History of the Mustang 22 Sailboat
The late 60's, 70's, and 80's produced a variety of odd sailboats with unusual hull designs and generally strange lines. Classic fiberglass sailboats had always been my passion, but the Mustang 22 looked like no folk boat. To me, the Mustang 22 looked odd in that on land, she looked like she was already going fifty miles an hour standing still. I found it strange that there was so little information on a sailboat that looked fast and appeared so well built.
In the course of restoring my odd little sailboat, I searched relentlessly for information on the Mustang 22. For three years, I repeatedly conducted library and internet research on the sailboat with limited success.
By 2010, my research yielded only general sailboat data that included basic measurements, and the name of the now defunct builder in Ft. Worth, Plas-Trend Composites, Inc. But Plas-Trend Composites had gone out of business in the 1970’s and the trail went dead.
On another tack, I found the Mustang 22 referenced in the Sailor’s Book of Small Cruising Boats, page 192. The author espoused that the boat's "buoyancy aft was low" making the large cockpit "mostly unusable while racing." Further, he thought the fractional rig gave the boat an "old fashioned, outmoded look." I scratched my head, as none of his opinions matched my experiences sailing Liberty.
Then in 2011, while researching Martin Bludworth online, I come across a reference in a book about sailing in the Galveston, TX area. "Love at First Sight: A Lifetime of Sailing on Gavelston Bay" by J . Harold Williams had some information briefly about Bludworth and his sailing success. It also mentioned a guy named Andy Green, who reportedly owned Plas-Trend Corporation. When I was unable to find any further information on Bludworth, I started looking for Andy Green.
By chance in 2013, I was able to locate Andy Green through his son, Lee Green at Machine Products Inc, located in Ft. Worth. Coincidently, the website for Machine Products had been updated in the past twelve months, providing detailed information on the Greens’ involvement in fiberglass composite construction. Father and son not only made fiberglass boats, but also fiberglass racecars and pioneered other composite building applications. Believing Andy Green might still be alive, I sent an email to the company asking his son about his father. I left a phone number for him to contact me and said I was trying to find more information on the Mustang 22 for the purpose of a creating possible owners association.
In the course of restoring my odd little sailboat, I searched relentlessly for information on the Mustang 22. For three years, I repeatedly conducted library and internet research on the sailboat with limited success.
By 2010, my research yielded only general sailboat data that included basic measurements, and the name of the now defunct builder in Ft. Worth, Plas-Trend Composites, Inc. But Plas-Trend Composites had gone out of business in the 1970’s and the trail went dead.
On another tack, I found the Mustang 22 referenced in the Sailor’s Book of Small Cruising Boats, page 192. The author espoused that the boat's "buoyancy aft was low" making the large cockpit "mostly unusable while racing." Further, he thought the fractional rig gave the boat an "old fashioned, outmoded look." I scratched my head, as none of his opinions matched my experiences sailing Liberty.
Then in 2011, while researching Martin Bludworth online, I come across a reference in a book about sailing in the Galveston, TX area. "Love at First Sight: A Lifetime of Sailing on Gavelston Bay" by J . Harold Williams had some information briefly about Bludworth and his sailing success. It also mentioned a guy named Andy Green, who reportedly owned Plas-Trend Corporation. When I was unable to find any further information on Bludworth, I started looking for Andy Green.
By chance in 2013, I was able to locate Andy Green through his son, Lee Green at Machine Products Inc, located in Ft. Worth. Coincidently, the website for Machine Products had been updated in the past twelve months, providing detailed information on the Greens’ involvement in fiberglass composite construction. Father and son not only made fiberglass boats, but also fiberglass racecars and pioneered other composite building applications. Believing Andy Green might still be alive, I sent an email to the company asking his son about his father. I left a phone number for him to contact me and said I was trying to find more information on the Mustang 22 for the purpose of a creating possible owners association.
A day later, I got a call from Andy Green, now 81, who spent about an hour on the phone with me while I interviewed him. I was delighted with what he told me. My odd little sailboat was something slightly more.
The Mustang 22 Sailboat is also known as the Plas-Trend 22 or PT-22. The boat was originally designed as a day sailer/racer and featured an unusual bulb keel with a retractable centerboard stored inside the keel. In appearance the boat is similar to a Cal 20.
The Mustang 22 was designed by Martin Bludworth, sail maker, boat designer, and an avid sailor. In the 1960's Bludworth was a very successful competitive sailor. In the 1970's, Bludworth was instrumental in creating the successful Texas Inland Racing Circuit, featuring boats under 28' that raced well on Galveston Bay. Bludworth is also known for creating the successful Gulf Coast boats, Inc, partnering with Earl Maudlin.
The Mustang 22 was manufactured in Texas between 1965-1973 by Plas-Trend Corporation, Inc.. Plas-Trend Corporation was founded by Andy Green and located in Ft. Worth, Texas USA. The name was changed to Composite Technologies and then Island Yacht Corp, when the company was sold in the mid 1970's. There were approximately forty Mustang 22's manufactured. All total, Plas-Trend Corporation built approximately 3,000 boats between the 60's and 70's. At the time the Mustang 22, retailed for $3,600 which included a fully rigged boat and trailer.
