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What's your Morgan?

60K views 159 replies 87 participants last post by  Jeff_H 
#1 ·
Seems to me there's alot of OI's out there, but I've not heard of many sloops out there as old as mine. Is that true? I notice BullDog6 asking about old hull numbers for a 34. I'd make it a poll, but I don't think I know all the options.

I'm sailing Morgan 30 Hull #47, 1968, Keel/Centerboard.

So, what's your Morgan?
 
#3 ·
Hello,I believe mine is a 1969 Morgan 30 Sloop.I believe the Hull# is 302.I will have to check the next time I am out .I have sailed on a OI off of the shore of Gulport,Ms and it did very well,in following seas.

The previous owner of mine,took off the centerboard and glassed in the area.I was surprised on how well it still points up,very well in fact.I was going to do the repairs on the boat and sell it,now that it sails so well,I am going to keep it.Still have to get the Westerbeke to run,turns over very well,but will not run.Was told it had not run in over 7 months,may have been longer.Did a compression check,and it had none.Was told to put Marvel Mystery Oil in the injectors and let it sit for a week and try again,may try that.
Have a great weekend....Ray in Miss.
 
#4 ·
Hi, I just bought a Morgan 454 w/centerboard. When moving it to the work area from dry storage, the centerboard dropped, although the line that is suppose to hold it up was tight. I think I will have to find out what's happening by opening the pully case, but I can't get it open. Anyone have any ideas or experience with this? Thanks in advance, Bernd
 
#5 ·
Hi,
We have a 1969 Morgan centerboard sloop.... we have restored her and she is beautiful and sails like a dream.... We are currently in the Bahamas but have to go back to FL come August... we intend to sail her around the keys until next summer and back to the Bahamas we will go....

Ray and Kim on Nu Trix
 
#11 ·
Awesome, glad to hear there's so many Morgans, and especially M30s as old as mine still out there. Particularly glad to hear that Kim & Ray are Florida/Bahamas cruising, as that's exactly where I'm headed in the fall. If I spot you guys in port, I'll be sure to dinghy over so we can compare notes.

Ray in Miss: for the first two years I owned the boat the c/b was stuck up in the slot by an overgrowth of barnacles, but I also found that pointing ability was good without the board (though you do have to plan for a lot of leeway.) Now that the board is fixed though ... oh baby, she tracks and tacks like a dream!

Windermere, it may just be that you bumped the release lever for the board. I've done that on mine, it's just a pawl on gear that disengages pretty easily. If you can crank the handle and the board comes back up, you're probably fine.

Keep 'em coming!
 
#14 · (Edited)
Another 45 coming back

We have just aquired a Morgan 45, (built by Starrett & Jenks according to the prior owner) I love the design and as she has been out of the water for the last ten years at least, she is in remarkably good condition -- no blisters, osmosis or soft spots. We will barrier-coat with epoxy before launch. The interior is unfinished (just what I wanted -- I have my own plans, so it's nice to start with a nearly empty hull)

So far we have removed the engine and are converting the bilge to integral water tanks. Many of the floor timbers had rotted. All are rplaced with new wood and lots of glass and epoxy. The engine will NOT be replaced. The rudder aperture will be closed. She will be a sailboat.

I am curious as to her exact type. She is called a Morgan 45 -- 45'8" LOA, 25,000 lb displ, 11,000 lb ballast (NOT a centerboarder) She has an aft cockpit and relatively low coachroof with a curious shape viewed from above -- rather wide at the cockpit and aft end, then it swoops in to a long narrow and low profile ending for'd the mast.

The hull shape is nearly classic, stem raked for'd about 45o, long deep keel with attached rudder, counter stern with the transom NOT on backwards, although it is a bit upright as C Morgan apparently liked.

She is a yawl, wheel steered. The rigging is 3/8" 1x19 on 5/8" t'b'kles.

She was masthead rigged ala CCA with a roller furling Genoa, high main boom, permanent backstay, etc. Mainmast head is about 54' above the water.

I was a bit leary about buying her, having read the review by Jeff H. But I am a director and don't believe in taking critics too seriously. My instincts in just looking at her is that she could be a real witch, especially if rigged properly and that awful hole in her rudder fixed.

We plan to re-rig her along modern lines. (Actually these are old practices, prior to the influences of CCA, RORC, IOR and other stupid rules) To wit: a taller mast (about 60') 7/8 rig, so the mast can be bent to change the camber of the upper part, spreaders swept aft about 30o to take most of the backstay load, the masts move for'd about 24" to leave the chainplates where they are, the forestay goes through the deck about 5' aft the stemhead and terminates belowdeck on the keel/stem structure.

