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MAREDEA, - Latin for Goddess of the Sea ...

Part of the charm and, ... responsibility, of designing and building a custom yacht lies in the personal privilege it is to be invited to do so, and, ... to be paid to do it.

The late, Homer R. Denius,
Co-founder and Chairman of then Radiation Inc., based at Cape Kennedy, Florida, said, in his characteristically calm, deliberate, manner, ...

"Charles, - what I would like to ask you to do is, - to design and cause to be built for me, the 'finest Class A, Ocean Racer' that the state of the art will permit"...
Today, writing these words,
I get "goose bumps" again.

Later, when launching time comes, an irrepressible wave of anxiety and apprehension sweeps over the designer, ... will she float correctly, will she be as beautiful as you thought she was on the plans and drawing board, ... will her rating calculations turn out as expected, ... will she sail well, ... be balanced and as stable as calculated and, most importantly, will your "patron", - her sponsor, be pleased with her, ... then you, her designer, can sleep again.

MAREDEA was the first of many custom yachts and our production yachts my chum from grammar school days, Bruce Bidwell, and I built  together as we developed Morgan Yacht Corporation.

MAREDEA was designed to the Cruising Club of America handicapping rule. Right out of the box she won her first race and many more over the ensuing years. After the rules were changed she was given to the US Naval Academy with the Midshipmen doing her proud.
Sold later she did at least one circumnavigation and maybe a second. There are a few lines about her in an obscure book, mentioning an instance of her surviving a grounding on a south sea reef, ... I have seen her only twice in the last 27 years. We are anxious to learn if our lovely, old friend is still afloat and in caring hands somewhere around the world.

The upper photograph shows MAREDEA strapped down and driving to windward as she leads "Class A" through Tampa Bay's Skyway Bridge in her first race.

The middle photo shows her with all sail set, leading four other 60', "Class A" yachts to the finish line of the famous Miami to Nassau ocean race.

 The story of MAREDEA'S design, tank testing, & building will be elaborated in detail in our book about the company and in an even more detailed account in a booklet with a DVD & voice over commentary by, ...  Charley Morgan and others. ed.

    
            Maredea slipping  across the finish line at Nassau in the Bahamas