETIRE. DIE AT WORK!)> > > They built boats up thru about 2002 when Dick retired and Sumio took over from Roger. Sumio was a Japanese investor who actually moved to California to promote a Japanese market for the BCC. But Japan went thru a large recession and that idea fell by the wayside. Sumio, while a nice guy, just couldn't speak enough english to sell anything. He built a few boats only.> > 2 (?) years ago at the Annapolis Boatshow, I was over at friends Bernie and Kate (of Roguewave Yacht sales) along with Sumio, friend and fellow wine drinker Bob Perry and several others including former Nor'Sea 27 owner> and new M_17 owner Joe Murphy. (Hi Joe)....It was apparent that Sumio was selling the Sam Morse Company and production would cease. A sad story. Roger Olsen was also at the boatshow promoting his book.....Roger told me> when he bought the Sam Morse Company, he had $200,000 in his savings account. When Sumio took over> (for money he had invested) Roger said he was broke but did get a new BCC 28 to take with him. > > Bernie had a beautiful BCC28 in the show that year. The lines were long. Nobody bought one. That about> ended the company for Sumio. No orders were forthcoming. > > Sumio wanted 50K for the molds and tooling.....I don't know if he got that but he did sell the 28 and 22 to> Cape George Cutter Marine Works in Port Townsend, Washington.> > At the end, Tommy (the other 28 year craftsman) retired as well. I doubt the market for a new BCC 28 or> BCC 22 exists anymore. To many man hours.> > But it was fun seeing Lyle with that longboard, his hair full of grey primer dust......his big smile.> > It didn't get much better than that for Lyle.> > Bob> > > > > > > > Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 12:51:16 -0700> From: m17flushdeck_amy@yahoo.com> To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Our Lapstrake heritage> > Hello> Both the Bristol Channel Cutter (28ft on deck) and the Falmouth Cutter (22ft on deck) > were Lapstrake Hull design boats, they were made of fiberglass just like the Montgomery boats.> I had the pleasure of touring the builders yard back in the early 90s. The construction and pride of> workmanship on these examples of Lyle Hess designs was exceptional.> They even had there own foundry to produce the bronze hardware used on the boats.> It has always been a dream to make one part of my life one day.> To bad Bob couldn't acquire the molds for these two fine designs when the manufacturer went belly up.> It would be truly awesome if the BCC were added to the Montgomery line, she would be the Grand Dame> of the design fleet.> > But I have to say that I'm very happy to be sailing a Lyle Hess hull design. It's comforting to know > Montgomery's have such a solid maritime heritage, we have much to be proud of.> > Mark Escovedo> M17F/D> #103> AMY> > > > > > > _______________________________________________> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats> _______________________________________________> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats