Navigator Yachts
 

I just found out that Navigator Yachts is no more. The Marshall family
that owned and ran the company that built both Navigator and Californian
Yachts apparently sold out to an international investment firm back in
2012. Latest word is the doors have been closed.

Sorry to hear that. The Navigator I had was a great boat. It was well
built, handled rough seas well, ran relatively quietly (underwater
exhaust) and had a very fuel efficient hull. Not the prettiest boat in
the world but one of the best made and very comfortable.

Jules Marshall was a naval architect who emphasized strength and sea
worthiness over glitz. Fellow boaters who inspected the engine spaces
were amazed at the size of the stringers. They were 14 or more inches
high and about 3 inches wide. The hull was solid fiberglass. I still
have a piece of the hull that was drilled out when the bow thruster was
installed. It's over an inch thick.

Great boat and great memories.

Navigator Yachts
 

That's a sad deal Richard. Evidently the family got out while the getting was good.

Navigator Yachts
 

On 2/1/2016 6:46 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:

I just found out that Navigator Yachts is no more. The Marshall family
that owned and ran the company that built both Navigator and Californian
Yachts apparently sold out to an international investment firm back in
2012. Latest word is the doors have been closed.

Sorry to hear that. The Navigator I had was a great boat. It was well
built, handled rough seas well, ran relatively quietly (underwater
exhaust) and had a very fuel efficient hull. Not the prettiest boat in
the world but one of the best made and very comfortable.

Jules Marshall was a naval architect who emphasized strength and sea
worthiness over glitz. Fellow boaters who inspected the engine spaces
were amazed at the size of the stringers. They were 14 or more inches
high and about 3 inches wide. The hull was solid fiberglass. I still
have a piece of the hull that was drilled out when the bow thruster was
installed. It's over an inch thick.

Great boat and great memories.




I think I know how you feel. I was saddened to know that my navy ship
was being towed to Japan for scrap metal.

Navigator Yachts
 

On 2/1/2016 6:54 PM, Tim wrote:

That's a sad deal Richard. Evidently the family got out while the getting was good.


Jule Marshall has been building boats since 1966. Prior to Californian
and then Navigator, he and another guy were responsible for the design
of Ericson sailboats.

The Californian and then Navigator lines were started in the 1970's as
an American built alternative to trawlers and pilothouses from Asia.

Navigator Yachts
 

On 2/1/2016 7:01 PM, Justan Olphart wrote:
On 2/1/2016 6:46 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:

I just found out that Navigator Yachts is no more. The Marshall family
that owned and ran the company that built both Navigator and Californian
Yachts apparently sold out to an international investment firm back in
2012. Latest word is the doors have been closed.

Sorry to hear that. The Navigator I had was a great boat. It was well
built, handled rough seas well, ran relatively quietly (underwater
exhaust) and had a very fuel efficient hull. Not the prettiest boat in
the world but one of the best made and very comfortable.

Jules Marshall was a naval architect who emphasized strength and sea
worthiness over glitz. Fellow boaters who inspected the engine spaces
were amazed at the size of the stringers. They were 14 or more inches
high and about 3 inches wide. The hull was solid fiberglass. I still
have a piece of the hull that was drilled out when the bow thruster was
installed. It's over an inch thick.

Great boat and great memories.




I think I know how you feel. I was saddened to know that my navy ship
was being towed to Japan for scrap metal.


Yeah, the two I was stationed on were also sold for scrap. It's
interesting to read about Navy ships, their cruise history and
participation in global events during the years they were in service.
It's also amazing how many de-commissioned US Navy ships end up being
given to allied Navies and continue in service.

Navigator Yachts
 

On 2/1/2016 7:01 PM, Justan Olphart wrote:
On 2/1/2016 6:46 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:

I just found out that Navigator Yachts is no more. The Marshall family
that owned and ran the company that built both Navigator and Californian
Yachts apparently sold out to an international investment firm back in
2012. Latest word is the doors have been closed.

Sorry to hear that. The Navigator I had was a great boat. It was well
built, handled rough seas well, ran relatively quietly (underwater
exhaust) and had a very fuel efficient hull. Not the prettiest boat in
the world but one of the best made and very comfortable.

