Sail Number: US 18
Type: 12 Metre (Third Rule AC)
LOA: 65’5″ / 19.94m – LOD: 65’5″ / 19.94m – LWL: 47’1″ / 14.35m – Beam: 12’0″ / 3.66m – Draft: 9’1″ / 2.79m – Displacement: 27.8 tons – Sail Area: 1,926.74 sq ft / 179 sq.m.) – Original Owner: Easterner Syndicate (Syndicate head Chandler (Buss) Hovey, Jr) – Original Homeport: Eastern YC, Marblehead, MA – Current Owner: Scott Bernard – Current Homeport: Annapolis, MD – Year Launched: June 27, 1958 – Designed by: C. Raymond Hunt, Assoc. – Built by: Graves Yacht Yard, Marblehead, MA – Hull Material: Wood
Historical:
Built by Graves Yacht Yard, Marblehead, Massachusetts for the Chandler (Buss) Hovey, Jr family (partners at the New York investment banking firm White, Weld & Company and past owners of the J Class Rainbow and Weetamoe), she entered in the 1958, 1962 and 1964 defender trials for the America’s Cup.
Bee Hovey “We were all New Englanders, we were all Yankees, and we were all Easterners. We grew up around Boston and Marblehead, Mass., so we named our cup yacht Easterner.” Although the boat had good potential, being considered the fastest of the 1958 Twelves, she arrived late on the scene with not enough practice time to sort things out. She competed unsuccessfully being eliminated in the first round of the defender trials.
Easterner was drawn by Fenwick Williams, under the guidance of C. Raymond Hunt for the 1958 America’s Cup races. The 1958 race represented a 21 year absence of Americas Cup racing. Seeking a more affordable alternative to the immensely expensive Universal Rule J Class vessels and to regenerate interest in the Americas Cup races a new smaller class was formed, the IYRU 12mR. Four contenders were built, Columbia (US-16), Vim (US-15), Weatherly (US-17) and Easterner (US-18). Easterner was noticeable different than the other four contenders for the 1958 America’s Cup races, where hull dimensions were separated by fractions. She was shorter overall by a four feet and longer in waterline by a foot, and was considered to be the most appealing 12 of the fleet.
Provenance. (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):
Owner/Guardian: 1958 – 1966 Easterner Syndicate (Syndicate head Chandler (Buss) Hovey, Jr)
Owner/Guardian: 1967 – 1968 John K. Baillie & Phyllis D. Baillie – Marblehead, MA / Los Angeles, CA (USA).
Owner/Guardian: 1968 – 1995 John K. Baillie – new name: Newsboy – Newport Beach, CA (USA).
Owner/Guardian: 1995 – 2008 SASA Charters, Inc. (Arthur Schlossmann) Jamestown, RI (USA)
Owner/Guardian: 2008 – 2014 Shake-A-Leg – Newport, RI (USA).
Owner/Guardian: 2014 – 2018 Thorpe Leeson – Newport, RI (U.S.A.)
Owner/Guardian: 2018 – Present Scott Bernard – Annapolis, MD.
Owner/Guardian: 2020 – Easterner Foundation, Scott Bernard establishes and donates vessel.
Comments
Bill Stocker – August 16, 2022
I was 14 years old and was present at launching of Easterner, my favorite 12 meter of all time. Now I am 78, in good condition, living in Sarasota, FL. My bucket list includes crewing on Easterner, specifically the upcoming world regatta in Newport. Any chance of this happening?
Steve Hopkins – January 2, 2023
EASTERNER is on the hard at Yacht Maintenance in Cambridge, MD. Looking a bit forlorn but festive with Christmas lights strung in her rig.
Steve Hopkins – January 2, 2023
EASTERNER is on the hard in Cambridge, MD.