Morgan Custom Classics

In 1960 local businessman Jack Powell asked Charley to design a new boat to compete in the Southern Ocean Racing Conference. The result was the 40 foot fiberglass centerboard yawl - Paper Tiger. The boat was built in Clearwater, using some unique construction features, including a steel backbone for added stiffness to the hull. She was immediately successful, winning the SORC for 2 consecutive years (1961,1962). Several 28 foot Tiger Cubs were constructed locally on a custom basis. In 1962, Dick Dungan, a Palmetto sailor, commissioned a design of a 40 sloop, Sabre. (Later the Columbia 40). Sabre won the 1964 St Petersburg to Ft Lauderdale and the Miami Nassau races right out of the box. In 1962 Charley employed sailing assistant Paul Curry, a high school student, to aid in outfitting of custom yachts. Paul continued to assist throughout Charley's custom yacht production.

In 1964 Homer Denius, a former owner of Paper Tiger, commissioned Charley to design and build a world class Ocean racer - so Maredea was born. Constructed in a large shed on 4th Street South in St Petersburg, and she was beautifully finished by Courtney Ross. At the time Maredea was one of the largest fiberglass boats in the world. Years later, Maredea was donated to the U S Naval Academy.

Charley was on the cutting edge of the new technology. While Maredea was being constructed, shipyard owner Jimmy Turner, had Charley design a 72 foot centerboard yawl, which was built entirely of epoxy and became Big Toy. In 1963, due to the demands of design work, Charley, together with his long time friend and sailing companion Bruce Bidwell, formed Morgan Yacht Corporation.