Rybovich: "The Fighting Lady"

There was a good story several years ago, in Professional Boatbuiler magazine parting shot, I think it was called "The Lady behind the name". If I recall, it said the boat was a Mortensen 37' with chrysler gas engines. They would fish the boat in New England in the summer, and Central America in the winter, and how they would do valve jobs after dinner

can you see the boat now ??

saltysenior:

I am up in Massachusetts. The boat is in Florida, isn't she?

Unless I am missing something, like some sort of link to a camera at the marina where she docks, I'm out of luck for viewing.

Below I have a snapshot I took in Florida in 1980, that looks to me like an older Mortensen, which also has the light blue color that I associate with the FIGHTING LADY when I saw her in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in (I believe) 1961.

Bahia Mar charter boat..

Built by whom?

My father owned a 37 Andy Mortenson, originally built as the Fighting Lady in 1966 for Dinny Phipps. We owned it in the mid to late 80’s. One hell of a fish raiser and a hot little Tuna boat. We had it as Decoy. I’d love to know where it is today. ?????

I have gleaned from his Forum that the 37-foot FIGHTING LADY came after the 40--plus-Mortensen, also named FIGHTING LADY, and was when I saw her competing in the Cape Ann Tuna tournament in 1961 was a light blue. She was about the same size, that is, over 40-foot, but under 50-foot, I estimate, as the Mortensen named POSEIDON I saw in Edgartown in 1966.

The POSEIDON's captain was very pleasant and happy to answer our questions.

Following up here years later:

I am glad to discover this forum with some of the history of the Phipps and their boats. My grandad Frank Hinzey was the mate and wireman on the Fighting Lady when Dinny Phipps would tuna fish in Bimini. Im not sure which exact hull or years.

My grandad will be 93 this year, and he still talks about how Dinny would book him a year in advance for the whole month of May. I can ask him what he remembers specifically about the boats and which years these were. He still vividly recalls how excited Dinny got when they hooked up on a big fish, and how strong of an angler Dinny was to keep the tuna in the shallow water and bring them close to the boat so he could wire them.

I have to ask him some more about those days.