Looking for Monarch; have you seen her?

[Barbara]

In 2002, the vessel Monarch was sold. Berthed in Cambridge, MD on the Choptank River, she was a fine 36' sailing machine and I miss her. I have had several opportunities to visit the area after I moved away, and often wonder if that magnificent boat is still plying the Chesapeake Bay waters or if she has gone further afield.

I had the opportunity to sail her to Bermuda in 1998 with my husband and son and have fond memories of the event. She was second in her class and second overall in that event.

This missive is an attempt to find where her home waters are and to wish her new owners well. If you know of her whereabouts or are the new owners, please drop me a line. I would like to hear more of her sailing adventures.

[Cathy Monaghan]

If she's been sold once or twice since you've seen her last, she's probably been renamed. What's her hull number? That's the best way to identify her if she's been renamed.



-Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[Barbara]

I have no idea what her hull number is; that was my former husband's domain. We purchased her as Monarch and did not change her name. Whomever purchased her, she was Monarch. And I do realize that 10 years have passed and boats change names. I was hoping for a miracle, I guess.

[Bibster]

might be able to help you out. I think it is likely that they maintain records from 2002 (which is still relatively recent), and they might be able to do a search for the vessel's registration based on your last name and address. Once they find that, they can provide you with the vessel's hull number, which should help you track down her current whereabouts.

[MFC]

Barbara, you've probably done this, but a google search shows at least 2 hits related to your old boat. One is a web page with a photo of you and your husband and a number of other photos of boaters (I imagine friends of yours). The other is a 2000 post from this board noting that your husband had received a prior award or race trophy. I don't know how either of those might lead you to your boat -- but perhaps you do.

Another thought is that Monarch may have been a documented vessel in which case, the chain of documentation probably still exists.

Good luck,

Matt (the search below is very narrow - its possible that you can broaden it and gain additional info)

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22cape+ ... 1I7ADFA_en

[John Stevenson]

Barbara:
We are the current owners of Islander - renamed from Monarch when the boat was sold. The new home port then was Charleston, SC. We bought her there in the fall of 2009 and had her moved to our home base - Newington, NH (the Portsmouth, NH area). For the last two summers we have cruised the Maine coast and likely will do so again next year - and possibly on to Nova Scotia.

We are very glad to begin to get an idea of the boat's sailing history and of course would like to know more. Feel free to email us if you like.

The hull number is 109.

We could not be more delighted with boat!

John & Peg Stevenson

[Barbara]

I have a shout out to the yacht broker who sold the boat from Oxford, MD and am inquiring about the hull number. When I get his reply I will also confirm with you.

Your timeline seems appropriate. My former husband reconfigured the single seaberth on the starboard side behind the companionway to give more room for the nav station and then that berth was used for storage, including the marine batteries, I believe. I would imagine that the new owners would not go to the extreme of restoring the berth to its full length. He also rigged a hose that would draw in outside water to hose off the deck. We used it to clean off the anchor when it brought up mud. Un-anchoring was his job; mine was to keep the boat moving in the appropriate direction after the anchor was up. After those modifications, I believe Monarch was pretty much like any other Cape Dory.

I will keep you posted on my research. Thanks for your reply.

[Barbara]

"We sold a Cape Dory 36 called Monarch in 1994 through another firm that was representing the buyers. ... The hull number I show on a survey we have on file that was done in Nov. 1994 is CPDT0109M84C." the broker.

In the mass of letters and numbers, is the 109 key and indeed the hull number? And if so, I found Monarch! Yippee!! How very very awesome!!

[John Stevenson]

Barbara:
You did indeed find Monarch.

The starboard quarter berth is the same - and the deck wash pump is a great addition for Maine cruising. There is lot of mud to deal with when anchoring.

Best regards.

[mike ritenour]

Barbara,
What a thrill it must be to know she's loved and still sailing.
Rit

[Barbara]

Thanks to the Cape Dory Message Board and the kind direction of your diligent readers, I have found Islander, nee Monarch. She is alive and well, and apparently well loved. That is all I had hoped for.

I still live in the Chesapeake Bay area and while I did get to Maine for a vacation a couple of years ago, I probably won't be back. However, I can stop watching for Islander in every Chesapeake Bay port I have the good fortune to visit. This will save me much time... ha ha!

Blesses on you, John Stevenson and your crew. May your sails be full and your winds favorable.

Before we ever set eyes on the Cape Dory when we were looking for "our boat", we decided to call her Mariposa, Spanish for butterfly. When we found Monarch, she didn't need to change her name; instead we had a pennant made for her: a Monarch butterfly. John, why did you choose to name her Islander? Will you share your story?