The witchcraft boat is a term used to describe an old fishing boat, believed to be cursed and associated with witchcraft. It is said to have supernatural powers and is feared by many because of the legends and stories surrounding it. According to the tales, the witchcraft boat was once owned by a powerful witch who used it for her dark rituals and practices. The boat was said to be used in sacrificial ceremonies and was believed to bring bad luck to anyone who comes into contact with it. The boat's aura of evil and its alleged connection to the supernatural has made it a feared and infamous vessel. It has become the subject of urban legends, with people claiming to have seen it sailing under a full moon, emitting an eerie glow and accompanied by strange and inexplicable happenings.

The witchcraft boat

The Yacht Witchcraft

Designer: B.B. Crowninshield

Boatyard: George Lawley & Son

Owner: Dave Butler

Imagine a story of a boat built in 1903 that has cast a spell on each of her owners. She would be the WITCHCRAFT. She was designed by B.B. Crowninshield in 1902 for William Bowditch Rogers for use as a racing yacht on Lake Champlain. She was built at the famed George Lawley & Son Boat Yard in Boston in 1903.

She was launched as Witchcraft II and enjoyed many owners (see Owners tab) prior to being left to rot away in Rock Creek in 1970. She was found by Paul Itzel who purchased her for $1200 and moved on to the boat to start what would be a 30-year restoration project. His friend, restoration partner, and master boatwright Clayton Rhuland helped Paul build a boat shed near Pasadena, MD o ut of the remains of houses damaged by hurricane Agnes. He also had the help of friends and family during her restoration. For 20 years Paul worked on Witchcraft in his spare time and spent money he made working on other people's boats. Finally, in 1992 she went back in the water. In 1994 she was under sail for the first time in 25 years and again on dry land in 1996 for more work until 1999 when she entered the water again close to where Paul found her in Pasadena, Maryland.

Going back in time. to June 20th of 1958, a Navy Commander, David S. Butler Sr. purchased the Witchcraft. He had two teenage sons, Dave and Bryan. They enjoyed sailing Witchcraft on the Chesapeake. The brothers remember the two years of ownership as some of the best times of their lives. The Butler family sold the Witchcraft June of 1960 when David Sr. was transferred to Florida.

Leaping forward to 2007, Dave, a successful entrepreneur, asked a friend John Dodd to do some research and see if he could locate the plans for The Witchcraft II. Dave wanted to have two models built, one for himself and one for his brother as a reminder of the good times they spent on board. After a search on the internet, he found Paul Itzel and the "Witchcraft". Paul had dropped the II off the name after rebuilding her and John thought it was the sister ship of the Witchcraft II. Once Paul explained to John that this was indeed the original "Witchcraft II" and told him the story of his rebuilding her, John contacted David and informed him not only could he build a model but he could go walk on the real thing.

Captain Paul had reached a point in his life where he was trying to plan a way to ensure the Witchcraft's future. He was having a harder time finding the funds to work on and maintain her. He had put the Witchcraft up for sale. Once John got Dave and Paul together the perfect solution was found. Dave purchased the Witchcraft and asked Paul to stay on full-time as Captain and complete her renovation. Dave and Paul worked together caring for and renovating the Witchcraft until Paul passed away in October of 2015. Paul will never be forgotten for his years devoted to the Witchcraft and his spirit is still with the Witchcraft today. Jody Leonard, a previous business partner, and friend of Paul's has taken over as Sailing Master after stating that Dave should be the Captain. Dave Butler continues as her owner and she can be seen sailing on the Chesapeake and attending antique boat shows.

Please check out the website and reach out to us on the Contacts Page if you have more questions or information.

The Bermuda Triangle Mystery of the Yacht Named "Witchcraft"

The Bermuda Triangle mystery of the yacht named "Witchcraft" started on the 22nd day in December in the year of 1967. An avid yachtsman by the name of Dan Burack and Father Patrick Horgan decided to set sail in the 23 foot luxury yacht. It was a trip where the two would enjoy the magnificent holiday lights off the coast of Miami. The goal was to navigate just a short distance and then observe the spectacular lighting up around the city. Unfortunately, by the time the yacht reached the buoy identified as "7", the yacht named "Witchcraft" had already experienced some difficulty. This was just less than one mile total from the marina that the water vessel had set sail from.

Dan Burack had come in contact with something below the water. He did not discover any immediate threat, but seemed to realize that the rudder of the yacht, or possibly the propeller system had been damaged in the hit. However, it appeared that the actual hull was preserved. Burack made a call to the RCC in Miami and explained that he would need manually assistance to the marina that he left from. He also indicated that the "Witchcraft" was not experiencing an emergency. Individuals that received his call recalled that he was calm and composed. They did not feel, based on the sound of his voice, that there was immediate concern, though they dispatched assistance as soon as possible. The call was made at 9:00PM.

At this point, dispatchers did not consider this to be another Bermuda Triangle mystery. It was not until their arrival, just nineteen minutes after the call was received from Burack called in, did they find the situation a bit particular. Many in the area knew that the "Witchcraft" was designed with a specially built floatation device. The luxury yacht was considered to be "unsinkable". However, when help arrived - the "Witchcraft" was nowhere in sight. As a matter of fact, there was no evidence that the yacht had experienced a struggle, and no appearance that a yacht had ever even been present! It was at this point that the "Witchcraft" became the next Bermuda Triangle mystery.

