Elco Yachts

Wow, she looks better there than it ever looked in my memory !

Hi to all

I have an Elco 26
Builded in 2002
İn Turkey İstanbul

I just wanted to share here.

I like her too much

All the best

Furkan Olcer[/QUOTE]

Margie McCoy

Hello all,

I see that there were a few posts this past year concerning Margie McCoy - a 1931 64' commuter yacht built by NYYL and what happened to her. She was originally commissioned as RoRoLa. Some of you where wondering what had happened to her.

After sitting for 3 1/2 years on the hard in Beaufort I am happy to say she has been purchased and will be moved to my property near Beaufort, NC where restoration will begin this coming year.

Mechanical, hull, running gear, and topsides are in very bad condition. Hurricane Irene this past July 2011 only made things worse and caused some extensive damage to her topsides.

Until we can get Margie here and do a thorough survey and scope of work we are not sure if she will ever float on her own bottom again. At a minimum - my wife and I will have her appearance restored to the 1930's era when she was launched. If Margie McCoy does not return to the ocean - she will have a final resting spot - just yards from Pamlico Sound - with her bow pointed East facing the water and sunrises.

If you decide not to refloat Margie McCoy again or if the damage makes you doubt if a restauration project really makes sense let me know. I am sure there are others to accept that challenge and I think I could find some of them...

Can´t agree more, Eric.

Seems to me that if you all had more money than internet opinions - perhaps you would be the owner of her and not me. But alas, Margie McCoy belongs to us and I guess we will decide how we spend our money in her restoration process.

No offense intended Steve. I just wanted to say that I really hope you´ll manage to bring her back on the water and if you can´t achieve that consider handing her over to someone else instead of growing flowers in her.

1931 Margie McCoy

Captain Steve and other interested parties. I have tried to find interested investors to restore her over the past two years I had been in contact with Jerrit Bay. There is interest but I failed to secure any formal cash. Mostly I offer there are many who want to see Margie McCoy restored, I found a city that might want to have her docked at their port but no investor yet. So I passed buying her until I secured real funds. I too share others wishes she not stay aground, she deserves to be restored to sea condition and put back afloat. it would be worse to lawn orniment her because of any inability to fund the real project. thats why I didnt act until a plan was secure.
This country is so full of yard waste, we all care and should step up to preserve our history in any way we can, so lets help captain Steve with any advice, cash, elbow grease or just give him thanks to pursue returning her to the sea where she belongs. We need a yacht like this to withstand time for our future generations to feel what American history was.
Captain Michael

Help with history of vessel

I recently purchased a 27 ft Elco. It is one that I owned about 35 years ago. Fortunately most of the original hardware still exist. Most fortunately the identifying plaque is still attached. The number is 2736. I was wondering if anyone could tell me about where or how to find more information on the boat. I will post a photo of her as she 37 years ago soon as well as how she looked when I found her yesterday.

Thanks. That is about what mine once looked like. She has gone through a bit and some of it did take away from the classic Elco look. I have a project ahead of me albeit a worthwhile one.

I called Elco and they told me they had given all the information regarding boats of that era to Mystic Seaport. Do you have any other idea where to go for information.

I saw number 2738 advertised and it said it was a 1930. Best I remember 2736 was a 1931.

And thanks for your reply.

Year confirmed

I was able, thanks to the good folks at Mysitic Seaport to confirm that Hull# 2736 was built in 1930

Hello...
I'm new here, but i have a little information on the RoRoLa (Margie McCoy).
I started working for Norshipco (Now BAE Systems-Norfolk Ship Repair) in 1986.
At that time Norshipco had three maybe four yachts including the RoRoLa.
One of the better known ones was the former presidential yacht "Sequoia"
(kept at Atlantic yacht basin in Chesapeake, Va. during the winter and based
in Washington DC during the warmer months)

As many know the Sequoia became one of Norshipco's yachts after the group
who had bought it from the us government went broke and since Norshipco was the biggest creditor for the work, in a nut shell it became theirs. Both the RoRoLa and the Sequoia were kept at the former Southern Plant on the East Elizabeth River in Norfolk. It was a small yard mainly used as a small boat and yacht yard by Norshipco. The Southern Plant is now owned by Colonna Yacht.

Over the years i worked on both the RoRoLa and the Sequoia. I'm in the paint shop and often was sent to the Southern Plant to work on them. I'm the signpainter for the shipyard so one of my jobs was to paint the names
on them and any fancy painted trim. Usually when the Sequoia was hauled, the RoRoLa was hauled on the marine railway with it. I may still have the paper patterns for the RoRoLa's name and the ivy scroll work that was painted on the bow if anyone is interested. I might also still have the patterns for the Sequoia and RoRoLa life ring lettering.The patterns for the Sequoia name i gave to the current owners a few years ago while it was at Atlantic Yacht basin. I still have a empty can of the Gold Leaf lettering paint that we used on them.

From what i heard over the years the RoRoLa was named for the three partners who started Norshipco (then known commonly as Norfolk Ship
Building and Dry Dock Co.)(the Norshipco name came later) The three men
were Roper, Rogers and Lawrence....not Roper, Roper and Lawrence. There used to be a wooden sign at the former Brambleton Plant main office that
had those three names on it and i saved it and gave it to John Roper IV
(little jack) when Norshipco was sold. Also the RoRoLa might not have
originally been owned by Norshipco. From what i've heard It was originally one
of the Woolworth yachts (not Barbara Hutton's) and was taken by the Navy
during WWII for use as a harbor patrol boat during the war. A gun was mounted on the bow deck (there used to be wear marks on the deck from this gun years later when i worked on it) After the war the Navy basically
stripped it and it was then that Norshipco bought it and restored it. It was used as both a corporate and personal yacht up until the time Norshipco was
sold to Southwest Marine (who after the sale renamed all their shipyards under the USMR (United States Marine Repair) name). It was during the USMR
years that both the RoRoLa and the Sequoia were sold off...probably between
2000 and 2003. The other former Norshipco yachts were by then long gone.
USMR was part of United Defense and when BAE Systems bought United Defense , USMR was sold also to BAE as part of the deal.

I honestly hope that the RoRoLa is restored...either as intended...or as a display that is tastefully done and cared for.

hi, i just saw your post and would love to find out where you last saw the nokomis. This was my fathers boat and it was stolen in the 80,s i still have the original title and deed and just started looking for the vessal. it is 1927 elco and she was awesome. any help would be great. thanks chris

Nokomis

Hi,

The last time I saw Nokomis was about 45 yrs ago so I do not think I'll be much help to you.

It was on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in a small boat yard.

I was friends with the owners sons for a while.

I do not recall the circustances of them leaving the marina tho.

How long ago did your family own the boat ?

I can only remember on of the son's name and that was Sam.
He was the younger of the two.
We used to swim off the piers and stuff.