Ladies and Gentlemen:

If you have a way of posting this please put it on the web site so all old moth sailors can see it.

In September of 1950 I went with my pram team to the annual Sarasota regatta. Almost upon arriving, as I walked to the registration tent, I came upon the most beautiful boat I had ever seen. It was Charlie Hunts cold molded Moth Boat. It was shaped just like Uffa Foxes International 14's Class and Douglas's Thistle Class. This boat is the only centerboard Moth I have ever seen. In my youthful enthusiasm, I leaned over and hefted the transom. The boat flew up to my shoulders with just one hand - The boat weighed 48 pounds. My father scolded me for "Touching another Man's Property"; I heard this lecture almost as often as the one about walking 6 miles through the snow to school. Anyway, Charlie Hunt walked up right then, he was a very nice young man, very friendly and understanding. We talked about the beauty of the boat, and during these moment I fell in love with his boat.

Several years later Charlie sold the boat to a friend of mine, Philip Crow of West Palm Beach, and I helped Phil restore it.

I talked to Paul Lindenberg and Dick Tillman today and I think we are going to build three boats. If we can get some interest, maybe a bunch. We could be another regatta on the circuit. As I type this, Paul is designing a boat and is coming over Sunday to start the plug. When I told him about the renewed moth class, he listened intently and declared that this was the most exciting thing he had heard in years. He wants to have a boat finished by the first of the year and go over to St. Pete and "kick some Butt" just like the old days. He really is excited!

Charlie Hunt lived in Lake Wales and latter moved to either Hillsboro or Pinallus county, (Tampa, Clearwater or St. Pete, somewhere over there) What I need from you Moth Boat Sailors is information: Is Charlie still alive? If so, where is he? Is, by any slim chance in H----, the plug still around? Or more realistically, were any plans ever drawn and do they survive? I think the boat was named night-in-gale, but I'm not sure. I think Phil changed the name to Doggie or something equally as elegant.

If anyone knows anything, please Email me at ChasMo77@aol.com or call collect at 321-453-6862 or Fax me at 321-453-8015 (The old 407 area code was changed Nov. 1, 1999 to 321)

Graves First Letter:

I just found your web site. I thought the moth class was long since dead and gone. I sailed prams, then windmills and moths. I was 13 when I got my first moth. I sailed in Miami, W. Palm Beach, Delray, Sarasota, Mount Dora etc... I raced Lou Twitchel (Human Hiking Board) Harry Cates (I still have a scar in my left palm where I fended off when he tried to cut my pram in half with his SS Razor sharp bow) and all the others in the Florida Circuit. I helped Paul Lindenberg, Gordon Albrittion, Charlie Case (Lakewales), and several others build their boats.

Enough of the past. I am retired and moving to New Bern NC, and I am still fit enough to sail a Moth Boat. Please send me information on your sailing sights, organization etc.... Charles Graves, Graves Little Boatyard, 1700 Neptune Drive, Merritt Island, Florida, 32952 Thanks ChasMo77@aol.com

Comments From Wilson Wright:

Graves, Call Gerald Capley of Melbourne Beach before you moves.. Gerry sailed Moths with me in Biscayne Bay...Maybe you guys can help refresh each others memories about Miami personalities.

Also Dick Edgerton in Mt. Dora is the local historian there..He wrote the book....actually... on Mt. Dora history... He is a boater and at age 80+ is still sharp as a tack.

Wilson Wright, Tallahassee

Reply from Walt Collins:

Charles, The CMBA would be delighted to have you join us and race moths again. Our organization is centered in Elizabeth City, but George Albaugh covers the northern sector and Greg Allen runs the web site out of Charleston. We currently have groups that sail fairly regularly in the Elizabeth City, Brigantine NJ, and Charleston SC areas. Regattas also take place here in Norfolk, Va, and ST Pete, FL. The Association meets the second thursday of each month at Erky Gregory's house in Elizabeth City. Dues are $5 and boat registration is $15 (one time per hull number).

We have a wide spectrum of sailors and hull designs. Boats range from new to 60+ years old, with varying perfromance. Please be thinking about which type of boat and competition level you really want as there are opportunities across the board. We are still finding older boats in need of restoration and sailing (at a more leiesurely pace), and eligibe for the vintage division. The newest boats are generally at the minimun weight and narrow waterline designs which tend to be very spooky and a general pain in the ____ to sail. Many of us have more than oneboat at his time and pick a ride depending on our mood and the event. Overall, we try to emphasize fun and love of the moth experience, over competition, but this does not mean that we don't have some very competitive racing.

Check out the data on the "Meet at ST Pete",

Walt

Comments from George Albaugh:

I have many Moth Boat plans, including the Charlie Hunt drawings of Cates' Florida Moth, no plans for Charlie's round bilge design exist (other than profile views in Yachting magazine back in the late 1940s/early 1950s).

Charlie Morgan is still in St. Pete.

Somewhere I have photos of the Thistle shaped Moths you mention, but have no dimensions. Why not ask Paul Lindenberg to see if his naval architect friend, Dan MacCarthy has found the plans for the Mini "Flying Dutchman" type Moth that Dan designed and Paul sailed to fair success in the mid 1960s? Dan still lives in Stuart, FL.

Sincerely,

George Albaugh

Walt Collins: Greg, Recommend you put this up as a moth tale in addition to current distribution.

The design mentioned sounds like an early version of the Challenger Type that George Bailey has.