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Historical:

In 1926 John G. Alden designed and built the Malabar VII, the seventh vessel designed by Alden in a series of thirteen racing sailboats, known as the Malabars.

Alden designed the Malabar VII for the sole purpose of creating a sailboat that would claim first place in the 1926 Newport to Bermuda race; and the Malabar VII accomplished just that.

The Malabar VII was the first of seven sister ships to be created: Angelica (1926), Teal (1926), Venona II (1926-now known as True Love); Fearless (1927); Sea Dream (1927), and Moby Dick (1927).

Venona II was built in Wiscasset, Maine to the lines of design number 280, and in the 1930s she went to Los Angeles, California, where she was bought by actor Dana Andrews, and converted to a cutter. Eventually renamed “True Love,” she went on to become a movie star, with her 1940 movie debut (minature model) in The Philadelphia Story, where Katherine Hepburn reflected on the Alden schooner in her infamous words “My, she was yar, easy to handle, quick to the helm, fast… ” Sixteen years late “True Love” would star again in the 1956 American musical comedy film directed by Charles Walters, “High Society,” where, while sailing, Bing Crosby serenades Grace Kelly with the Cole Porter song “True Love”

“True Love” can now be chartered on Seneca Lake in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of the Great Lakes. How did this schooner find its way to the Finger Lakes? For a number of prior years the Alden Schooner Malabar X ran as a charter boat out of Watkins Glen, until she was sold and brought to Spain, leaving a void on the waterfront. Josh and Lisa Navone of Watkins Glen, NY, found True Love for sale in the US Virgin Islands. Lisa Navone reflected upon seeing her” “It was a perfect fit and brought back a very important and treasured piece to the community,”

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner/Guardian: (1926) – Elmer J. Bliss
Owner/Actor/Guardian: (1930s) – Dana Andrews, rerigged as a cutter
Owner/Guardian: (1940) – Charles Isaacs, rerigged as a schooner
Owner/Guardian: (1940,1945) – Corinthian Yacht Club Commodore Charles Langlais, San Francisco – rerigged as a yawl
Actress: Miss Myrna Loy
Actress/Princess: – Grace Patricia Kelly
Singer/Actor: – Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby Jr.
Owner/Guardian: (2008-current) – Schooner Excursions Inc.

Historical:

Suhaili was built at the Aquarius shipyard on Goa, India in 2016, not with the rudimentary adze, bow drill and hand saw that shaped Suhaili in a Bombay shipyard five decades before, but with the latest CAD design and CNC cutting machinery to produce a much lighter wood epoxy composite replica. Thuriya was launched in August 2017 and Cdr.Tomy has been conducting sea trials in the Indian Ocean prior to shipping the yacht to Europe in March 2018.

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner/Guardian: (2016 – Present) – Commander Abhilash Tomy, KC, India

Historical:

Thunderhead was designed to be about the same size and character as the well known Hother, more interior accommodations, more cockpit facilities, with 6″ more beam and 9″ more draft.

Built in Germany at Abeking and Rasmussen, with laminated white oak frames and African Mahogony double planked hull, as a masthead cutter with 964 sq ft sail area. The owner Paul Hoffman changed the height of the mast by 8′, and at the time was not endorsed by the Rhodes Design office, or recommended. One year later the Rhodes office congratulated Hoffman on his decision, and admitted that the taller mast had been extremely effective.

Restoration:

1995, THUNDERHEAD was extensively upgraded and cared for many years by Rockport Marine

Known Racing History:

1968 – Storm Trysail Ocean Racing Trophy – First Overall
1968 – Stamford Ocean Racing Trophy – First Overall
1968 – De Coursey Fales Trophy – First Overall
1966 – Edlu Trophy Race – First Overall
1966 – Port Washington Two-Day Race – First Overall
1966 – Vineyard Race – First in Class
1966 – City Island Day Race – First Overall

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner/Guardian: (1961) Paul Hoffmann, Larchmont Yacht Club
Owner/Guardian: Steve Ross

Comments

Sean O’Connell – January 17, 2019

Thunderhead’s original sail number was 75

Historical:

The Rhodes 33 was originally designed in 1938 for class racing in Southern California, where there were 20-30 mile races to Catalina…etc. These events required boats that could accommodate a crew overnight and that were weatherly and reasonably able, for the races were in open waters and often upwind.

Rhodes #34 was purchased new by Ray Milland, the movie actor, sometime just after WWII. It was in the Newport Harbor YC roster in 1950 or 1951. There must have been some other owner between Milland and Strat Enright, who named the boat Witch. He sold it to Paul Loveridge, who sold it to Gale Post in about 1963. Gale renamed her Therapy and painted her bright yellow.

Gale performed extensive restoration after Paul’s “experimental” modifications. For instance, the mast was off-center since he wanted it to be more vertical on port tack. This was the favored tack going up the beach off Newport after a racing start.

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner Actor/Guardian: Ray Milland – Ray was an enthusiastic yachtsman who was at one time Paramount Pictures’ highest paid actor, co-starred alongside many of the most popular actresses of the time, including Gene Tierney, Grace Kelly, Lana Turner, Marlene Dietrich, Ginger Rogers, Jane Wyman, Loretta Young and Veronica Lake.
Owner/Guardian: Strat Enright
Owner/Guardian: Paul Loveridge
Owner/Guardian: Gale Post

Historical:

Sir Arthur Young, one of Scotland’s leading yachtsmen, commissioned the legendary Alfred Mylne to design her. Built and launched the following year by the Clydeside yard of Alexander Stephen & Sons, she was an immediate success on the racing circuit, and went on to provide her owner and guests with many pleasurable years of cruising.

After Sir Young’s death in the summer of 1949, THENDARA was sold and disappeared to Greece, and later Italy, where she slipped into decline. In 1993, a new owner commissioned Southampton Yacht Services to ship her from Italy to England, where a full refit was carried out. This restoration has seen her sail into the new century as a truly elegant example of living history.

Known Racing History:

2001 – Voiles de St Tropez – 1st
2001 – Cowes America’s Cup jubilee – 1st Vintage A
2000 – “Boat International Concours d’Elegance” – Winner
2000 – Antigua Classic Week – 1st overall fleet – 1st accumulated Class Vintage A,B,C
1998 – Coupe du Yacht Club de France
1996 – Regates Royales Cannes – 1st

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner/Guardian: (1936) Sir Arthur Young