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23-07-2015, 20:39
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Boise Idaho
Posts: 5
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Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
I know that sounds dramatic and crazy, I've tried everything I know to try and find out what happened to my fathers ship after he died. His name was Arnold L. Gray (Arnie) the boat was built on the east coast of Florida either in the late 70's or early 80's. He owned Gray Enterprise in Tampa and they made injection molded port holes and hatches for boats of all size. The ship was a 125' schooner named "THE FREE ENTERPRISE" It was steel hulled and I spent many a summer playing on the boat and sailing with him around the gulf. I wasn't around him much after my mom divorced him and we moved up north. I lost touch with him and found out later that he had died and the ship sold, ive heard from some in the Tarpon Springs area that it was in or around Fiji. I wish I had a picture of it but I only have on pic of myself on its deck holding a big sheepshead I'd caught. It was docked in Tarpon Springs, FL. for its whole life when not sailing. I'm just wondering if there is anybody out there that knows where this ship is or remembers it or its captain. I know he spent the better part of his adult life sailing and he was a great guy, maybe someone remembers him.
Thanks for your time.
Brian Gray
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23-07-2015, 20:54
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Petersburg, AK
Boat: Outremer 50S
Posts: 4,229
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
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23-07-2015, 21:05
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Boise Idaho
Posts: 5
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Wow that was fast!!! I believe that's her! I'm so stoked right now, you have no idea!! Thank you sooooooooo much !! Your my hero!! Now im looking for pics now that I know her new name.
You Rock!
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23-07-2015, 21:11
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Illinois
Boat: Rinker 24
Posts: 398
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Wow I have to say that that's pretty impressive to come up with 16 mintes after the original post!
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23-07-2015, 21:30
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Petersburg, AK
Boat: Outremer 50S
Posts: 4,229
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Pictures are proving more difficult. She shows up in a number of charter registries, but all without pictures.
An old article from just after her launch:
Quote:
Because of the high price of fuel, observers say sail-assisted vessels have become more practical for a variety of uses. The 122-foot schooner Free Enterprise, for instance, will be operating by early summer out of Tarpon Springs, Fla., largely as a research and training vessel. Its owner, Arnold Gray , says the boat will be leased to firms for such things as seismographic research.
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Mixing canvas and diesel power -- modern skippers rediscover the wind - CSMonitor.com
She also gets a brief mention here, but still no pictures:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...4,171432&hl=en
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24-07-2015, 09:43
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Morro Bay, CA
Boat: Herreshoff 28 modified ketch- wood
Posts: 379
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Can't wait to see pics!
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24-07-2015, 10:00
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#7
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cruising Indian Ocean / Red Sea - home is Zimbabwe
Boat: V45
Posts: 1,352
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzz-kill72
Wow that was fast!!! I believe that's her! I'm so stoked right now, you have no idea!! Thank you sooooooooo much !! Your my hero!! Now im looking for pics now that I know her new name.
You Rock!
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The power of the internet.......
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24-07-2015, 10:10
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Maine, USA
Boat: Monk 36
Posts: 267
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulawayo
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Thank you Al Gore ..........
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24-07-2015, 11:30
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: BVI
Boat: Leopard 40 (new model)
Posts: 1,385
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzz-kill72
Wow that was fast!!! I believe that's her! I'm so stoked right now, you have no idea!! Thank you sooooooooo much !! Your my hero!! Now im looking for pics now that I know her new name.
You Rock!
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The Baltra home port tells you that this boat is or was used for "naturalist" guided (guide is very well l trained in all the natural stuff around there; it is not about being naked ) tours in the Galápagos islands. I bet that any of the large tour companies in the Galapagos will be able to trace the boat, photos, etc.
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24-07-2015, 11:37
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Miami Florida
Boat: Ellis Flybridge 28
Posts: 4,057
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Pardon the thread drift. Did Bomar buy Gray Enterprises?
__________________
Retired from Hopkins-Carter Marine Supplies
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24-07-2015, 13:13
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2013
Location: CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA
Boat: ALBERG 30
Posts: 43
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzz-kill72
I know that sounds dramatic and crazy, I've tried everything I know to try and find out what happened to my fathers ship after he died. His name was Arnold L. Gray (Arnie) the boat was built on the east coast of Florida either in the late 70's or early 80's. He owned Gray Enterprise in Tampa and they made injection molded port holes and hatches for boats of all size. The ship was a 125' schooner named "THE FREE ENTERPRISE" It was steel hulled and I spent many a summer playing on the boat and sailing with him around the gulf. I wasn't around him much after my mom divorced him and we moved up north. I lost touch with him and found out later that he had died and the ship sold, ive heard from some in the Tarpon Springs area that it was in or around Fiji. I wish I had a picture of it but I only have on pic of myself on its deck holding a big sheepshead I'd caught. It was docked in Tarpon Springs, FL. for its whole life when not sailing. I'm just wondering if there is anybody out there that knows where this ship is or remembers it or its captain. I know he spent the better part of his adult life sailing and he was a great guy, maybe someone remembers him.
Thanks for your time.
Brian Gray
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Just a bit of trivia, I worked at SUTTON BOAT WORKS when i got out of military in 1965, still live near TARPON
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24-07-2015, 20:10
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Franklin, Ohio
Boat: Homebuilt schooner 64 ft. Sold.
Posts: 1,486
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
This is cool for me, I bought a set of plans from Mr. Sutton and built a 64' steel sailboat. He seemed to be a really nice guy, took me on a tour of his yard and boats in construction. He told me he was moving to New England because Florida was too hot to get much work done in the summer. I would imagine he has passed away by now as this was in the 70's. He was regarded as one of the finest steel boat-builders in the country.
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24-07-2015, 23:42
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
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25-07-2015, 04:39
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 40
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by captlloyd
This is cool for me, I bought a set of plans from Mr. Sutton and built a 64' steel sailboat. He seemed to be a really nice guy, took me on a tour of his yard and boats in construction. He told me he was moving to New England because Florida was too hot to get much work done in the summer. I would imagine he has passed away by now as this was in the 70's. He was regarded as one of the finest steel boat-builders in the country.
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Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum
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25-07-2015, 05:23
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1
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Re: Looking for a lost 125' steel hull schooner!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Richard
Is this her?
Scroll down the page .......
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No, that's the Mary Anne.
https://discovergalapagos.com/MaryAnne/index.htm
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