The Miami Coast Guard could not explain the mysterious disappearance of the yacht. They never received any type of additional calls for assistance from the "Witchcraft". They placed an alert among all water vessels to keep their eyes peeled for the cruiser. An in-depth search of twelve hundred square miles was conducted to no avail of Burack, the priest, or his beloved "Witchcraft". Despite the fact that fifty miles worth of water vessels were watching for the boat, no one witnessed it anywhere. Eventually, an amazing twenty four thousand five hundred square miles would be searched over a period of six days. It appeared the "Witchcraft" was, in fact, the next Bermuda Triangle mystery. The Miami Coast Guard was quoted in saying: "They are presumed missing, but not lost at sea". It appears that the buoy 7 has a secret. A secret that it, the "Witchcraft", Burack, and his father know. Considered to be one of the greatest unsolved mysteries, the "Witchcraft" is one of the that will remain to go unsolved.

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History book: Fate of ex-hotel owner remains unexplained

Courtesy of Der Reggeboge Galen Hall as seen in Der Reggeboge, The Rainbow, the journal of the Pennsylvania German Society, Vol. 48 No. 1. The landmark hotel was destroyed in a spectacular fire on April 7, 1963.

Reading Eagle: Tim Leedy Shellie A. Feola Show Caption By Ron Devlin | [email protected] | (Pottsville) Republican Herald PUBLISHED: September 9, 2015 at 1:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 25, 2021 at 8:58 a.m.

Question: Was there a Berks County connection to the disappearance of the boat Witchcraft in the Bermuda Triangle?

Hotel magnate Daniel S. Burack, former owner of the Galen Hall hotel in South Heidelberg Township, set sail from his home in Florida’s Sunset Island No. 4 aboard Witchcraft on the evening of Dec. 22, 1967.

News reports said Burack, a seasoned yachtsman, invited the Rev. Padraig Horgan to experience the stunning view of Christmas lights along the Florida coast.

What was to be a short pleasure cruise remains an enduring mystery 47 years later.

Emanuel Burack, Daniel’s father, bought Galen Hall in 1935 and attempted to revive the glory days when its clients included movie stars like John “Fatty” Arbuckle and Mary Pickford.

In 1955, Daniel took over ownership of Galen Hall, perhaps the most elegant of the legendary South Mountain resorts.

On April 7, 1963, the 300-room Galen Hall Hotel went up in a blaze of glory, ending the era of the grand hotels on South Mountain.

Burack sold the property after the fire and moved to Florida, where he opened the Galen Beach Hotel.

It was against that background that Dan Burack made his fateful venture into the Atlantic Ocean.

Burack, 42, captain of the 23-foot cabin cruiser, sent out a distress signal about 9 p.m. on Dec. 22, The Associated Press reported.

Apparently, Witchcraft had come in contact with something beneath the water, though Burack did not view the craft as being in danger of sinking. He gave the vessel’s location as Buoy No. 7 in Miami Harbor.

Within 19 minutes of the distress call, a Coast Guard cutter reached the vessel’s last known location.

Witchcraft, its captain and passenger were nowhere to be found.

What puzzled investigators was that Witchcraft was equipped with a special flotation device and was considered unsinkable. Even if it had a gaping hole in its hull, the vessel should have bobbed just beneath the surface.

For all intents and purposes, Witchcraft had disappeared.

The Coast Guard at Miami put out an alert call to all watercraft in the region.

Six Civil Air Patrol planes and four Coast Guard and Navy ships joined the search for Burack and Horgan, 34, a priest at St. George’s Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale, the AP reported.

The search extended as far as Jacksonville, Fla., and into the Bermuda Triangle. Searchers combed 24,500 square miles over six days but found no trace of Burack, Horgan or Witchcraft.

The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil’s Triangle, has seen numerous unexplained disappearances of ships and aircraft.

The USS Cyclops, carrying 306 crew and passengers, vanished there in 1918. Seventy years ago, a few weeks after the end of World War II, five aircraft on a training mission out of the Naval Air Station at Fort Lauderdale vanished in the triangle.

Did Witchcraft also vanish in the Devil’s Triangle?

Family members and others dispute the Bermuda Triangle theory. They suggest Burack fell victim to a criminal gang robbing large Florida estates at the time, and the report of the Witchcraft’s disappearance was a ruse.

The Coast Guard’s findings were inconclusive, but one observer noted: Perhaps only Buoy No. 7 holds the secret.

Ron Devlin’s History Book is a weekly feature highlighting people, places and topics from Berks County’s past. Is there something that you’re curious about? Pose the question to Ron Devlin at 610-371-5030 or [email protected].

Reviews for "The Witchcraft Boat: Bewitching the High Seas"

1. Jessica - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to reading "The Witchcraft Boat" based on all the hype, but I was sorely disappointed. The characters felt flat and one-dimensional, and I found it really hard to connect with any of them. The plot also dragged on and lacked any real excitement or suspense. Overall, I found the book to be dull and not worth the time and effort.

2. Mark - 1 star - I struggled to finish "The Witchcraft Boat" and ultimately regretted wasting my time. The writing style was choppy and amateurish, making it difficult to follow the story. Moreover, the characters were poorly developed and lacked depth, which made it hard to care about their fates. The plot was predictable, and the resolution felt rushed and unsatisfying. I do not recommend this book to anyone looking for a gripping and well-crafted story.

3. Samantha - 2 stars - "The Witchcraft Boat" had potential, but it fell short on execution. The pacing was incredibly slow, and it took forever for anything significant to happen. The author seemed to focus more on descriptive passages than on advancing the plot or developing the characters. As a result, I found myself losing interest and skimming through pages. The lack of a compelling storyline and engaging characters made this book a disappointment for me.