Down East Yachts (USCG Manufacturer's Identification Code (MIC) - AAY) was a manufacturer of sailboats headquartered in Santa Ana, California. Founded in 1869 Santa Ana ( is the most populous city in Orange County California and is the County seat and a city of about 353184 people. According to Coast guard records, the company was founded on August 5, 1974 and went out of business on July 12, 1983. A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The company was founded by Bob Poole, who had previously worked for Columbia Yachts. Columbia Yachts is a US manufacturer of Sailboats, with offices and production facilities in Southern California. The company began production in 1974 and after the death of the founder, his son continued operations for a short while, before selling the molds to Newport Offshore Yachts.
The heart of a sailboat company is the design of its boats. Down East Yachts started with a single boat, the Downeaster 38 which was designed by Henry Morschladt, a California Naval Architect who specialized in cruising sailboats. The design was traditional, with a wineglass stern, full keel, and bowsprit. As additional boats were added to the line, they were modifications of this original design.
In addition to manufacturing their own boats, Down East Yachts was contracted to finish several hulls made by Westsail as it was closing its doors in 1980.
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Sailboats
Four sailboats were manufactured by the company. All were heavily built cruisers suitable for blue water sailing and were available in Ketch, Schooner, and Cutter configurations:
- Downeaster 32, 1975 - 1980. A ketch is a Sailing Craft with two masts: a main mast and a shorter Mizzen mast abaft (rearward of the main mast A schooner (ˈskuːnɚ is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts Schooners were first used by the When used in a nautical sense a cutter is a small single-masted vessel Fore-and-aft rigged with two or more Headsails a Bowsprit, and Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
- Downeaster 38, 1974 - 1981. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar.
- Downeaster 41, 1980 - 1981. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar)
- Downeaster 45, 1977 - 1981. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981
Downeaster 45 Hull number 1 in schooner configuration
Trawlers
Down East Yachts acquired the molds and tooling for the Defever 40 Passagemaker from Jensen Marine when they ceased operations in 1980. Production was resumed as the Downeast 40.
References
- The Proper Yacht, 2nd Edition by Arthur Beiser, International Marine, 1978
- Mauch's Sailboat Guide Vol I, by Jan Mauch, Oceanside Publishing Co, 1991
- Heart of Glass, by Daniel Spurr, McGraw Hill, 2000,2004
- Review, © Motor Boating & Sailing / May 1977
See also
External links
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