Triton Conversion

[commanderpete]

They now have a J/95 and a J/97, but i really wanted a J/96.

eh

[frank durant]

If you have time to look at page 5, posts 66 to 70, you will see the Bridges Point 24 and its builder Wade Dow mentioned. It 1st caught my eye in a 1986 or 87 test in Small Boat Journal. Simply beautiful with a sweeping sheer and very "Herreshoff" type lines. Well...today,about 22 years later I showed up at the boat yard on the way to Judy's mom's in Nova Scotia. We thought a tour thru Maine on the way would be fun. Simply put....it was a privilage,honour and true pleasure to meet Wade Dow. A finer, more down to earth man could not be found. I hated to leave. He is a 'small town' guy,a lobsterman and runs a small boatyard along with his son on the family's property. I could write multiple pages on that one hour meeting but will shorten it to "a very fine man...a very fine boat". When we showed up he was varnishing the toe rail on a boat in the shop with several BP24's tarped behind. In all...he still cares for 19 of them. The pic is Judy and Wade talking boats in the shed and a 9yr old out front.   PS...his varnish job was perfect...no brush marks

[ebb]

wow, what a sheer line!
Loss for words, Go elsewhere for what fits.
It's music! It's jumping.  Hear that sax playing a catchy melody.

Think of the moves it takes to build a boat.
Now, that Wade, he know how to dance.

[frank durant]

Ebb....I'd like to buy one just to have it out back to look at Everything Mike wrote in post 70 is true...and then some!

[ebb]

Franco,
If I were rich and sane, I'd get on the waiting list and get one!
And I would never say the word 'epoxy' again for the rest of my days.

[frank durant]

Sick of 'bad news stories'...here's a good one. Read mikes #70 post (page 5) ...then this.
Wade's father was a lobsterman.Wade is a lobsterman and still uses his dad's boat that was built in 1941.To fill in the off season's they run the boatyard on the family's 18acres on the coast. They allow the local fishermen to haul out and work on their own boats..do their own engine repairs and maintainance as well as paint etc. There are fewer and fewer places to do this anymore as land is being sold to developers for condo/marinas etc leaving the working fisherman with virtually no place affordable to haul out.I think Wade and his son Forest are probably the last yard.Years ago he feared the fishery dwindling and with yard work slowing the idea of building a boat to fill in the off season came to him.There were several power boat builders already so a sailboat seemed a better idea. Please note...Wade is NOT a sailor. He approached Joel White (EB White's son) another Brooklin resident about his idea. Joel cautioned him about doing 'just another boat' as they would never compete with the mass producers and went about designing a proper little yacht...something nobody was doing.A lil yacht you would be proud to look at on her mooring.About 2 yrs later the plans for the Bridges Point 24 appeared and another couple of years passed before the 1st one was splashed. The GRP hull/wooden prototype cabin design was not yet final and the boat had not yet been fully seatrailed when they took off to the Newport Boat Show with her as they knew Small Boat Journal was doing a test of 4 -24fters and hoped to gain some exposure.They got her in the water and rigged in time. A crew of "professional sailors" went out alone in each of the 4 boats to test sail.They came away impressed dubbing her the "fleetest of the fleet". Now remember Wade is NOT a sailor and in his words "I had been out a couple of times during my life". Then they allowed the factory crews to go out. The "Bridges Point factory crew" consisted of Wade and an older gentleman-long time friend whom was somewhat scared when the boat heeled. Well....again in Wade's words..." we passed them all...all those professional sailors in their red pants and white shoes. It was entirely the boats fault...we sure had nothing to do with it"... "it was one of those special moments in my life I'll never forget". To be honest, meeting Wade was a majic moment for me. You instantly knew you were in the company of a good man. A lobsterman...a boatman.You could tell he had pride in his work and pride in his little community and way of life....a way of life that was getting tougher. I shook hands and thanked him for his time.We continued on to Bar Harbor for the night. While there I bought a magazine on Maine's boats and harbors.In it was a "good news story"...rare these days.An article about a family's love of their little community, a small hamlet of 800 people with a rich history of multiple boat designers,builders and fishermen.It was about their fear for the future of that lifestyle and the way so many boatyards sell out to condo developers as work slows. A fear of "where will the working fisherman go?". A fear of an era ending. As work slows and retirement approachs most of us look to see what we can sell off to support ourselves.We look to "cash out". Not this family.Although not rich financially, they chose to 'gift' their 18acre waterfront property to their little community once they quit.Their only stipulation "don't change it".They wanted to ensure a place for fishermen to work on their boats..to help keep a lifestyle alive.Figuring if you wanted a waterfront condo you should move to "The Hamptons", the lifestyle and community they love is more important to them than the gazzilion $$ they would recieve for their prestine waterfront.That family is Wade and Forest Dow. I came away from meeting him knowing he was a fine,honest and honourable man.After reading the article the next day I knew my instincts were right.

