Designed and constructed at the Cold Creek Boatyard in Vancouver, BC starting in 1926/1927, Nonchalant was launched in 1927. Nonchalant was officially documented in 1930. She was built for William Boeing (Boeing Aircraft) at the boatyard he established (later called Hoffer – Beeching). Nonchalant was subsequently owned by Henry Hoffar – the boatyard manager. In 1933 Ernest Mallory purchased Nonchalant for $7500 US. In 1939, Nonchalant was sold to a businessman in Everett, Washington, who planned to use her for cruising Puget Sound. However, fearful that his prized new boat would be seized for wartime service, he concealed her under a commercial dock for the duration of the war. In 1955, Dr.Burke purchased Nonchalant and renamed her COGO. Vern Kisner purchased her in 1969 and moored her in Northern California. In1981 Ernest Brown bought Cogo and owned her for 10 years. In 1992, George Homenko purchased Cogo and changed her name back to the original Nonchalant. George Homenko moved Nonchalant to San Rafael and owned her until 1998. In 1998, Nonchalant returned to Seattle and was owned by Katherine Bellows and James Mitchell. They lived aboard Nonchalant for 5 years. In 2007, Lorrie Snyder purchased Nonchalant and owned her until 2014. During this period, Nonchalant fell into disrepair and was finally seized by the marina owner – Mike Wallaston. Mike Wallaston made repairs and eventually donated Nonchalant to The Center for Wooden Boats in 2020. Nonchalant was purchased by Charlie Syburg in 2023.
Currently owned by Charlie Syburg.
The following is file information provided by the historian for the Classic Yacht Association. History (submitted by Katherine Bellows and James Mitchell in 1998).
Nonchalant was built by the Boeing Aircraft Company of Canada at their Coal Creek boatyard in Vancouver B.C. during the winter of 1926-7, launched in the spring of 1927, as the first of four ‘production’ 50-foot yachts, and was used by Mr. Henry Hoffar, the yard owner, as his personal yacht for several years.
In 1939 Nonchalant was sold to a businessman in Everett, Washington, who planned to use her for cruising Puget Sound. However, fearful that his prized new boat would be seized for wartime service, he concealed her under a commercial dock for the duration of the war.
In 1961 she was sold to one of the founding members of the Classic Yacht Association and re-named ‘Cogo.’ Originally powered by a Hall-Scott ‘Invader’ 200Hp gasoline engine, she was re-powered with a new 225Hp GMC 6-71 Diesel, cruised from Everett down the Pacific Coast to San Francisco, and was then moored in a boathouse in the Sacramento Delta for fifteen years.
In 1987 she was purchased by George Homenko, who restored her original name, and undertook an almost total restoration which included, refastening and replacing hull planks, a reconstructed mahogany transom, a new keelson, new teak parquet flooring, copper galley counters, and much new interior woodwork.
We purchased Nonchalant in 1998, brought her up to Seattle by truck, and have continued to update and improve her since.
Specifications
Nonchalant is 48’ at the waterline, and roughly 51’ over all, with an 11.5’ beam, and draws 4.5 feet. She is a semi-displacement hull, with a plumb bow, round bilge forwards, and a fairly long, flat run aft. Her single prop is protected by a skeg. Her hull is 1.75” Alaskan Red Cedar, over 2.5” oak frames on 14” centers, the stem and keel are Australian Blue Gum, her natural decks are clear-grained Port Orford cedar, and the deckhouse is Burma Teak.
Layout
Enter through the covered cockpit with seating for five aft, down three steps to short hallway, starboard is a Pullman-style double with bookshelf and reading light, port is the aft head with full-sized Groco toilet, sink with handshower, and copper shower pan with sump pump. Forward to main saloon with pullout queen-size double to port with drawers underneath and storage behind, built-in shelves and drawers to starboard. Galley is forward, Broadwater propane 4-burner stove with oven and broiler and a drop-in freezer/reefer to starboard, with cupboards above and below. To port is the original 2-door icebox with Norcold cold plate in the upper section, copper sink and cupboards above and below. There are four round, opening brass port lights for ventilation and a hot-water heat exchanger with two-speed fan in the saloon.
Up three steps to the Bridgedeck, a full-width settee with drop-down center section across the back, with storage below to port, and batteries and electrical service below to starboard. The Helm station is to port with Raytheon RL71 radar, V70 depth sounder, LORAN, and VHF radio. Also fitted are a Benmar Autopilot, Eagle/Lawrence GPS with DGPS, an original ‘Atlas’ 10” compass and brass searchlight. Down three steps to the forepeak with a full-size double Futon on slats to port, and a hanging locker with sliding door and changing settee to starboard, another hanging locker forward to port, and six drawers with cupboard to starboard. There are four round, opening, brass port lights and a double ‘dog-house’ skylight for ventilation and another hot-water heat exchanger with fan under the berth.
