Legacy was sold in 1954 from the factory in Algonac, MI to an unknown
lady in New York City through Port Washington Chris Craft Sales, NY.
This lady moved the boat to Ft. Lauderdale, FL where she kept it more
or less as a vacation home. 

The boat was sold for the 2nd time in 1961 and documented as the 
"Mable H. III" in ownership of Lee Motor Company, Monroeville, 
Alabama.  I checked the phone book and sure enough Lee Motor Company 
is still in existance so I gave them a call.  According to Tommy Lee 
the boat had belonged to his grandfather, who was killed along with 
Tommy's grandmother, on the boat when a butane gas leak exploded 
blowing out the entire starboard side of the boat. I also spoke with
Tommy's father, Mr. J.T. Lee, who also confirmed that his parents 
were indeed killed when the boat exploded.  We found a picture in the
boat that was in very poor condition, but did show the boat after the 
exlposion.

After all this happened the insurance company took over the boat and 
apparently sold it to Middleton Marine Engine Services in Mobile 
where it was repaired and repowered with 1971 model Chrysler Marine 
440 cid gas engines.  The boat then changed hands several times, each
for only a short period.  We have confirmed that the boat has sank at
least twice that we know of.  Addtionally, we understand that the 
owners before last were a group of bikers who had to give the boat up 
after one of them was killed during an argument. We also have an 
unconfirmed story that a lady was burned to death on the boat when an 
alcohol stove caught fire.  

The name of the boat changed from "Maple H. III" to "Beluga", then to 
"S.S. Lagnaf", then to "Rufus", and finally to our choice of names 
"Legacy", which seems to be the most appropriate of all considering 
such a colorful history. The boat is a wonderful vessel and is in 
suprisingly sound condition structurally considering what can only be
described as decades of abuse.  Our restoration effort is first 
class, being completed in the spirit that a classic wooden boat demands.