Montauk - The
Cricket II, so long a staple of Montauk, may return to the harbor, as its current owner, Jon Dodd, has offered to sell the legendary vessel back to the community as a centerpiece commemorating Montauk's place as the sportfishing capital of the world.
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The Cricket II was put up for auction in December 2008 and sold to Dodd for $51,750. Recent photos courtesy of Jon Dodd |
After the passing of legendary shark hunter Frank Mundus (widely considered the inspiration for Captain Quint in "Jaws") in September 2008, his famous boat, the
Cricket II, was put up for auction and purchased by Dodd, a Rhode Island resident and personal friend of Mundus', for $51,750. At the time, Montauk resident and marina owner Henry Uihlein offered to front $45,000 to secure the vessel for Montauk with plans to create a monument to the harbor's fishing industry at the intersection of West Lake Drive and Flamingo Avenue.
Unfortunately for Uihlein (and Montauk), a stipulation within the auction regulations prohibited Uihlein from making a side offer and the
Cricket II went to the highest bidder - Dodd. "No one told me about this big plan," Dodd said during a phone interview on November 9. He was made aware of Uihlein's plans in February 2009, shortly after the sale closed. "So I talked to my wife and said, 'I'm losing a little steam on this and we have a respite between phase one - deconstruction - and phase two - reconstruction,'" he explained.
The
Cricket II is currently between phases. The deck has been removed, as have the old gas, water and sewage tanks, the electrical wiring, plumbing, and the cabin and navigation deck. In phase two, Dodd plans to "restore it fully," with brand new framing, teak deck, brand new electronics and a refurbished sleep-in cabin. Between repairs, transportation and demolition, Dodd has spent approximately $71,850 to date. "As soon as I get to the other side of this break, it will cost about $10,000 a week to finish," Dodd said, explaining that there is a narrow two-week window before the phase-two restoration begins, scheduled to have the boat sea-worthy by June.
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The Cricket II has been stripped and gutted in the first phase of its restoration. The second phase will begin in a few weeks if the boat does not return to Montauk. |
Dodd first got in contact with Mundus 35 years ago when, at the age of 13, he wrote a letter to his hero the shark hunter. "I always wanted to be a great shark hunter like Frank and I was delighted that I could acquire" the
Cricket II, he said, talking about their long friendship, "but wouldn't this be a wonderful piece to remember Frank."
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Legendary shark hunter Frank Mundus, widely considered the basis for the cantankerous Captain Quint in "Jaws," was a large part of Montauk's development as the sportfishing capital of the world. |
Dodd had planned to restore the boat and bring it around to shark tournaments and out into the ocean for fishing expeditions, which "sounded good compared to it going to Georgia," he reasoned, citing another bidder in the auction who would have taken the
Cricket II even further from Montauk, "but compared to it being a centerpiece in Montauk, it would be better for Frank, better for our friendship, better for his legacy."
Reached late last week, Uihlein was unambiguous about the idea of purchasing the
Cricket II back from Dodd. "I can't do it," he said, "Not at $71,000, that's insanity."
Dodd asserted that he doesn't "need to make money on it," however he is concerned with getting his investment in the vessel back if he is to part with it. Over the weekend, as Dodd was mulling his options, another Montauk resident contacted him and suggested that he look into donating the boat to the Montauk community and recouping his investment through a tax break. That idea excited him. "If I had it appraised at a value that is accurate," so as to ensure that he got full value back, Dodd would be willing to give the
Cricket II back to Montauk. He plans to meet with appraisers this week, and if the Montauk community shows interest in staging the boat at the entrance to the harbor, he will donate it.
"I'd be happy, not elated, but not totally displeased if we could have that monument," Dodd said, "Whatever, I'll go buy a different boat and be happy."
Guest (RTB) from Montauk says:
it would make a gude place to get out of the wether for the nite . maybee they cood put sum heet in it to.