Plastic Classic Forum

Hi,
I am a new sailboat owner. I was just given a 23' Marlin by the almost original owner and built by the Cape Cod Shipbuilding Co. in 1960. Are there any other Marlin owners out there? Except for paint , my boat is in very good shape. I've been sailing and motoring all week in Annapolis and getting a lot of pitiful smiles. They don't know what I know about the boat; it's a true diamond in the rough. My wife is convinced of that.
Thanks, John

Is that a Rhodes design? I don't suppose you have a picture...

Hi John,

Congrats on your new boat!

Does it have a molded in translucent fiberglass (light-providing) band around the coach-sides? I thought I'd saved some photos of one that was for sale, so I went and looked around my fiiles, but I only kept an interior shot. The one I saw had a blue band around the coach roof, in addition to that translucent strip. Gave it a classic/mod 1960s look :-)

They do have a really graceful hull design - should be a great boat!

--- Rachel

I believe the Marlin was designd by A. Sidney DeWit Herreshoff; great little boat! I almost bought one once, down on Cape Cod,but chose a Marshall 18 instead.

John,

I hope you thoroughly enjoy your Marlin 23. I was kind of interested in what it looked like so I gave Cape Cod Shipbuilding a call. They seem to be very nice people and are sending me a picture of the Marlin. Most of you guys are not going to believe this, but John, you lucky devil, they still have parts for the Marlin. I wish I could still get Triton parts from Pearson. :|

John,

These are the pictures CCS sent. Is this your boat? If so, she is a very nice looking boat.

I finally happened to "re-find" the 1962 Cape Cod Marlin that I had seen some time ago on the web, so I thought I'd post a few photos of it. I think the translucent panel around the coachroof is interesting.










Here's a link to the Yachtworld listing, if anyone wants to see more:

http://yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_b ... ts=1432317

John's (Silverheels) must be very similar as it's just two years older than this one.
--- R.

Sweet little boat. And that Ad! - wow! I'm sold! I looked at some of their other ads. The writer has quite a flair for description. If I ever need a broker, I'm calling these folks http://yachtworld.com/pugetsoundyachts
'Course, Port Townsend is a little far off Cape Cod for me.

Not only can Cape Cod Shipbuilding supply parts for the older Marlins, they can supply a new boat! They launched the latest one this summer after about 40 years of not building the design. Cost is a staggering $60K +/- though (a new Bridges Point 24 is around $48K for comparison).
A few details about the CC Marlin, the design built by Cape Cod Shipbuilding may have been a Sidney Herreshoff modification of his Father's "MARLIN" design, the original wooden Marlins built by Capt. Nat were basically a Fish class with a larger cabin (the Fish class is a larger, 21' LOA version of the H 12 1/2). The Cape Cod Marlin has an extended transom stern with an inboard rudder. CCSB also built a few Marlins as daysailers with a shorter cabin trunk and a non-self-bailing cockpit. Also, CCSB used to build a larger boat that would seem to be an enlarged versio of the Marlin, the 30' Blue Chip (perhaps, an updated version of the H-28?).

Most of you guys are not going to believe this, but John, you lucky devil, they still have parts for the Marlin

Cape Cod supplies parts for a number of their older boats including the Shields, I for one didn't feel lucky getting to be their customer. They seem very, very proud of their spare parts

That has to be one of the more oddballl FG sailboats boats I've seen. I find it strangely attractive. The light strip is a hoot. Congrats on your new boat Silverheels. Now I want one of those too.


I looked them up & it turns out it's a Herreshoff design. You can't go wrong there.

SUNBIRD10201 wrote:Not only can Cape Cod Shipbuilding supply parts for the older Marlins, they can supply a new boat!

Oh man, I had no idea that a brand-new Mercer 44 could be had...now where is that easy credit I'm unqualified for?

Surely they'd give a discount if we both ordered at the same time, no?

