Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr Al Mason NA

[Wild Dingo]

After recieving more information on Al from his daughter Anita I have created a imagestation album for your purusal of Mr Masons designs... so far are Sørkust, Ostkust and Jan... hopefully more will come as Anita has time and when they do I shall update the album

For now please enjoy the designs.

Thank you Anita for this peek into a few of your dads designs.

Mr Mason over to you! :cool:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid28/p1870edf5ab99f2e7fd5d0d2484137e74/fd67c3d3.jpg

Al Masons designs on Imagestation!!! (http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291498197)

Thanks again Anita :cool:
Take it easy
Shane

Added... "Carinita" {"modern" 21fter} "Cogge" {50ft ketch... yowser!! :cool: } and "Pootzy" {Dinghy wif pooch! :D }

[ 08-14-2002, 10:55 AM: Message edited by: Wild Dingo ]

[Todd Bradshaw]

Wow! Aren't they lovely. Great looking sails, too.

[Roger Stouff]

Thanks, Shane! I hope more pics are to come.

Anita, thanks to you, as well, for joining this forum.

Regards from the Rez,
R

[John Teetsel]

Wonderful work Mr Mason. Thanks for sending to along Anita and Shane.

[TonyH]

Thanks Shane and thanks Anita. That Cogge ketch is a great looking boat, isn't it? Was one of these boats ever built?

[A. Mason]

The custom design for the wood Cogge Ketch was created for a Dr. Donald Duerk of Myrtle Beach, S.C., as a five-year therapy project, beginning in 1971. He was assisted by local area boatbuilders.

According to correspondence, in 1984 the incomplete boat was purchased by John Nelson in Rehoboth Beach, DE and finished by him. Where the vessel is today, I have no idea, I do not even know her original name.

The correspondence also indicates that a ferro-cement version was built by David Berks of Minneapolis, MN. It appears her original name was MEKINEKE.

Two other sets of plans were definitely sold but I have no followup correspondence as to whether any boats were ever built to these additional sales.

That's the bane of all yacht designers, they are usually the last to find out if their designs were ever actually built. My father used to haunt marinas, boat yards, and yacht clubs nationwide looking for his "children." He was an extremely happy camper whenever he spotted one, and believe me, he could spot his "kids" across a huge crowded marina.

[For those of you who have purchased designs and have actually built the design, please send at least a short note to the designer. They will greatly appreciate the gesture!]

Anita

[Dave Fleming]

Anita, regarding the Cogge Ketch, I seem to recall that two brothers up in BC were the original designers of that, shall we say class.
Name of Urry and either Bill Garden or Taylor in one of their books in design had a bit to say about Cogge's. I like the design but my biggest fear is ALL those lights across the transom!

[A. Mason]

You're correct Dave. The first Cogge Ketch design, by the Urry Brothers was reviewed by "Yachting" in 1927. "The Skipper" had a lengthy article on the type in 1968.

Years ago my father was asked about the origin of the word "Cogge." His reply was:

"Cogge (Cog) (fr. Coque) according to Samuel Eliot Morrison's "The European Discovery of Northern Voyages" meant different vessel types at different times but in early 15th century wass generally a small two-masted merchant/trading vessel quite capable of an ocean crossing. Cogge was also the descriptive term made to this type in the original 'Yachting" article with a great ccabin aft, high bulwarks, strong sheer, and other little ship features of the past."

I have no doubt that Garden and others also created Cogge Ketch designs of various sizes. When the S&S/Irving Johnson "Yankee II" appeared on the scene, Garden, Robb, and my father all created designs based in part on the 50-foot steel ketch. S&S had nine variations to the original.

The Garden version, with modifications by Laurent Giles was 48-feet, as was the Robb design. My father's created two versions, one 54 feet and one 38 feet. All were ketches with great cabins aft. From all the photos I've seen of the various designs, the transom windows are set quite high on the transom.

Anita