Jules Marshall was a naval architect who emphasized strength and sea
worthiness over glitz. Fellow boaters who inspected the engine spaces
were amazed at the size of the stringers. They were 14 or more inches
high and about 3 inches wide. The hull was solid fiberglass. I still
have a piece of the hull that was drilled out when the bow thruster was
installed. It's over an inch thick.

Great boat and great memories.




I think I know how you feel. I was saddened to know that my navy ship
was being towed to Japan for scrap metal.


What is also amazing to me is the improvements made in Navy ships since
our days in Uncle Sam's Canoe Club.

Gone are the high pressure boilers burning bunker oil and the nasty
stack gases that they emitted.

A modern Arleigh Burke class DLG is powered with four gas turbines
coupled to two (2) variable pitch props. Total of 106,000 shp and have
top ends in excess of 30 kts (35 mph). What is really amazing though is
their range at speed: 4,400 nmi at 20kts. The ships I was on couldn't
think of doing that.

Navigator Yachts
 

On Mon, 1 Feb 2016 19:05:32 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/1/2016 6:54 PM, Tim wrote:

That's a sad deal Richard. Evidently the family got out while the getting was good.


Jule Marshall has been building boats since 1966. Prior to Californian
and then Navigator, he and another guy were responsible for the design
of Ericson sailboats.

The Californian and then Navigator lines were started in the 1970's as
an American built alternative to trawlers and pilothouses from Asia.


===

The Ericsons were good boats. Many of them are still sailing today,
sometimes competitively. Any idea how your old Navigator is doing?

Navigator Yachts
 

On Mon, 1 Feb 2016 19:18:23 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/1/2016 7:01 PM, Justan Olphart wrote:
On 2/1/2016 6:46 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:

I just found out that Navigator Yachts is no more. The Marshall family
that owned and ran the company that built both Navigator and Californian
Yachts apparently sold out to an international investment firm back in
2012. Latest word is the doors have been closed.

Sorry to hear that. The Navigator I had was a great boat. It was well
built, handled rough seas well, ran relatively quietly (underwater
exhaust) and had a very fuel efficient hull. Not the prettiest boat in
the world but one of the best made and very comfortable.

Jules Marshall was a naval architect who emphasized strength and sea
worthiness over glitz. Fellow boaters who inspected the engine spaces
were amazed at the size of the stringers. They were 14 or more inches
high and about 3 inches wide. The hull was solid fiberglass. I still
have a piece of the hull that was drilled out when the bow thruster was
installed. It's over an inch thick.

Great boat and great memories.




I think I know how you feel. I was saddened to know that my navy ship
was being towed to Japan for scrap metal.


Yeah, the two I was stationed on were also sold for scrap. It's
interesting to read about Navy ships, their cruise history and
participation in global events during the years they were in service.
It's also amazing how many de-commissioned US Navy ships end up being
given to allied Navies and continue in service.


I just googled up all the ships I was on. One (Absecon) was given to
the Vietnamese and captured by the north, another sister ship
(Chincoteague) got out of Vietnam and was given to the philippines.
Mendota was scrapped by the CG and Tanager was sold to a private
owner, used as a yacht and showed up in a few movies (like the Usual
Suspects)

Navigator Yachts
 

On 2/1/2016 11:22 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 1 Feb 2016 19:05:32 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/1/2016 6:54 PM, Tim wrote:

That's a sad deal Richard. Evidently the family got out while the getting was good.


Jule Marshall has been building boats since 1966. Prior to Californian
and then Navigator, he and another guy were responsible for the design
of Ericson sailboats.

The Californian and then Navigator lines were started in the 1970's as
an American built alternative to trawlers and pilothouses from Asia.


===

The Ericsons were good boats. Many of them are still sailing today,
sometimes competitively. Any idea how your old Navigator is doing?


Don't know. Last I knew it was in Maryland and for sale again. I heard
that the guy who bought it either fell ill or died a few years later.
He wasn't all that healthy and was
probably in his mid to late 70's when he bought it.

About 3 years ago when I was seriously thinking of another boat, I
almost pulled the trigger on another Navigator that was in the
Carolinas. It was smaller, a 44 footer, and I liked the layout of
it a lot. But at the time our future was still up in the air and I
really didn't want another large boat if we were going to stay here
in MA. Season is just too short.

Another boat may now come up again, depending on where we eventually
land following the house sale in March. It's under "negotiations". :-)