The Herreshoff “Marlin” was designed in the late thirty’s by A. Sidney Herreshoff – Who had by this time taken over as head designer of the HMCo from his father Nat. It was essentially a Fish Class with a larger cuddy. This was the depression era and the age of “pocket cruisers” had begun. It was not very popular and only 4 were built I believe.

When HMC went out of business in 1945, most of the designs to the smaller Herreshoff boats (S-Class on down) were sold to Cape Cod Shipbuilding. Sidney began working for them as a “consultant” NA – and over the years modified many of the old HMC designs with modern rigs and cabin designs for CCSB. In the case of the Marlin he further modified the design with an overhanging reverse stern – maybe because this was the ever-popular CCA era. All of these hull designs – the Fish, Both Marlin, and the also mentioned 30’ “Blue Chip” are all just scaled up H 12 ½’s. Note - the Blue Chip is an exact scaled up 12 ½ (with overhanging counter stern) - and while the L. Frances Herreshoff H-28 certainly was influenced by the 12 ½, LFH went to great lengths to point out major design differences (much longer foot) and is not a good comparison between the two.

Marlin - http://www.capecodshipbuilding.com/site ... marlin.pdf
Blue Chip - http://www.flickr.com/photos/11118614@N06

I believe CCSB takes credit for inventing the “translucent” fiberglass construction as a way to get light in interiors – it was somewhat common with early fiberglass builders – especially hatch covers (I’ve seen early Bristol 29’s with hatches like this for example). I have heard that there were concerns that there might be UV degradation over the years with such area’s, but I have never heard of any actual problems associated.

Adam wrote:The Herreshoff “Marlin” was designed in the late thirty’s by A. Sidney Herreshoff – Who had by this time taken over as head designer of the HMCo from his father Nat. It was essentially a Fish Class with a larger cuddy. This was the depression era and the age of “pocket cruisers” had begun. It was not very popular and only three were built I believe.

Informative first post - informative thread.

There's one on the hard in a drysail space at my club. A somewhat strange looking boat, as if the deck, with its translucent panel and wraparound coaming, had been dropped on the hull to create a prop for a fifties sci-fi movie.

Whee! I can finally post! I registered to this forum a while ago but for some reason the registration never seemed to go through. Forgot about it but am bored at work today and moseyed back over. Lo and behold, not only is there a current thread concerning my boat, but I can post!

I have a 1965 Cape Cod Marlin (#78), but the daysailer version, not the cruising version pictured above. Mine has a much shorter cabin (still with the weird un-gelcoated strip) and a huge cockpit with teak rather than fiberglass coamings. Looks much better IMO than the cruising version with the bathtub coamings. Mine also has a bowsprit that was added by a previous owner to help with the boat's occasional powerful weather helm.

Too bad the OP was three years ago....would love to hear from other Marlin owners as I have never even seen another one in person besides mine. Here's my boat, sans sailcover (was still being made).
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Wow, that's pretty!

And welcome :)

Rachel

to add a bit of info to Adam's earlier post - the Marlin was Sid's revsion of hs father's Fish whch came in 2 different cabin configurations. The mai differences between the Marlin and Fish was the addition of pipe berths, a head and a very small inboard. There is one in the collection of the Herreshoff Museum - however it is not on display. Restoration was started a number of years back but never completed.

Interesting trivia regarding the Fish Class - the design as created in response to folks admiring the Buzzard's Bay Boy's Boat (which went on to beknown s the 12 1/2)butwanting somehting large enough for adults.
Fish were built in 3 major groups; both the first and third groups were orignally named or fish species, the second group (built for the sailing program at Warwick Country Club) were named for cartoon characters.

Personally, as a long time guide at the museum, when adults come in on a quest to buy/build/restore/find a 12 1/2, I try to steer them towards the Fish. The presence of the small cabin makes the boat much more flexible for use and it isn't that much larger to maintain, store, etc.

Prior to restoring my S boat I came very close to buying a long cabined Fish (almost identical profile to the wooden Marlin) from the later group.

