Anyone know this Schooner?

[Adam]

Long shot...Mid 50's photo by Fortier, buzzards bay....Anyone know her?

[HerreshoffHistory]

Norman Fortier most always noted the negative number on the verso of his photos. With that information you could contact the New Bedford Whaling Museum and they would be able to check the Fortier register.

You may also want to compare "your" schooner against images of the Keewatin, designed by Alden (with input from Carl Alberg and Fenwick Williams) in 1947 and built by Newfoundland Shipyards for Donald G. Parrot. See Carrick, John G. Alden and his Designs, p. 408, for photo and plans. Keewatin was often in Buzzards Bay during the time in question. Thus it _might_ be her. But some details don't match. Different chainplate details, apparently missing stern davits...

[Adam]

Thanks HH - will do!

[Adam]

It's stamped 17026...I will check with NBWM...

[HerreshoffHistory]

Good.

Let us know the answer!

[Adam]

Michael Lapides got back to me - This photo was taken in 1968 by Norman Fortier. The name of the vessel is the C’est La Vie.

Can't find much on the C'est La Vie.....There is a restored Coasting Schooner - the Governor Stone - that was named this in the time frame, but I'm pretty sure this is a different hull.

[HerreshoffHistory]

I asked Louie Howland who really knows the New Bedford area about C'Est La Vie and he did not know. He also checked the yacht registers and there is certainly no such boat in Lloyd's Register of American Yachts as of the mid or later 1960s.

Go back to Michael Lapides and check if there might have been a mistake in Fortier's note book? Or more hints from surrounding negative numbers? Or a misread negative number?

[Adam]

Well the coasting schooner "Governor Stone" - which is a national landmark boat - was named the C'Est La Vie in the mid '60's. She's currently in Florida. I just don't know if this is "her" - and there are enough diferences between the pictures I've seen of Stone and Fortier's to lead me to think not - but certainly could be. Also there is no mention of her leaving Gulf waters that I've seen - so again I cant be sure...

http://govstone.com/about.htm