The Mustang 22 Sailboat is also known as the Plas-Trend 22 or PT-22. The boat was originally designed as a day sailer/racer and featured an unusual bulb keel with a retractable centerboard stored inside the keel. In appearance the boat is similar to a Cal 20.
The Mustang 22 was designed by Martin Bludworth, sail maker, boat designer, and an avid sailor. In the 1960's Bludworth was a very successful competitive sailor. In the 1970's, Bludworth was instrumental in creating the successful Texas Inland Racing Circuit, featuring boats under 28' that raced well on Galveston Bay. Bludworth is also known for creating the successful Gulf Coast boats, Inc, partnering with Earl Maudlin.
The Mustang 22 was manufactured in Texas between 1965-1973 by Plas-Trend Corporation, Inc.. Plas-Trend Corporation was founded by Andy Green and located in Ft. Worth, Texas USA. The name was changed to Composite Technologies and then Island Yacht Corp, when the company was sold in the mid 1970's. There were approximately forty Mustang 22's manufactured. All total, Plas-Trend Corporation built approximately 3,000 boats between the 60's and 70's. At the time the Mustang 22, retailed for $3,600 which included a fully rigged boat and trailer.
According to Andy Green, Plas-Trend Corporation was formed in the 1960's and existed until about 1973. During that time, they made about 6-8 different sailboats. The total number of boats produced during that time was less than 3,000 sailboats. Most of their boats were small (under 20 ft), Olympic class competition sailboats such as: Tempest, Solings, and "the 420". He stated that this part of their business was responsible for about 1,000+ boats built over the life of the company. Some of the small boats competed in the Olympics and were very successful medal winners. The remaining boats constructed by the company were the: Mustang 22, PT-22 ¼, PT-30, PT-34, Pt-36, and PT-42.
According to Andy Green, the Mustang 22 was designed sometime in the 1960's by Martin Bludworth. Bludworth was aware of the Cal 20 sailboat and it’s following in racing circles. He approached Green and others, and said that he could design a sailboat faster than the Cal 20 for competition. Bludworth took the Cal 20 design and extended it slightly, creating the Mustang 22. Plas-Trend took the Mustang 22 and competed in Yachting Magazine’s “One-of-a-kind-Race” sometime in the late 1960’s. This race occurred in Miami. They won by a large margin, and then duplicated the success by competing again in another race in Chicago. The boat was exceptionally fast, and could go to weather very well with the centerboard down. The boat won race after race and repeatedly beat larger boats. Said Green: “You could race against larger boats that were dropped in against you, and you would be sailing…she would put her nose down in a wind… and pretty soon you would pass right by them. She was just very fast.” Plas-Trend attempted to modify the Mustang 22 so the boat could compete in ¼ Ton class sailboat racing. Thus the PT-22 ¼ ton was born, but was not ultimately successful. According to Green, the Mustang 22 and the PT-22 ¼ share the same hull, with the exception of a small extension to the hull waterline on the PT-22 ¼. This “shelf” was designed to try and extend the wetted surface of the hull. The deck has a slightly raised coach roof to meet racing requirements. Andy Green stated that there was a fire at the PlasTrend factory in Ft. Worth, sometime around 1973. He stated that the company was reformed as Composite Technologies, Inc. The name was changed because they felt the company could broaden its sales by using their knowledge of composite construction in other applications. Sometime years later, Composite Technology and the boat molds, plans, etc, were sold to Mario Hays of Houston. Green stated that designing and building boats was done as a hobby and because he enjoyed it. He stated that he made his fortune off of designing the Chaparral race carwhich changed the way Formula One race cars were designed. Green offered to provide personal photographs and other notes at a later date. Green stated that Britt Chance, Jr. was also a fan of the Mustang 22. Chance was was an American naval architectyacht designer who helped work on core design elements of craft that won the America's Cup. As Green remembered it, Chance routinely sailed his Mustang 22 from Miami to the Bahamas for overnight trips. |
Teacher Bill Wallace from Houston, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in his Mustang 22. From Wallace’s Houston Chronicle Obituary: “ In June 1967, in his Mustang racing sloop Hesper, equipped with a radio receiver but no transmitter, Wallace left Marion, Mass., and sailed alone into the Atlantic. After the initial excitement and fear wore off, the adventure seemed "just plain dull," Wallace said. "I don't want to confuse boredom with loneliness. I've been lonelier in my bachelor apartment, or in the lobby of a concert hall." On Aug. 4, 1967, Wallace and the Hesper docked at Plymouth, England. Upon landing, Wallace said, he headed for a pub and downed a pint of beer.”
Today, Mustang 22 sailboats can occasionally be found for sale throughout the United States and Canada. They sell for $1,000-2,500 |