[L16-usa] LUDERS - New Addition

[Sturgis Haskins]

MDI LUDERS CHANGES HANDS, PORTS

Gifford Combs is the proud new owner of WATERMELON, Northeast Harbor
Luders # 3.  The sale was concluded recently in Dan Burt's London office
while Combs was visiting that city.  This was comforting news to those
of us who keep a watchful vigil over our local Luders fleet - hoping
none will stray to far afield.  Indeed, WATERMELON, in one sense, comes
closer to home as her anchorage moved from the surf-bound cliffs of
Schooner Head, in Bar Harbor, to the more tranquil confines of Seal
Harbor. Here she will join four other Luders there:

NEH #7, JULIE J, long owned by the Ford family
NEH #16, CHINQUAPIN, kept by Jane Zirnkilton since about 1948
NEH #25, GOLDEN ARROW, bought new in 1947 by Nelson Rockefeller and
still beautifully kept by his widow.
MDI #29, SEA BISCUIT, imported last year from the Chicago fleet by Bill
Eacho (& handsomely refurbished)

We owe a note of appreciation to Dan Burt, both for the immaculate way
in which he has kept WATERMELON maintained, but, too, for his
participation in the revival of Mount Desert Luders racing in its first
season in 2002.  It was the presence of WATERMELON on the starting line
that lent considerable impetus to this effort.

Gifford Combs is an especially welcomed addition.  As a recent Commodore
of the Seal Harbor Yacht Club he has been a conspicuous and welcoming
presence for us there.  Few yacht clubs can offer such a handsome club
house as this one and it is a source of some pride that Luders have
established a firm presence in their anchorage.  The annual Seal Harbor
regatta has been an event much enjoyed by our local fleet
(notwithstanding Luders have won the last three!) and we look forward to
even more interclub activity.

For those interested in such things, WATERMELON was bought new to
Northeast Harbor in the original fleet in 1946. She was owned by Dr.
Mathew T. Mellon, a descendant of the famous banking family.
Interestingly, it seems to be the single Luders photographed by the late
W.H. Ballard, a local photographer who specialized - in part - in marine
subjects.  (On the other hand, he did a series of International
One-Design photos in 1938 when those boats arrived.).  The two surviving
negatives (in the MDI Historical Society) were among Mr. Ballard's
'plainest.' and seem to have been taken about 1946 when the boat was
new.

WATERMELON disappeared from the Northeast Harbor Fleet lists in 1955.
Whether she was simply not raced or sold away at this time to Greenwich,
Connecticut (where she spent some years) is not known.  In the 1970's
she was brought back to the area and kept on Petit Manan Point (largest
undeveloped peninsular on the North Atlantic coast, by the way)  and in
Hancock Point.  Still later, she was acquired by Ollie Spears, Jr., of
Bar Harbor, who did a thorough restoration and subsequently sold her to
Dan Burt who assured the boat's high level of maintenance.

Thank you to Dan Burt for his effort to keep WATERMELON in our fleet and
to our newest members, the Gifford Combs family.
Welcome indeed !!








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