This should keep the balance about the same, the CE a bit more for'd. the CLR a bit more aft, so the tendency to weather helm I've read about should be reduced.

My other boat is an International One Design (IOD) on San Francisco Bay. This will help to explain my tastes, perhaps.

Looking for'd to hearing from other 45 owners.

Oh, ... she is being re-built at Salt Creek Marina, St Petersburg, Florida, in view of the old Starret&Jenks Building where she started life. And she apparently had a rudder post problem like that mentioned by other owners, but that whole area was completely re-constructed by the Salt Creek guys before I bought her.

We hope to get wet within the next six months.

Hope to hear from you.

K E & J S Froeschner

ORION

Update as of April 2008:

The interior structural work is done and all of the new cabinet furniture structure is built. The prop aperature is closed and the rudder is being re-built with about 8" more chord. (We have heard that the original was a bit squirrelly downwind and the original rudder does look rather small to almost all eyes.) With the prop hole filled, the rudder enlarged and the CE a bit farther for'd I think she will work well.

We lowered the cabin sole in the galley area so it matches the for'd salon, giving a much greater feeling of space below. (No need for it to be as high as it was as the engine is GONE!)

The space beneath the cabin sole is now almost entirely water tanks. (at least 200 gal.)

The work is being done by Robert Hailey of Elan Yacht Services, wh we highly recommend.

I want to cover the decks in wood. And since the interior is being done in American Black Walnut Burl (which I scored cheap here in California) I thought it might be nice to keep her "all American" and do the decks in White Oak. Eoxied down with West's new E-Glas perhaps? I have heard of problems with oak and epoxy and am a little concerned that it's shrinkage/swelling rate with moisture is a bit higher than teak. Any experience out thete?

Thanks again for a great Forum.

keforion
 
#38 ·
We have just aquired a Morgan 45, (built by Starrett & Jenks according to the prior owner) I love the design and as she has been out of the water for the last ten years at least, she is in remarkably good condition

I am curious as to her exact type. She is called a Morgan 45 -- 45'8" LOA, 25,000 lb displ, 11,000 lb ballast (NOT a centerboarder)

She is a yawl, wheel steered. The rigging is 3/8" 1x19 on 5/8" t'b'kles.

KEFORION
Do you know what hull number she is? You can find it on the exterior upper corner of the transom. The boat was designed as the Morgan 45-1 Keel Sloop. 12 of them were built before Morgan sold the moulds to Starratt and Jenks.

Are you going to rig her as a yawl with the taller mast or some other configuration?

I would be interested to know if you have verified the thickness of the hull in any locations.
 
#15 ·
I have a '69 Morgan 41 K/CB hull # 30. Bought the boat in Nov "90 and did a total rebuild. My wife and I have take her around the race course here in NC collecting a bit of silver but she really shows her stuff offshore. Four trips to the Bahamas and another scheduled in November. No finer offshore sailing boat made. Thank You Charlie!!
 
#16 ·
Morgan 34 ???

I'm taking the plunge and buying a bigger boat. I haven't heard much about the Morgan 34 but I'm thinking of looking at one next week. From what I can see she is a beautiful boat. Is there anything I should know about her. My other choices are Pearson Vanguard and Luders 33. I have a small family and the quarter berths seem appealing and I think the keel stepped mast is a good choice in the older boats. Any info is appreciated.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Captain Force & the Space Cadet

My wife and I moved aboard a new Morgan OI 33' in 1973 and traded it for our 1973 41' Morgan OI ketch in 1985. Our kids kept growing so we needed the space. We are retired now and cruising fulltime. Living aboard Morgans for 35 years and enjoying life. We're spending most of our time between Maine and the Bahamas.
Here'e our photo that we were proud to have Charley sign:



'take care and joy,-Aythya crew
 
#21 ·
In August I bought a M28 from the Port Clinton, Ohio area. A bottom job, some fg work, and other odds and ends will keep the boat hone for the winter. The plan is to have it ready to splash it into Lake Superior between Ashland and Superior, Wi. by July,08. This boat has become an obsession to me.
 
#22 ·
In August I bought a M28 from the Port Clinton, Ohio area. A bottom job, some fg work, and other odds and ends will keep the boat home for the winter. The plan is to have it ready to splash into Lake Superior between Ashland and Superior, Wi. by July,08. This boat has become an obsession to me!
 
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