The Building of Island Eagle
With any boat, the three most important sources of information are the designer, the builder, and the original owner. Astoundingly, even though Island Eagle was built over 55 years ago, both the designer (Mr. Arthur DeFever) and the original owner (Mr. Joseph Coberly) were still alive when I bought the boat, and they have been most generous with their reminisces (sadly, Joe Coberly passed away in late 2006 and Art in 2013). Here is what I have learned about the history of Island Eagle:
The Designer: Arthur DeFever
Island Eagle was designed by Arthur (Art) DeFever, the well known San Diego Naval Architect.
The Builder: Del Boyce
Island Eagle was built by a man named Mr. Del Boyce. According to Art DeFever, Mr. Boyce was a skilled shipwright who decided to strike out on his own and build a boat. He rented some land on the San Diego waterfront, close to the water and a lot beside the "D & P Trucking Company" (which today is the site of the baseball staium where the San Diego Padres play). Mr. DeFever designed the hull and Mr. Boyce built it with intention of selling it as a commercial fishing boat.
The Owner: Joe Coberly
Mr. Joseph (Joe) E. Coberly Jr. owned a Ford dealership in Los Angeles, which was started in 1916 by his grandfather and was the first Ford dealership west of the Mississippi river. Joe was a real "take-charge" kind of guy, whose first boat was a 52 foot schooner built to Murray Peterson's "Coaster II" design. He came to the conclusion that sailing was hard work, and that the fisherman knew a darn sight more about the type of boats that were needed along the California coast than the yachtsmen did.
Joe had some business dealings in Mexico, and in 1962 the road from Los Angeles to Tijuana ran right past the site where Del Boyce was building his fishing boat. Before long Joe was the owner of Island Eagle, the schooner was sold, and Art DeFever was engaged to draw up plans converting the fishing boat into a fully-equipped yacht. By the way, as an interesting coincidence, several of the drawings Art did were completed on my day of birth -- February 17, 1963.
Island Eagle was launched in 1964. When I met Joe he was living in Rancho Santa Fe, and was kind enough to provide a number of details to me regarding Island Eagle, as well as the photos shown here. Joe has passed away now, but in the last few years of his life he enjoyed looking through pictures of Island Eagle as she was being renovated.
Joe Coberly and his wife June had four daughters, and they often cruised to the Catalina islands. Here are some wonderful shots from those years:
The Designer: Arthur DeFever
Island Eagle was designed by Arthur (Art) DeFever, the well known San Diego Naval Architect.
The Builder: Del Boyce
Island Eagle was built by a man named Mr. Del Boyce. According to Art DeFever, Mr. Boyce was a skilled shipwright who decided to strike out on his own and build a boat. He rented some land on the San Diego waterfront, close to the water and a lot beside the "D & P Trucking Company" (which today is the site of the baseball staium where the San Diego Padres play). Mr. DeFever designed the hull and Mr. Boyce built it with intention of selling it as a commercial fishing boat.
The Owner: Joe Coberly
Mr. Joseph (Joe) E. Coberly Jr. owned a Ford dealership in Los Angeles, which was started in 1916 by his grandfather and was the first Ford dealership west of the Mississippi river. Joe was a real "take-charge" kind of guy, whose first boat was a 52 foot schooner built to Murray Peterson's "Coaster II" design. He came to the conclusion that sailing was hard work, and that the fisherman knew a darn sight more about the type of boats that were needed along the California coast than the yachtsmen did.
Joe had some business dealings in Mexico, and in 1962 the road from Los Angeles to Tijuana ran right past the site where Del Boyce was building his fishing boat. Before long Joe was the owner of Island Eagle, the schooner was sold, and Art DeFever was engaged to draw up plans converting the fishing boat into a fully-equipped yacht. By the way, as an interesting coincidence, several of the drawings Art did were completed on my day of birth -- February 17, 1963.
Island Eagle was launched in 1964. When I met Joe he was living in Rancho Santa Fe, and was kind enough to provide a number of details to me regarding Island Eagle, as well as the photos shown here. Joe has passed away now, but in the last few years of his life he enjoyed looking through pictures of Island Eagle as she was being renovated.
Joe Coberly and his wife June had four daughters, and they often cruised to the Catalina islands. Here are some wonderful shots from those years:
