[Defoe Hunter]

http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/hcgl/vessel.html the best tool I've found for starting a search on great lakes vessels is at the URL above.

Does anyone have an update on the Defoe's mentioned above?

I grew up in Bay City, Michigan and went to school with some of the Defoe great grand kids. I was able to cut class on a few occasions and watch them launch some of their last ships before the place closed.

[Defoe Hunter]

Sorry, I forgot to add the link to the Savitar. Looks like it is the same information you have, but didn't know if you had the #'s. http://ul.bgsu.edu/cgi-bin/xvsl2.cgi

[45tf]

I remember Chanticleer well - she came into the Great Lakes in the summers and up to the Evinrude's island in the North Channel of Georgian Bay, down at the end of Bay Finne. Beautiful boat with a dark blue hull. I also remember the Natoya which was docked at the Detroit Boat Basin for years. She was gray and white if I remember correctly. The Cruisemasters were very efficient boats with four low horsepower GM 6-71's on two shafts.

[lawrencenelson@]

Defoe cruisemsters... I have been able to account for 4 of the 5 cruisemasters. But Savitar eludes me.She was sold to south Africa after that and I cannot trace her any further. Any one have any ideas.. ?
L

[YachtForums]

Just received a pic from YF member; "NantucketSailor" of a 1948 Defoe Cruisemaster, built by Defoe Shipbuilding in Bay City, MI. The name of the boat was "Maryland Lady". He indicated only 6 Cruisemasters were built by Defoe. The image came from the Maryland Governor's Mansion. Here's the message...

1948 Defoe Cruisemaster - Bay City Michigan. Registered as a Police Patrol Boat for the State of Maryland and served as the official State Yacht for the Maryland Government House Trust from 1960 - 1979. (Call Sign WB5758, Vin: 255675.) This yacht has not been registered with the United States Coast Guard since 2001. If you have any information on the current location of this boat, please let me know... "Nantucket.Sailor (at) Yahoo (dot).com"

[Savitar]

The original Chanticleer was 118' and once a summer usually made the trip through the Great Lakes and down into Long Island and Nantucket Sounds. In the early to mid fifties her sister ship the Savitar was berthed in Stamford, CT. These pictures are of a subsequent vessel carrying the same name.