Consolidated 66 ft Twin Screw Long Island Commuter Boat 1929/1997

The term Commuter Launch hints at all things commercial and hard work for the masses, however these ostentatious beasts were built for the very few souls who could afford to travel each day from their large mansions on Long Island Sound into New York City to work. MOHICAN is a survivor – rescued by a previous owner who had an eye for the extremely beautiful, and the good taste to restore the vessel without spoiling her original charm and patina. A 66 ft café racer perhaps? – Art Deco all moving at 20 knots plus… MOHICAN has enough accommodation to be a classic yacht mothership or family cruiser and her current owner takes his time cruising Sardinia and Sicily each summer – does it actually get better than that?

- A provisional set of details for a new listing
- Updated specs to be added in the coming weeks

CONSOLIDATED SHIPBUILDING CORPORATION HULL NO. 2925

MOHICAN is believed to have been ordered by New York City stockbroker and high-ranking Naval Militia flag officer Rear-Admiral Louis Maurice Josephthal. His wife, Edyth, was a Guggenheim; grand-daughter of the dynasty's founder Meyer Guggenheim. Josephthal succumbed to a lengthy illness on May 23rd 1929 and most probably never got to enjoy this wonderful vessel.

Philadelphia City Architect 'in perpetuity' Philip H. Johnson (1868-1933) - well on his way to earning $2,000,000 in commission on all public buildings built in the city in an almost 30 year career, and a longtime flag officer of Larchmont Yacht Club - seems to have succeeded as MOHICAN's first recorded owner in commission. By 1931 Johnson was Commodore of both Larchmont and Philadelphia Yacht Clubs. He was a committed 'small' boat racer; one of the original William Garden-designed 58 ft Larchmont O-Class owners.

More research is required into MOHICAN's early years. The following is extracted from a 2001 Classic Boat magazine article by motor yachting history guru Kevin Desmond about the Italian classic boat collector, Ugo Baravalle - MOHICAN's saviour and restorer.

"In 1929, the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corporation of Morris Heights, New York… built a series of four 66 ft fast commuter motor yachts, designed by John H. Wells, for transporting wealthy Wall Street businessmen from their Long Island homes to New York City. For at least seven months a year, early every morning, such businessmen would leave home in their dressing gowns to board their own commuter craft. During their journey, at a speed of 20 knots, they were able to shave, dress and enjoy breakfast at their leisure.

"Among the four 66-footers was MOHICAN, powered by two Consolidated 'Speedway' petrol engines each developing 200 hp. During her first 60 years, MOHICAN had 13 owners. In 1991, Ugo Baravalle bought Mohican in Long Island, New York, at the same place where the fast commuters were once based.

"Ugo's excuse for acquiring this behemoth was simple: "Because it is the most useless. After all, two beds in 20 sq m of boat? Ma, tante cose inutili sono spesso le piu belle" (but so many useless things are often the most beautiful).

"A cradle was built for her to be transported by lorry to New York and then by container ship across the Atlantic Ocean to Livorno. Unloaded at Livorno, she was towed by sea to Elba, hauled out of the water and stored under cover to await restoration. At the time Ugo's craftsmen were working on [other restorations], so MOHICAN had to wait four years before she could be restored.

"As many of MOHICAN's original parts were missing, two years of careful research were necessary to locate the only surviving copies of the original designs in the Mystic Seaport Museum. MOHICAN's sister ships were also photographed. Period fittings were hunted down from suppliers on both sides of the Pond. MOHICAN's white cedar hull was stripped and rebuilt to her original specification. This marathon project took place between 1995 and 1997. The manhour statistics are staggering: 25,000 hours of work by master shipbuilders, 2,000 hours of painting and varnishing, not to mention 2,000 specially made metal pieces. She now has new engines - two 400 hp AIFO diesel engines.

"This summer [2001], not content with visiting Monaco, Ugo took MOHICAN to Scandinavia for a historic motor boat rally in the Norwegian port of Oslo. There were about 80 classic sailing boats and 20 classic motor yachts. Not surprisingly, Ugo gained first prize."

In current ownership, MOHICAN is the most stylish of Mediterranean cruisers in Sardinian and Sicilian waters by summer with a professional captain who remains on a maintenance and guardiannage retainer by winter.

- Keel work
- Topsides painting
- New generator
- New charger

- Double planked mahogany over cedar
- Bronze screw fastened
- Oregon pine decks (varnished)
- Varnished teak/ mahogany superstructures

GENERAL
- Oregon pine laid decks
- Varnished mahogany covering boards and toerail

GROUND TACKLE
- 20 kg Bruce anchor in modern launcher
- American Engineering Co. of Philadelphia windlass

SUMMARY
- Spacious interior
- 6 x Berths
- Well equipped galley - ideal for entertaining

CABIN 1
- 2 x Berths
CABIN 2
- 4 x Berths

WC/ SHOWER COMPARTMENTS
- 2 x

GALLEY
- 2 x Fridges
- Double sink
- Cooking stove

RIG
- Single Oregon pine mast with 1 x pair of spreaders

CANVASWORK
- Covers and awnings specs to follow

MECHANICAL
- 2 x AIFO Fiat 400 hp diesels (1996)
- 14 knots cruising
- 25 knots max
- 700 nautical miles range @ 14 kts
- Approx consumpton @ 14 knots: 20 Gals/ 91 L/ hour

ELECTRICAL
- Specs to follow

TANKAGE
Fuel
- 2,500 L
Fresh Water
- 1,200 L

Specs to follow

Specs to follow

- Clinker rowing tender
- Pasarelle
- Boarding/ swim ladder
- 2 x Boathooks
- Fenders
- Warps