And here's my plug- if anyone's in the Bristol RI area the Herreshoff Museum is well worth a visit though the collection is classic classics - no plastic... We're open 7 days from 10 to 5 through this month and then closed until May. Transient moorings and dockspace available in season.
The Herreshoffis able to host yacht club cruises and is in walking distance to shops and restaurants in the town.

Tom - I've probably met you a 100 times.... Another shameless plug for the Herreshoff Museum...My 7 yo son can't get enough of the place - he's an HMCo fanatic even now. To be able to walk on and touch many of these hulls is amazing. We take a whole day several times a year to do the museum and Bristol; highly recommended for anyone nearby or driving through New England.

BTW, I grew-up sailing on Minx (Then "Target"). Have you been to Steve Nagy's new site? For those interested Steve has a registry database of every Herreshoff boat built, and where possible has documented the history of each vessel. It's a work in progress, but a substantial valuable historic undertaking. www.herreshoffregistry.org

we've gone this far with the plugs.....so here's the address to the museum's website www.herreshoff.org

the Herreshoff Museum is well worth a visit though the collection is classic classics - no plastic...

A few hundred Pearson Tritons were born right there in that building. That was reason enough for me to make a visit :-)

I will also say it is a great museum. Well worth the visit. Part of what makes a Plastic Classic a 'classic' is that they share some of the same values with the Herreshoffs- deck houses being a pretty big exception. They share the same ideas of a boat that is supposed to move gracefully through the water. Not like the HunteBeneLinas of today.

If anyone has been saying "darn the Herreshoff Museum is only open during the sailing season. A weekend in Bristol would be great, I could go to the museum and the "admiral" could shop in town.." You're in luck!!

Starting this year we will NOT be closing for the season on 10/31 - instead the hours will shift to Wed - Sunday from 10 to 5 until Christmas, at which point we will close until May. Given the fact there is some construction going on ( a new roof - no more drips hopefully), and we are highy reliant on volunteer guides, etc I would suggest a call to verify hours before taking the trip. 401-253-5000

Check the website (www.Herreshoff.org) for special events that may be scheduled for the balance of the season.

In all seriousness - Bristol is a beautiful town for a fall getaway weekend and is not as highly comercialized - or mobbed - as some other towns in RI. But they are only short rides away.

And, what the hay, since I'm sounding like a Chamber of Commerce ...
If you're coming to the Hereshoff you may as well plan some time to venture down to Newport to check out the work at The International Yacht Restoration School (www.IYRS.org).

Not to resurrect an old thread - but thought someone may be interested in this...

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/boa/1256781553.html

Sorry to resurrect an old post again (internet etiquette and all), but it occurred to me that many may be interested in some new info on the Marlin Class. As was stated before, there are 4 original Marlin. For years we had documented three, with the one at the Herreshoff Museum as an unknown hull number (missing her builder’s plate). Several weeks ago the Registry was approached by an individual thinking he had the fourth – after research and with the help of the Long Island Maritime Museum in Sayville, NY, she was determined to be in fact the missing original Marlin and is Hull # 1422 – also solving the question of the Museums Marlin as hull # 1421. This is the first time that I know of that a complete Herreshoff class is documented to have survived (even if it is a rather “small” class).
www.Herreshoffregistry.org

Adam wrote:Sorry to resurrect an old post again (internet etiquette and all), but it occurred to me that many may be interested in some new info on the Marlin Class. As was stated before, there are 4 original Marlin. For years we had documented three, with the one at the Herreshoff Museum as an unknown hull number (missing her builder’s plate). Several weeks ago the Registry was approached by an individual thinking he had the fourth – after research and with the help of the Long Island Maritime Museum in Sayville, NY, she was determined to be in fact the missing original Marlin and is Hull # 1422 – also solving the question of the Museums Marlin as hull # 1421. This is the first time that I know of that a complete Herreshoff class is documented to have survived (even if it is a rather “small” class).
http://www.Herreshoffregistry.org

I'm glad you did 'resurrect the the thread'. And very glad you found the last one. Amazing! I know I saw it once before, but is was well worth another read.
rb