Equipment
In addition to the all of the previously mentioned gear, Nonchalant carries her original shoreboat on the roof and has a custom aluminum towbar for a RIB, she has a McMurray electric winch with 225’ feet of BB chain, 250’ of new rope rode, and a 35 pound Danforth anchor on a custom bow roller. There are two 20 pound propane tanks with an electric shutoff and regulator, and the compressor for the brass air horn in the false stack. There is a 3500 watt Heart inverter/charger, a 3.5Kw isolation transformer and a ‘zinc-saver’ diode in the A.C. circuit. The 12 volt service has four Trojan T105 225 amp-hour batteries as a house bank, three 110 amp-hour group 27 batteries in the start bank, and a 125 ampere alternator on the main engine. All DC circuits and below waterline fittings are bonded to a common ground with two zincs and a galvanic discharge monitor aft.
Comments
Nonchalant has been fortunate in that she has had relatively few owners during her seventy years, all of whom appear to have taken great care with her. She is very close to her original layout, and retains many of the features and fittings that made her a hit in 1930. We have attempted to match this period and era in our work, carefully choosing fabrics and textures which were in available during this time, even the modern appliances like the chrome toaster, Pavoni espresso maker, and the ‘retro-look’ microwave were selected to harmonize with her existing décor.
Nonchalant has proven herself to be a powerful, comfortable, and capable Northwest cruiser, with her efficient engine burning 3.5 gallons per hour at 9 knots and 225 gallon tankage she has sufficient range and cruising speed to easily reach our favorite B.C. cruising grounds without stopping. We have lived aboard for the last five years and believe that very few classic boats can offer the blend of modern systems, creature comfort, and ambiance that Nonchalant does.
History update compiled by Historian Margie Paynton:
Nonchalant was sold and registered with CYA in 2007 by Lorrie Snyder, who kept the boat at the Ewing Street Moorings. Subsequently, it fell into disrepair and the owner walked away from the vessel. The marina owner, Michel Wollaston, assumed ownership of the vessel for back moorage, and began an extensive restoration. More specific dates are pending. Now, with the restoration complete, in 2014, Michel is registering the vessel once again in CYA.
most recently (September 2025) I met Kevin Mallory. Kevin’s grandfather owned Nonchalant and called her Pamanus II. The dates of Ernest’s ownership have been previously recorded as 1933 – 1939, but it seems more likely that he owned the boat later than that… perhaps 1945- 1955. Ernest’s daughter compiled this account of Nonchalant (Pamanus II).
Pamanus by Sharon wood
dad had the first pamanus built in or near olympia by
joe ritter as i recall. dad sold it to a family who
came to our home at the time of purchase with their young
son and daughter. name was vogel i think. they either lived
in B.C. or moved there. later they told the story that the
boat came loose from its moorings and during a huge storm
floated down the fraser river in a very dangerous area.
came thru unscathed! the nonchalant was built by boeing of
canada—had a huge decal on the side of the cabin just to
the port of the wheel. my dad went to b.c. to collect the
boat, taking some friend along to power it home with him.
i do recall being l2 yrs. old and very excited. i loved the
original name but dad insisted on pamanus II since his folks
had helped them with the cost of the first one, meaning ma
pa and us. just as i was finishing 8th grade my dad took the
entire class–i would say maybe 20 some of us out for the day
and mom provided hot dogs and other appropriate kid food.
one of my friends, jack shryne, came for a visit a yr. and l/2
ago and spoke about it. ken has a large pic of the boat at his
home, with a group of us standing on the dock by it in victoria,
b.c. i was l6 when that was taken and had just returned from
s.f. where i had lived with the malloys while mark was doing
some hotel work there. i spent the summer studying ballet at
s.f. ballet school until time to return home. i do recall that
the boat had later been sold while i was in college. your dad
always regretted the fact he never got to even see it. by the
way, the cabin and decks were made of teak. and like all good
sailors my dad kept it looking pristine. i do recall some man
came aboard once and attempting to light a cigarette he scratched
the match to light it on the outside of the teak cabin as he
stood there. he was lucky dad didn’t push him into water! dad
was really furious. so much for the boat stories. oh yes. on the
starboard side next to the aft deck there was a SMALL stateroom:
single bunk and built-in chest of drawers. my gramps, frank kenney,
often cruised with us and that was always his room. in the eating
area of the galley there was a couch on that same side, the back
lifted and hooked into place to make another single bed, and the
seat became a dbl. nancy ingham and i always shared the bdl. and
ken had the single above us. in the bow was a nice stateroom with
2 bunks on one side and a similar couch which could then also
become 2 more bunks. the only real and very small closet was
there, plus built-in drawers. also had a small enclosed toilet
and sink. the other such bathroom was opposite gramps’ room
with similar small sink and toilet. the galley kitched was soooo
small and yet either mom or dad could cook the most amaxing food
for us all—fresh fish, clams, crab, and the best homemade
berry pies depending on what we kids could pick. wonderful and
serene times! love, mom p.s. gracie always said what constituted
a Yacht rather than a boat was having 2 heads i.e. we owned a
yacht.
following my conversation with Kevin and in light of the information he provided, it seems clear that the chain of ownership for Nonchalant has some inaccuracies and omissions… so I ordered an abstract of title. I received it quickly and it confirms my suspicions but does not provide a lot of clarity. Here it is:
