I won't pull any punches. I'm partial to my northeast region. I've been to the water and seen the actual thing. If we have enough response in the AB thread, maybe HL will listen to us and sculpt what we support.

Two words: NANTUCKET LIGHTSHIP!

Need I say more?

Bob

Not sure we'll see any more lightships Bob. I overheard Bill talking at the Reunion that the Coast Gaurd had asked them to do a line of Coast Gaurd boats, and they were complying. I think that's what we'll be seeing, at least for a while.

Mike

Did the USCG make Bill an offer he can't refuse? When you figure the amount of active and retired Coasties, expanding the AB Line with new Coast Guard boats should be a profitable business venture for Harbour Lights. I would think most limted editions would be a guarantee sell-out.

Although I have both USCG AB's, and I'm planning on purchasing the Utility Boat, I really don't want to see Harbour Lights overlook future lightship sculptures.

Maybe I should ask these questions:

Would you purchase another lightship from the AB Line if it was offered?

What would be your top choice for the next lightship by HL's AB Line?

Bob

I would buy AB lightships if they were offered. They would have to be in the same scale as the current ones. I would vote for Diamond Shoals, Ambrose and Nantucket in that order. The CG ships/boats are also tempting to me being an ex retired Coastie and my choice would be the Eagle, a 327' WHEC, a 255" WHEC and a Polar Class
Icebreaker. . Maybe everyone could be made happy by bringing out one of each a year. Start with the Eagle and Diamond Shoals Lightship.

Rich

Bob, thanks for taking on this additional job. I'm new to the AB line and new to collecting as a whole. By the way, when do I become an old collector? I'm already old. I really like the USCG line and will branch out of lighthouses and into AB's for them. I have always liked the USCG and thought they had a really cool jobs. When a friend and I were discharged from the USAF in 1975 we went by the USCG recruiter to signup. We wanted to join, apply for SAR. We thought it would be really cool to fly around in helicopters and rescue people. We were both medics and I was already flying airmed evac in the USAF. Sooooo, we thought SAR would be a really cool job and we wouldn't need alot of new training. Boy were we wrong. lOl. When they told us we would have to go thru basic again and learn about ship handling, we said goodby to that great idea. The ship handling and actually being on a ship was the reason we didn't go into the Navy or USCG in 1971 to begin with. lOl Now, I will just have to settle for the AB ships and pray for the safety of the crews patrolling our coast and G.B. Cuba. I really think the ships are the best. I am just thinking about how to make the display case now that they don't ship AB's with them. Does anyone know where to buy them? Can we order them from HL with the case?

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bigdragon

Chuck, The first thing you have to be to join the CG is at least 6' tall. That's so when your ship sinks you can wade ashore. The next criteria is you have to be "Crazy". This is needed to go to sea in the ships that are at least 30-40 years old or the SAR boats that go out to rescue some nut that runs out of fuel during a storm when everyone else is coming in to harbor. The third thing is to have a terrific apetite because the chow on the SAR stations and isolated duty stations is the best in the world. It puts the top ranked resturants to shame. That's why I made the CG a career, I met all three requirements.

No, Harbour Lights does not have extra cases to sell. There is a HL dealer in San Fransisco that told me they could get them from the manufacturer that made them for HL but they could never come up with the information on who the manufacturer was. They kept telling me to call back. I found a local glass shop that would make the glass top for me at a cost of $50.00 ea in lots of five but that still didn't get me the base. I would have had to make it. I finally took JC's suggestion and went looking for ABs on Ebay at a good price or in stores discounting them. I managed to buy 6 ABs at discount, save the cases and bases for future ships(hope they fit the Chesapeake/Huron cases) and sold the AB pieces on the Marketplace. I have the brass plate made at a trophy shop for $10.00 each. It looks great for the 110' WPB and am waiting to use another case for the 41' UTB. If you want to try the store in San Fran to see if they got their act together, contact me.

Rich

Bob I would purchase another lightship and my choice would be either the Ambrose or Nantucket. I guess I am partial since I was stationed on two different lightships when I was in the Coast Guard in the early 50s. As I said before I think one of those 180 foot buoy tenders would be neat. They also serviced lighthouses and lightships.
Hal

Hey Big Dragon, ...There's still many AB boats out there at various dealers. You could go to the Harbour Lights website and check which dealers carry the AB line in your area. You could also post something here in regards to exactly what you are looking for.

Many of the members of the CF visit dealers on a regular basis and know what the dealers have in stock. I don't know if the new computerized "Retired@Retail" at the HL site covers AB, but it's worth a try.

You'll never know what kind of a deal you can get out there until you try.

Bob

I`ve seen this request before, but I`ll bring it up again.
I think the lighthouse tenders would be a great addition to the line.

terry

Hi Terry, ... Perhaps do you have a picture of a lighthouse tender to share with the group? Are all lighthouse tenders of the same style. I'm curious to see what you are referring to.

Bob

[img]http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/ebbdfbd2/bc/Daily/lighthouse+tender.jpg?bcKJMw8AEsxnlRix[/img]
This is just an example of one in action. I`m sure there were many types.


terry



[This message has been edited by tarbaby (edited 02-17-2002).]

Here`s another, it looks as if the basket has more people than supplies.


terry

Only one word needs to be said here....the MACKINAW

That's a great suggestion, Digger! I think many of us thought that the Mackinaw would have been a reality by now. There are many people from the Great Lakes area that would vote for that one.

Bob

If word came out on an AB with nantucket and hull designation on it I would be among the 1st to order it.In my studies of lightships a name means nothing its the hull designator# that tells the true story.Bill O'Brien