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Sailors who like to chase the stars may be drawn to charity auction of Paul Newman's boat .
October 18 2005
Sailors who like to chase the stars may be drawn to a charity auction of a boat once owned by actor Paul Newman.
On Saturday, Newman's 21-foot Chris Craft Skipjack boat will be auctioned off for Westport's Mohonk House, which conducts education and therapy programs for troubled teenagers.
The Fiberglas boat, which was built in 1984, has an inscription to Newman and was used by the film star to take guests out on Long Island Sound.
Robert Redford, who played the Sundance Kid to Newman's Butch Cassidy, is believed to have been one of the many seafaring guests on the motorboat, said David Singer, founder of Mohonk House.
Newman, 80, a Westport resident, said earlier this year that he may retire after one more film, which he hinted could reunite him with Redford, his co-star in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Sting." The two actors performed a year ago at a gala to raise funds to renovate the Westport Country Playhouse, and recently filmed a segment at the theater for a documentary series for Redford's Sundance Channel. Their segment of the series is slated to air Dec. 22.
Though Newman has been a supporter of Mohonk House in the past, the boat is being donated by its owner, Westport resident Bob McCauly, Singer said.
As evidence of Newman's history with the vessel, McCauly has its original registration, which is made out to the Oscar-winning star and his longtime friend and associate, A.E. Hotchner. Hotchner and Newman were partners in creating the salad dressing business, "Newman's Own," in 1980. The business has since expanded to include pasta sauces and popcorn. Its profits, after taxes, are given to charity.
Mohonk volunteer George Peters said the boat hasn't been in the water for at least 18 months.
He described the craft as an open-water pleasure fishing boat with two captain's chairs behind the console.
An appraiser valued the boat at $7,000 to $10,000, Peters said.
The boat will be auctioned at noon Saturday at Mohonk House, 66 Weston Road, Westport.
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