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Hello everybody, Just found your great site. I recently became the owner of a Dickerson 35 named “Restless” in Palm Beach, Florida. I am unsure of her year, as I am still waiting on the paperwork to arrive. She has a Virginia Hailing port on the stern. I wondered if anyone remembers her? She had a rough last few years, but I am getting her cleaned up and sorted out. Her last owner became very ill, and had to let her go, so I picked her up, as I always admired her lines.
Of course I need another boat like a hole in the head, as I already own a Hylas/Stephens 50 cutter and a 1928 32′ Salmon Troller. But, I could not resist….
If anyone has any info on Restless, I would be apprecatiate hearing it.
Turns out, my new boat is a 1965 D35. Got the engine up and running yesterday (Westerbeke 30b), runs like a top! Started cleaning the interior , shes shaping up!
Ahoy Bahama Don,
Welcome to the Dickerson Owners Association (DOA) Forum and congratulations—you are our newest known Dickerson owner. Believe me; everyone who participates here understands why you couldn’t pass on the opportunity to own a classic yacht built in Trappe, Maryland—even if she does need tender loving care. That said, many of us will confirm that “Restless” will come back to form and you will love her even more for it. And you will find the members of the DOA a treasured source of information all along your journey.
Over the past few years, I’ve been on a quest to collect information on as many of the approximately 300 great yachts turned out by the Dickerson craftsmen (and women) as possible. I’ve compiled that in the annual DOA Directory that comes to every member.
Let me get you started on your quest to bond with “Restless”. She carries sail number 73 and among her previous owners were: Charles and Betty King, James Kinne, and Nancy Constance all residing in the Chesapeake surrounds.
We have information on over 20 other D35s built between 1960 and 1969 and I would like to connect you to their owners. So, I hope that you will go to our home page, join the DOA and forward me information so that we can include you and “Restless”. When you can, email me your name, address, email, phone numbers and boat info to include hull number, documentation number, hull number, name (if you change), hailing port.
Finally, please stay active on the forum. We have some real D35 zealots and they will come up to here to greet you shortly. (Watch out for Irish Mist—she has a very crafty skipper).
Barry
Barry, thanks for the welcome! I see you are in the Hampton area. I grew up in Hampton, on Hampton Creek, back in the early 80’s. I spent alot of time hanging around the boatyards in the area, learning about old boats and engines, guess I never got over that ! I actually remember seeing various Dickerson’s pass through the Yacht Club, and I always admired them.
I actually bought “Restless” to save her from being destroyed.
Her last owner started to fix her up some, then was diagnosed with a terminal illness. He had to return north, and leave the boat . After several months of passing “Restless” every day , going to my Stevens Cutter, I finally made the call, and struck a deal with him.My plan is to get her cleaned up and her condition stabilized, then find a good candidate to buy her. She was just too good to let her die. She has proven to be sound, and looks to have most of her equipment, as well as a nice fairly new Westerbeke Diesel. I have been having a ball working on her, a feel good about saving a great old classic.
Thanks for the welcome, and the info, I will keep you posted as I progress.
Regards,
Don CarsonHi Don.
Barry warned you I might be in touch. I have had for 27 years a 35 center cockpit, Irish Mist built in 1968 or1969. It is sail number 79 which was the 6th 35 built after Restless. It is a great boat sails like a dream and doesn’t leak a drop. Mine has the original Westerbeke engine which when last taken out to renew some pan gaskets–the engine mechanic couldn’t believe it. The bearings had no noticable wear.So maybe you should be economical. Sell the motor boat and your 50 ft sail boat, keep the new 35ft which will never disapoint you, and use your savings to join the Dickerson Organization–See Membership Form on Home page of Web Site–and to come to our annual Rendezvous. Barry–who is really too modest–has put together a new Dickerson Directory with listings of all known Dickersons that you automatically get with your $35.00 membership fee. You also receive a quarterly News letter. We have 60 members from some 23 states
You are our latest lost Dickerson. Charles and Betty King lived in Oxford when they had Restless.
Welcome again and let us know if we can be of any help.
Joe Slavin, Membership Committe
Barry ,
Thanks for the welcome. I really appreciate the kind words about my new purchase. Actually, I would love to keep her, but since I bought my Hylas last year, I am already commited to that boat.I have decided to go a bit further with “Restless” that I originally planned. The old girl seems to relish the recent attention, so I have decided to go further with her cleanup/rehab. I plan on getting her back to sailing shape, before selling her. Since I restore antique speedboats for a living, I have a warehouse full of old stuff, which would make it easy for me to get “Restless” back together. After spending a few weeks working on this Dickerson, I am very impressed with the build quality and attention to detail that they put into these boats! I reality I have just been enjoying working on a wooden sailboat , after a long string of old Chris-Crafts and Century’s.
You guys have done a good thing supporting these fine boats, they are a real classic!I owned a much beloved 1965 softchine aft cockpit D35 ketch, Restless, here in White Stone, va; restored her, sailed on the Rappahannock here. I had her old wooden mainmast and mizzen replaced with aluminum; decks had viscom nonskid; booms highly varnished. Because of job, I had to sell her (with many MANY tears); I know she was taken down the waterway to Fl, the guy was going to sail her around the world but last I heard, years ago, he went to a bigger boat (and fiberglass). i think he had made several changes to her- dodger, dinghy on coachroof, cream paint- if your boat is my old Restless, you have a GRAND one!
I just read one of the replies; it IS my old Restless, I am Nancy Constance, that boat was a HUGE part of my life while I owned her (or she owned me; it was always debatable who owned who. This is just so stunning; was bored with the msnbc news online, and wondered if anyone had a boat like Restless for sale, so I could look longingly at the photo… just out of the blue. so I googled Dickerson 35 Restless… and found the old girl. I have so many photos of her, in all stages of her restoration from when I first bought her.. singlehanded her here, solo moonlight on the Rappahannock, stayed over in all kinds of weather… her whole portside shelf held a huge collection of paper back books, read at night when the marina was quiet.. so many memories. you can email me baybat@crosslink.net and I’ll be able to send some photos (will need to scan them in many cases, but it would be pure joy if you are restoring her.) She was called Tigress when I bought her, but I changed her name to Restless in honor of my father, who had a ChrisCraft rivera to restore, but didn’t live to do so. He was going to call that one Restless…
Tell the old girl I love her still, dearly…
Hi Nancy,
Great to hear from you sharing your fond memories of Restless and to have you as a member on the Dickerson Web Site. We have a very active group and would love to have you join us at the Annual Dickerson Rendezvous in Oxford the weekend of June 18, 2010. We will e mail you a copy of the reservation form.
A wooden Dickerson does have a lot of soul and memories. I have owned Irish Mist, built the same year as your Restless for 28 years and am just finishing up the painting for this year. Amazing the boat does not leak a drop and still sails great.
Check out our Newsletter on this site and join us as an Associate Member. How about writing an article for our July News Letter on Memories of My Wooden Dickerson Restless.
Great talking to you and keep in touch
Joe Slavin DOA Membership Committee jws2827@aol.com
Wow,
Alrighty boys and girls, I think we have just validated all the claims about this being a special group of sailors and boats.
So, Bahama Don—if you think you can part with “Restless” after reading Nancy’s affection for her–then Hust (see other thread) is looking for her.
Nancy—thanks for joining us—we would love to meet you in Oxford!
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