History from PO46 User Group
Pan Oceanic Marine had its beginnings in 1977, when Reese Palley asked naval architect Ted Brewer to design a flush-deck pilothouse cutter. That is just what Ted did, naming the design the Oceanic 46. With the design in hand, Reese's next challenge was getting it built. He hired Robert Pancoe to get it done in Taiwan. Mr. Pancoe built Reese his boat in 1979 and decided that other sailors might like one too.
Pan Oceanic Marine had its beginnings in 1977, when Reese Palley asked naval architect Ted Brewer to design a flush-deck pilothouse cutter. That is just what Ted did, naming the design the Oceanic 46. With the design in hand, Reese's next challenge was getting it built. He hired Robert Pancoe to get it done in Taiwan. Mr. Pancoe built Reese his boat in 1979 and decided that other sailors might like one too.
Bob Pancoe took part of his last name and added it to Oceanic, and Pan Oceanic Marine was born. Pancoe then asked Ted Brewer for a 43-foot design, and a 38-foot version of the Oceanic. Ted complied. He even did an initial drawing for a 55-footer, but says he never completed the design.
Pan Oceanic Marine built Oceanic 43's & 46's in Taiwan from 1980 through 1982. The 38's were all built in the Philippines. In 1982, Bob Pancoe decided to move the operation to the Philippines. We are not certain why, but it appears that there may have been a strained relationship between Pancoe and the Taiwan yard, Mao Ta Yacht. It has been said that the dispute became so heated that a stint in jail was involved, but POG has no way of verifying that part of the story.
Before he left to the Philippines, Pancoe literally took an axe to the molds in the Taiwan yard so that no more could be built there. He partly succeeded. The mold for the 43 was destroyed, but it appears that he may have tired of the axe-swinging about the time he reached the mold for the 46. While damaged, it wasn't destroyed. The Mao Ta Yacht yard in Taiwan was able to repair it and went on to build boats that were sold first as a Seastar 460, and later as the Mao Ta 46. The reason for the two different names is unknown. Both boats are really the same boat as the Pan Oceanic 46.
Pan Oceanic Marine built Oceanic 43's & 46's in Taiwan from 1980 through 1982. The 38's were all built in the Philippines. In 1982, Bob Pancoe decided to move the operation to the Philippines. We are not certain why, but it appears that there may have been a strained relationship between Pancoe and the Taiwan yard, Mao Ta Yacht. It has been said that the dispute became so heated that a stint in jail was involved, but POG has no way of verifying that part of the story.
Before he left to the Philippines, Pancoe literally took an axe to the molds in the Taiwan yard so that no more could be built there. He partly succeeded. The mold for the 43 was destroyed, but it appears that he may have tired of the axe-swinging about the time he reached the mold for the 46. While damaged, it wasn't destroyed. The Mao Ta Yacht yard in Taiwan was able to repair it and went on to build boats that were sold first as a Seastar 460, and later as the Mao Ta 46. The reason for the two different names is unknown. Both boats are really the same boat as the Pan Oceanic 46.