[mbd]

Thanks Frank!

[MRH]

Frank, thanks for recalling my comments on Wade and Forrest Dow and the Bridges Point 24. I'm enjoying my Nonsuch 26 (really a daysailor with amenities - see photos), but still lament selling Commander 131. As for opting off of Wade's waiting line to buy the Nonsuch, the BP 24 will forever be the beauty I let get away. She is pure, Joel White's Mona Lisa.

Mike Hoff
Nonsuch 26 #112
Lake Tashmoo, Martha's Vineyard

P.S. Jake - please post some pictures of Francine!

[ebb]

Changing times Frank - thanks for the good stuff.

Came across a Bridges Point 24 FOR SALE! on Yachtworld.com
Titled:  Eric Dow Bridges Point 24.  Seems current.

Lead in says that this is the one and only WOODEN BP24 and is the hull that was used to make the mold for all the rest of them.  After the mold was taken in 1989 the ship was finished at the the Brooklin yard by said Erik Dow.
Pretty obvious it is a yacht.  Asking $47,000.  And it is at the Yard now. I recharged the info and request and it came up, so it must be happening.

........Frank.....?

[frank durant]

Eric is a brother that also makes a living working on and around boats. Sadly,the BP 24 is no longer in production.The orders dried up around 3 yrs back.They finished the ones in progress and their 2 men were laid off. I don't think Wade miss's the deadlines,phone calls,demanding customers etc. He "may" build one again....only if there was no deadline so he could work on it at his own pace.They are finding there is enough work for the 2 of them keeping things going at the yard and I think they both enjoy the lack of pressure. If I remember correctly, 81 were built.

[Rico]

I saw one of these boats as I was headed north from San Diego... The first was in a sad state, but still caught my eye. I saw a second during my trip to the bay... I saw this one in a shipyard getting a bottom job... I could not stop the drool.

- It has been following me since... (Literally & figuratively). - It (and it's crew) took a mooring next to me and the Mephisto Cat while at Angel island a few weeks back... I took a few pictures. I've been looking at them since.

Would this qualify as a BIG Commander? - The cockpit is about the same size... Has a tiller!

Lovely lines - From the look, it could be from the book of Alberg... (it is not an Alberg design). It really looks like a big commander...

Anyone familiar with these boats? (Hint: They are the same vintage as our Commanders /Ariels)

Note the reverse color scheme:
- Big boat: Off-white hull with Gray trim.
- Mephisto Cat 26: Gray hull with off-white trim.
Coincidence?

It is a Kettenburg 41. Thirty-some made from '66 to '70 or somewhere in there. Stout & overbuilt fiberglass hulls like our Pearsons. I believe it was the only fiberglass-hulled model from this traditional wooden yacht builder.

[frank durant]

Very pretty. Love the overhangs.

[ebb]

Have to add this baby to our archives.....

Brit. redesign of a 60s hull. Full cutaway keel, keel hung rudder, encapsulated ballast, 10hp diesel, FAST.
She's a beaut
 Almost a Joel White sheer.  
A mere $60,000.

 One crazy thing is that everybody seems to sit INSIDE the cockpit, no deckbutts.
Is that a TOP OF THE BOOM VANG???


http://rustleryachts.co.uk/rustler/r24.htm

[Frenna]

Been thinking about tweaks to the Commander's aesthetics so I have something to fix on C231 besides paint and through hulls. It does not take much to get that expensive Alerion Express look. Especially when working in the "photoshop boatyard". Sorry I cannot remember which Commander I used for the base image, somebody set me straight please.
 
For the record, the total of changes made are exactly three: make ports oval, extend grab rail on cabin, add teak eyebrow trim above ports. That is it. Of course it helps that the boat was so well done to start with.
 
Sure the Alerion might be the "prettiest girl at the dance", my question is, "does she have a sister"?

[Lucky Dawg]

Dude!  That's the Dawg!