George Sutton boat manufacturer location.

Hello I am trying to get the location of where my bat was made for coast guard documentations. I know for a fact this boat I have was made in the USA. I just have searched for countless hours and am even more confused than when I started this over 5 months ago now. My vessel has never been registered with the coast guard before and it is asking me on the forms for someone with knowledge that the vessel was made in the USA. I have been looking and everything I find says it was made at st johns boat works in some say st augustine Fl and others say Palatka Fl. I called all companies that have anything to do with st johns and I have not got a solid answer to date as to who built her. It was made in 1985 and is a 46' schooner and the designer was George Sutton.

From all of the information I have obtained it goes like this. George Sutton owned my vessel at one time (1985), it was then sold to a canadian who used it to go from south Florida to Canada every year for many years in a row. His health went downhill at a rapid rate until his passing. It was then sold to the guy I got this vessel from and he registered her in an LLC. I now own it but for the life of me I am having a hard time finding anyone that will attest to it being built in the states for the coast guard registration of it.

Any help at this point would be extremely helpful. The HULL ID is FLZG0191L585

I look forward to any replies.

 

Welcome to the Forum CJ.
Re your photo, that is a very fine looking vessel indeed.

I presume that you have seen this (rather old) thread about George Sutton designs?
George Sutton Designs? https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/george-sutton-designs.21196/

This schooner was also built in 1985 by George Sutton - or is this your vessel?
1985 St Johns Boat Works George Sutton sailboat for sale in Florida https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/94473

I googled FLZG re your hull ID number - and this LLC came up - coincidence?
FLZG LLC - ST. PETERSBURG https://www.commerceflorida.com/company/L20000077016/flzg-llc

 

Welcome to the Forum CJ.
Re your photo, that is a very fine looking vessel indeed. Thank you for the compliment.

I presume that you have seen this (rather old) thread about George Sutton designs? Yes I saw it and I googled the name of the guy that worked with Mr. Sutton but really didn't find much info that was helpful in my mission.
George Sutton Designs? https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/george-sutton-designs.21196/

This schooner was also built in 1985 by George Sutton - or is this your vessel? Yes this is my vessel. I own her free and clear.
1985 St Johns Boat Works George Sutton sailboat for sale in Florida https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/94473

I googled FLZG re your hull ID number - and this LLC came up - coincidence? Well it says this llc was formed in 2020 so I do think it is a coincidence. I have been in IT since 89 and I can find a lot of things others usually miss or never find but this boat and information on her has been very difficult to find.
FLZG LLC - ST. PETERSBURG https://www.commerceflorida.com/company/L20000077016/flzg-llc

I do Thank you for your time and response.

 

George Sutton was having these boats built prior to the 1972 law that required HINs. FLZ is the ID assigned to the state of Florida so that they can assign valid HINs to boats that don't have them. And the L585 means the number was assigned in Dec 1985. (L585) The link given above George Sutton Designs? https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/george-sutton-designs.21196/ indicates these boats were being built as early as 1968 which was 4 years before the Federal Boat Safety Act and before the requirements for HINs. I know this doesn't help you much but the HIN is a red herring. (by the way, any HIN that the MIC ends in Z is a state assigned HIN, Such as NYZ, CFZ, WNZ etc. )

These boats were not built by George Sutton. He was the designer. A lot of boat builders built them to his designs. For instance here's one that was built by Treworgy Yachts in 1988 Inventory Boat Details Page - Sunshine Cruising Yachts https://www.sunshinecruisingyachts.com/boats-for-sale/1988-custom-george-sutton-65-steel-schooner-traveling-7869830/

You might want to check this out. Apparently many George Sutton Yachts were built in St. Augustine by Dennis Schreiber, a well-known steel boat builder who collaborated with George Sutton. But he is not listed in the Coast Guard database of boat manufacturers.

The following link to a thread has info on Dennis Schreiber I need information on Crossline 40 made by Dennis Schreiber https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/i-need-information-on-crossline-40-made-by-dennis-schreiber.53088/ as late as 1996 he was building boats.