My (Very) Old Boat 'Falcon'

[Dick Pluta]

Way back in 1976 I had an old wood catboat named Falcon. I bought her from a guy who was smarter than me. He sold. I bought. She was the classic money pit and I neither the time or money to keep her up. The last straw was a move to the Midwest and I donated her to an historical society who was going to start a museum in Atlantic City NJ. I'd like to find out if she still exists. All the leads I have found dead ended, so I'm trying here.

Here's the detail. Falcon is (was) 30 feet long without boomkin and small bowsprit and, if memory serves, 14 feet wide drawing 2 1/2 feet with the board up. She was built as a catboat and was converted, at some point, to a sloop. I bought her at Nelson's marina in Island Heights NJ. She was alleged to have been built in the late 1800s by Morton Johnson and was further alleged to have been his personal boat. She was further alleged to have been owned for many years by a gentleman from Philadelphia named Dilworth (?). In 1976 I donated her to the Down Jersey Marine Historical Society. I'm told they got an Army Engineer unit to haul her away to who knows where.

Does anyone know anything about Falcon? It's been a lot of years and I have often wondered what became of her. Any information gratefully accepted.

Dick Pluta
AEGEA