The Morning Star

Morning Star

SHE'S FOR SALE!!!

Built in 1962 by American Marine, Hong Kong 
Owner: Bo Hanna, Monteo, North Carolina
Berthed at: Wanchese, North Carolina

Email: bo_hanna@yahoo.com

See the story of Morning Star, below.

MORNING STAR TODAY
Bo has been putting a lot of work into Morning Star, and she's looking better all the time. Below are some below deck shots Bo sent in March 2008. The teak is beginning to reemerge, and it looks good!
We suspect that Morning Star is on her way back to what she used to look like. The eight photos at the top, and those below, were taken in October of 2007.

TRAGEDY AND HOPE

The story of Morning Star must be one of those under the "Tragedy and Hope" heading. Unfortunately, we don't have much of the story. We know she had been built by American Marine Limited for Clyde B. Gordon, and was sold to Philip S. Major, of Essex, Connecticut in 1967. Later, she was owned by Lawrence (or Laurence) Crooks, of Florida, who apparently purchased her from Mr. Major. Her U.S.C.G. registry was dropped and she thereafter flew the Canadian flag.
     Perhaps in the 1980s or 90s she underwent a complete restoration, by Laurence Crooks, at the Karl-Crooks Boatworks in Bellingen, NSW, Australia, as evidenced by the Karl-Crooks Boatworks web site. No date of the restoration is given on the site.
     Tragedy enters the picture when we find that after that great restoration job, Morning Star fell on a long period of hard times. Back in Florida, she was neglected by subsequent owners, and, judging from the psychedelic color scheme in the cabin when Bo acquired her, apparently more or less turned into a "hippy boat." Finally, and incredibly, she was twice abandoned, and was finally given up for salvage!
     The hope comes in when we learn that the present owner, Bo Hanna, saved her and has been working on her for about five years, though he only discovered her true identity about six months before writing us. Bo says:

(Morning Star) is located in Wanchese NC (On Roanoke Island). where I have been working on her for about five years now, I found the boat ran aground on the ICW in need of repairs. The boat was given up for salvage.
     I took the boat out of the water replaced the rudder, prop, and fiberglassed the bottom up to the waterline. I also glassed the cabin top and painted all around, the boat isn't finished but is looking good, there are 3 sails with her, they have been in storage for the last five years and would have to be looked at to verify there condition.
     I am not an avid sailor and knew very little of the boat until recently. The boat has a 50 hp Perkins diesel. That's how I get around as the waters are shallow in this area...
    The boat is very sea worthy, no problems motoring anywhere. The masts and rigging are all in good shape I painted the poles with epoxy primer they still need finish paint. The decks are in pretty good shape (with) no major leaks, some small worm holes in one area – nothing major.
     The stove is long since gone. There is a toilet in the boat not the original. The boat is pretty livable the way it is, all the boat needs is holding tanks and a 12 volt electrical system. The boat has nice berths and will sleep 5.
     ...Feel free to call (for) more information...

Bo sheds some light on Morning Star's period just prior to his acquisition, though she was then thought to be "a 1960 Korean ketch" which appeared on her North Carolina registration until Bo found out his boat's true identity. Bo informs us that Morning Star's documentation has been corrected and updated. Her renewed NC registration and title, and Coast Guard registration, now reflect her true 1962 American Marine, Sea Witch, pedigree.

...Another individual (a French/Canadian) approached him and was given the boat if he would (satisfy back marina bills and) take it away.
     I don't know how much, if any, of this is true... I got the boat... (after) the French/Canadian... set sail for Canada and ran aground in the North Carolina I.C.W....

The French Canadian had made some very rough-shod emergency repairs to the boat before he headed up the I.C.W. toward Canada with her. After running aground, he came ashore on Roanoke Island in his kayak to find someone to pull his boat free. There he flagged down Bo Hanna who happened by with his trailered outboard motor boat in tow.

Bo pulled the Morning Star free of the mud, but when it was discovered that the rudder had apparently remained behind, the formerly lucky owner threw up his hands in exasperation and abandoned his prize to a very lucky Bo Hanna.

Bo knew he'd acquired an impressive boat, well worth saving, but he had no idea that he had a classic yacht until, in early 2007, somebody informed him that she looked like the Sea Witch featured on the pages of the Rudder Treasury. Armed with that knowledge, Bo soon found this web site.

He'd been fixing her up for about five years without knowing what the boat had formerly looked like. Among other things, he put Morning Star up in a local yard and made minor repairs to the hull planking and had her bottom professionally fiber glassed.

Bo has done a very good job of cleaning her up and has kept everything Spartan clean and ship shape. With the exception of tanks, salon table, galley sink counter (which had been removed), interior lead ballast, and main sail, just about everything is still there – and the Perkins 4.108 (51 H.P.), engine runs beautifully. He has been using Morning Star as an impressive excursion boat to take his wife and children for day trips in local waters.

Morning Star's only obvious diversion from other Sea Witch rigs is that her shrouds are fitted with turnbuckles rather than deadeyes.

Since Bo has no interest in sailing, he'd like to sell her in order to recoup the costs he's incurred. He's asking $30,000.00. He can be contacted at 252-256-2330, or by e-mail at: bo_hanna@yahoo.com. Bo welcomes anybody with an interest to come and take a look.

Morning Star isn't quite what she used to be, but the essentials are all there to bring her back to her former glory. As an American Marine build, she was built of all the finest materials and ought to be good for another 45 years. Bo Hanna has done a great job in saving her. The next owner will still have a challenge, but also a wonderful opportunity. She could once again become the boat in the photos below. 

MORNING STAR IN HER PRIME
As Restored by Karl Crooks Boatworks Karl-Crooks Boatworks 117-121 Hyde Street Bellingen 2454 NSW Australia phone +61 409030734 E-mail: contact@karl-crooksboatworks.com http://www.classicboats.com.au/restoration.htm

WEBMASTER'S COMMENTS: The webmaster paid Bo and Morning Star a visit in late October (2007), and can say that he was impressed with Morning Star's apparent soundness of hull, deck, and rigging. She's clean and well painted throughout.
     The only major deficiencies are her missing main salon table and missing galley sink and bar counter, replaced with a temporary removable box cover over the engine. The engine box is now the only table.
     Bo expressed considerable confidence in the engine. It started right up and sounded good, though we didn't take her out for a spin. 
     The bulkhead separating the owner's stateroom from what was the "crew quarters" has been removed, along with the bunk and head, providing open access to the forepeak area.
     The main mast appears to be fractured at the spreader level, but the the masts and spars otherwise appear to be in decent shape. We discovered that the three sails Bo has do not include the mainsail. They appear to be mizzen and two head sails, though we didn't measure or try them on to be sure they were her originals. But they were Hood sails, and in pretty good shape.