Bones, 39 +/-, and at least two lost (one recently in a hurricane in Grenada). There are always a few for sale if you know where to look. Try the Falmouth Home Page: http://homepage.mac.com/rwsailor/Menu4.html (scroll down for boats for sale). I was in the market for a Falmouth prior to purchasing my Flicka. I looked at about seven total, and the variation in condition and finish was astounding. As Bob mentioned, a good many were done as kit boats. A few I looked at were disasters. A couple others were real gems--probably even better than factory. The earlier Heritage-built hulls I saw did not seem to be quite the caliber of the later Sam Morse boats. Several had the small BMW diesels (now defunct, and hard to get parts for). Like any boat, there are problem areas. Many were delivered (or home-finished with) mahogany bulwarks and topside trim. These seem to rot and require replacement and/or repairs more frequently than those finished with teak. To truly trailer-sail one of these (I think transport is a more appropriate term), you have to have/get the extended/tall tabernacle to raise and lower the mast without hitting either the tall house or the forward scuttle. As for their being so pricey--it is all relative. When I was still looking, $25-30k would get you a nice example. Now, it is very unusual to find a decent FC for less than $45k ($50k seems more typical). This may sound like a lot of money, but you do get what you pay for. The fact is that there are so few high quality *offshore* 'pocket cruisers' built today (of which I would certainly include the Nor'Sea 27, The PSC Dana, and the FC). In fact, add these to the fairly short list of such boats ever built (the Flicka, Frances and other small Morris boats, small Shannons, etc.), and you don't have to many examples to choose from. One only needs to look at the current new prices for these boats still in production to see what is driving the used market. I would even argue that when you compare a used Falmouth (or Nor'Sea) priced at/or around $45k to that current crop of boats that Cruising World optimistically calls 'Small Cruisers' {costing considerably more, and most of which I would not trust offshore for a moment), the whole pricing thing comes into perspective. I still love the Falmouth, and would still consider owning one someday. It is important to remember, however, that it is a 31' boat overall (with all the added costs that entails). It is moveable, but I think 'trailerable' is a stretch (at least trailerable as us M-boaters are used to thinking). In the final analysis, the Falmouth and Nor'Sea were my two top choices if continous/long offshore cruises were my priority. If you are serious about sailing one, there are several here on the San Francisco Bay. Contact Ron Walton via the web site above. Scott M15 #478 PSC Flicka #392 In a message dated 2/9/05 1:42:32 PM, montgomery_boats-request@mailman.xmission.com writes:
Is it true that only 39 Falmouth Cutters have been made? No wonder they are so rare and so pricey. My Internet search found one for sale in England, none in the US. Love to see one real time, or better yet, sail her.
Bones