Morgan NEWS

Recent News ... 22 September 2010, ... minor updates
New postings, ... Check out the various navigation links Including, Morgan Custom Classics.

Building out our new format is taking a lot of digging and will require a few weeks to get all of the departments full and functional ... check in often ... more material coming daily! - Ed.

Over FIFTY years ago! ... 1957
It was a collaborative effort between Charley Morgan and Charlie Hunt that the two dreamer, shipmate, sailing buddies conjured up and built their design of BRISOTE, ... the 32', plywood, "mix & match", yawl that won her way into history and offshore racing during 1957, ... winning silver in the famous ocean race from St. Petersburg, Fl to the finish line at El MORO Castle Havana, Cuba.
BRISOTE'S winning ways effectively launched the yacht designing careers of the two young men and, ... the eventual founding of The MORGAN YACHT Corporation.

Here, BRISOTE is shown stretching her legs on her very first
sail as she streaks, just in time, to the start of the 1957 race
to Cuba finishing at the fabled, El Moro Light at the entrance
to Havana's Harbor.

Watch the CHANTYMAN for a feature story about BRISOTE the impudent little yawl that set events leading to Charley Morgan's design of PAPER TIGER and the founding of
The Morgan Yacht Corporation.
Read the posting - Blogging with Charley Morgan,
"The Men of Morgan Mission" - "Our Job" and,
"Care and feeding of your Morgan" and " Making your Morgan worth More"
We are now scanning in and editing excerpts of the Original Morgan Chantyman for posting.

PASS IT ON ...
Future "Morgan Connection" web updates and site management changes.

I hope everyone will understand that it has been difficult for me to timely maintain the site on a regular basis without help while taking care of business, family, answering email, pursuing my painting endeavors, sifting through many many boxes of archived material while gathering material for "The Book" covering the history of The Morgan Yacht Corporation. This last, in itself, is a nostalgic labor of love and I am up for getting it done as early as we can, --- and I will be asking for help and input along the way.

The scope of material, topics, photos and drawings we originally contemplated for "The Book" have grown to a degree that requires serious rethinking about the story we have to tell (and needs to be told) and just what parts of all of it our far flung family of owners, former owners, their families, crews, cruising shipmates will most want to be told. The contents, outline and chapter list grows and grows, --- again as we proceed I will be looking for input and help.

"The Morgan Chantyman", ---

The good news is, --- we seem to have found all or most of the issues and most or many of the earlier issues of original newsletter," In The Wind", --- and they are chock full of stories, tales and photos about Morgans and the exploits of their owners from the beginning of the Company and before. We have begun scanning them in so that we will have them safe and saved in electronic media for future dissemination on this site or otherwise. Please offer your thoughts, --- hard copy, DVDs, downloadable PDF files, --- Your ideas and wishes are solicited, --- let us hear from you on this, --- email will be best, --- Charley@charleymorgan.com for the moment. Soon I will set up a special email address for handling this function.

The Morgan Chantyman newsletter was such a great success because it was filled with letters and input from owners and Morgan folks from far and wide. It is important that this tradition be continued and most importantly requires input form all of you out there.

As we get going we will be posting what we can with news on what is planed or coming under the new format ... meantime please let us hear your ideas for improving the site and the connections between all of us.

Smooth sailing, ~ Charley Morgan

ROLLING THUNDER does it, - Again !
Pete and Cheryl Moller's M-38, “ROLLING THUNDER”, - (One of the
original keel-centerboard version), ... shown here in full “attack mode”
with Cheryl’s hair streaming in the wind, - won her division in the 2004
Morgan Invasion and the "Shoot Out" between the "original" Center-board M-38s, and the "later keel M-382" design. Charley Morgan breaking his traditional role of passive observer, rode "shotgun" aboard with Pete and his "Bantering Mob" in the role of "personal physiatrist" to Pete.
Pete made a perfect run on the starting line taking a commanding position that he never relinquished as the sea breeze filled in from offshore. ROLLING THUNDER stretched her lead on the M-38 fleet wining that class handily.
The word is that the M-382s are anxious to set up a rematch soon in the hopeful belief that the keel version M-38 will whip the older Centerboard version. Pete says bring "em on, - but before you place any foolish bets, remember the records of "Finistere", "Paper Tiger" and -Ted Hood's "Robins", all fat keel center boarders.
Pete and Cheryl have been perennial participants in the annual Morgan Invasions of Treasure Island, Florida missing only two of the 19 events held so far resulting in ROLLING THUNDER once again receiving this years Sally Morgan, "Perennial Participant Award".
The TITYC Invasion organizing committee was unanimous in recognizing with thanks, Pete and Cheryl’s long term support and participation in past Invasions.
NOTICE: This site will receive and post, - the time, place and names of any
keel version M-38 challengers desirous of a rematch to Pete's Invasion
victory, - so don't be bashful.

