Marlin?

[Adam]

OK - Question - I note everything I've read states there were 4 HMCo. Marlin built. The registry shows the following:

1. #1420 Found
2. #1507 Found
3. #1422 Unknown

There is also a "Marlin" owned by the HMM but has an Unknown hull #.

So am I to infer that "Marlin" is the fourth - and if so her building was never registered in the record - thus not having a hull number, or is it that she is Unknown and could be #1422 or ? (What would be the fourth #?).

Am I saying this in English?

[Steve]

There were 4 Marlins built:

1420 - FOUND, currently MATSYA
1421 - Unaccounted For
1422 - Unaccounted For
1507 - FOUND, currently YARE

Additionally, HMM owns a Marlin called MARLIN.  The hull number is unknown.  However, we know it must be either 1421 or 1422.

-Steve

[Adam]

ok - missed it....

[b.beardsley]

There used to be one at Bruce Avery's in Noank. It wasn't the one at HMM, maybe it's the one in Jamestown now.

[Steve]

Bill:  That very well could be.  The current owners got it from a guy who lived in Mystic.

[umills]

We are being offered what looks to be a Marlin by a guy who bought her from the Sayville museam about 10 years ago.We are looking for a Fish to be restored by a boat building group out of the Oyster Bay WAterfront center and are wondering if anyone knew anything about this boat.

[Adam]

Hi umills - Would you happen to have pics ? Is there a hull plate?

Of the 4 Marlins three are known only one missing...If yours is the one missing then we've found the fourth. And if you have the hull plate it would solve the missing number of "MARLIN" currently at the Herreshoff museum.

As far as Fish - there are currently several being offered for sale (three that I know of) - one is fully restored, the other two I don't know - if you contact Steve Nagy  He might be able to help.

Here is the sites "for Sale" page with the listings:

http://www.herreshoffregistry.org/for_sale.php

[Steve]

This boat is named SANIBEL and is indeed a Marlin.  That means all 4 Marlins have been located.  Unfortunately, SANIBEL doesn't have a known hull number.  Two of the 4 are numbered, and we don't know which of the other two are which.  But at least all have been accounted for.     

[Steve]

The 2 unaccounted-for Marlin hull numbers are 1421 and 1422.  1421 has a contract date of 5/9/1939, and 1422 has a contract date of 8/8/1938.  It is not unusual for later hull numbers to have earlier dates listed in the records.  It seems odd to me that contract numbers and contract dates wouldn't both be sequential, so I have always been wary of the dates that are not sequential.  So the dilemma now is:  How trustworthy are these dates?  The "new" Marlin, SANIBEL, has an old registration that dates her as 1938.  If the dates can be relied upon, that would imply that SANIBEL is 1422 and the HMM Marlin is 1421.

This also jives with what HMM says.  They aren't sure of the hull number, but claim she is from 1939.

So ........ opinions please.  Is this enough evidence to make a hull number assignment?

[Adam]

Well the LI Museum is kind enough to pull there records for me. I'm hoping in there records they may know what Hull number - that the plate existed 20+ years ago when they had her.

[Steve]

I spoke to the current owner.  Apparently, the LIMM only owned her for a few months.  When he got it from LIMM, it was in pretty rough shape.  The first thing he did was look for the plate, to no avail.  However, the registration paperwork that LIMM had stated it is a 1938 Herreshoff.  I hope something more can be turned up, but I think we may be stuck with only the date.

The owner is quite knowlegable.  He is also the captain of CANVASBACK, the 60-foot 1909 HMCo launch.  It had a $1MM restoration a few years back.  I think Taylor & Snediker did much of the work.

[Adam]

I'm hoping they can tell me whom they got it from as well...

[Steve]

That would be good.  They got the boat from Huntington, and it was named Tradewind at the time.

[Adam]

Have the original owner - and a possible match - will be calling him - Let ya' know.

[Steve]

I've been in touch with the Museum.  It seems they have some credible evidence that their Marlin is 1421.  That matches with the date evidence.  I am now pretty sure the Museum has 1421 and SANIBEL is 1422.  Score!