Talofa Tall ship
TALOFA was the dream of two brothers, Charles and Chester Carter. During WWI, the two brothers served as Navigation Officers for the Army Transport Service. By happenstance, Charles’ vessel stopped briefly for engine troubles in the South Pacific Islands and he noticed a discoloration of the water and small bubbles continuously rising to the surface.
German Raider ships ran rampant in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans during this war and these ships sunk many foreign cargo ships. After the war, research of Allied information and German archives corroborated the location, cargo and identification of the ship. The discoloration in the water was sunken cargo of copper ingots.
The Carter brothers believed they could retire from their treasure hunting efforts and have a great sea adventure. But first, they had to build the vessel that could accomplish their dream.
TALOFA began in the minds and hearts of the Carter brothers and slowly evolved into one of the “strongest, toughest, private sailboats constructed in the 20th Century in America – possibly in the world” (Joseph Bagley, master wooden ship constructor). Her ribs were sawed to shape and bolted together in sections. 8” x 8” square and 8” apart. She has inside clamps, full hull length, 6”x 12”, not nailed, but riveted with ¾ “ thick iron drift rods and clinch rings. “it is just wood holding the iron together” joked Winn Joseph Bagley, son of Joseph Bagley, the young observer in his father’s shipyard. After all, she was built to retrieve treasure amongst the corral reefs of the South Pacific Island
But “Lady Luck” was not in the Carter’s cards. They and others worked on her with limited funds for over 14 years but could never finished her. WWII began and she took up valuable space in the shipyard so had to be launched without rigging. She became an unfinished live aboard for the aging Carter brothers in the Oakland Estuary
Several owners and many years later, TALOFA is privately owned after having been completely refitted and restored as an original yacht of her day. She is now working in the Sea of Cortez, Baja California Sur, Mexico doing eco-tours, adventure cruises, and sail training.