Pete and Cheryl Moller celebrating with part of ROLLING THUNDER'S crew at the 2004 Invasion awards presentation

L to R, --- Cheryl Moller, Charley Morgan, "Grinning" Pete Moller, John Sorensen, Lynn Scrivner, and Ken Mac Aulay.
Not shown are crewmembers, ... Frank Diego, Jo Ellen Johnson and John Thrasher

A "Nonchalant", Pete Moller awaits the signal to proceed to the race course, --- and, Pete with a sunburned "winners grin", receiving again, the annual SALLY MORGAN, "Perpetual Participant" award from event Chairperson, Maurine Horsman assisted by TITYC Regatta Chairperson "Sully" Lowe. Pete and Sheryl have entered their M-38, ROLLING THUNDER in all but two of the 19 Morgan Invasions.

Go to www.TITYC.com , click on waterfront activities and then 2004 Invasion results for more pictures

BOLERO

Shown here is BOLERO, a 54’, custom, keel-centerboard ketch, designed by Charley for his long time friends,
Lula and Ed Richards of Tampa Bay.
BOLERO’S hull and deck were constructed of Airex cored fiberglass at Charley’s works some time ago. Later,
Ed and Lula accomplished the major aspects of completion over the course of a few years as the third major
boat construction project undertaken by the capable couple.
Ed designed, engineered and fitted all of the yachts systems including the electrical, electronics and plumbing.
After launching and as the work neared completion Ed and Lula sold their home and moved aboard to deal with
the final phases of the work.
BOLERO’S power is an 85 HP, Perkins diesel; her principal dimensions are as follow;
LOA, --- 54’, --- LWL, --- 45’, --- Beam, --- 14’-3”, --- Draft, --- 4’-9”
Ed and Lula are members of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club and The Cruising Club Of America. They have
cruised BOLERO extensively with two trips to the Abacos in the Bahamas, several trips to Florida’s Keys and
one to Guatemala in Central America and up the Rio Dulce.
Charley Morgan and the Richards have been friends since the early ‘50s and Ed and Charley were shipmates on many ocean races to Havana Cuba and early post war SORC events.
Ed and Lula are “at home”, aboard BOLERO at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

Paper Tiger Photos from deep in the Caribbean ...

Here are some photos of the old girl (43years old, January 3rd, 2004) sent to us by Sharon and Phil Strenger, owners since the late 1960s.
All fitted out for cruising and heavy weather (deep reefs, cockpit dodger, radar etc.) the Tiger shows a good turn of speed.
Sharon says the famous "Camel saddle" helmsman seat is great for steering in heavy seas and I can attest to that as well.
Paper Tiger apparently operates out of "Coral Bay", - not certain where that is tho'.

Sharon and Phil have kindly promised to write, for the inaugural issue of the Morgan Chantyman, a story about their experiences aboard
Paper Tiger during the years of their ownership, - I am sure we will appreciate that news and will eagerly await its arrival.

Other NEWS
On October 30th, 2005, - a glorious Sunday afternoon, in the "Rose Garden" of the Pasadena Community Church, witnessed by a small party of family and friends, friend and Pastor Sylvia Russell united Charles E. (Charley) Morgan and Maurine E. Hite in marriage. Maurine was given away by her son Timothy Horsman (M-24 owner) and was supported by her cousin Gloria Hite as "Bridesmaid"; Charley's eldest son, Charles W. (Charley) Morgan served as the groom's "Best Man" supported by Bruce Bidwell, Charley's childhood friend and co-founder of The Morgan Yacht Corporation.	The "Blushing Bride" The handsome, best man, C. W. (Charley) Morgan	and the official "At Home" photo and chaperone "SABLE"