Category: Latest Classic Yacht News

Sail Number: H/1

Vessel Type: First Rule IRC 8mR

LOA: 41′ 7″ / 12.7m – LOD: – LWL: 26′ 6″ / 8.08m – Beam: 7′ 10″ / 2.4m – Draft: 5′ 1″ / 1.55m – Displacement: 6 tons – Hull number: 570 – Hull Material: mahogany planking / steel frames – Sail Area: 1,076 ft² / 100 m² – Built By: Abo Båtvarf, Finland – Designed by: William Fife III – Launched: 1909 – Engine: -Sail & Deck Plan: Yacht Luck Girl – Flag: – Location: Lake Constance

 

Historical:

The Raffle – In 1909, William Fife designed a first rule 8mR racing yacht for Mr Soderman who later vanished in India. The yacht was eventually finished in Finland at the Abo Batvarf yard in 1910. Later that same year the Nyland’s Yacht Club decided to raffle off the 41′ 7″ William Fife III designed yacht, and the “Lucky Girl” who won the raffle was three year old Lucy Tallberg. In late May of 1910 Lucy’s father, Gunnar Tallberg took possession of the vessel, which was later filed in the 1911 Lloyd’s Register of Yachts.

1912 Summer Olympics – Gunnar and Bertil Tallberg entered Lucky Girl in the 1912 Summer Olympic events in Nynäshamn, Sweden from 20-22 July. Forty one sailors, on 8 boats, from 5 nations entered the best of two races. Scoring was by points, with seven points given to first place in each race, three points to second place, and one point to third place. The two main races for each class were held on 20 and 21 July, with the race-off of ties occurring on 22 July. The yachts sailed one lap of a triangular course, 15.5 nautical miles. Both 8 metres Sans Atout and Lucky Girl were tied for second pace with 3 points, and conducted a sail-off to determine the winner for silver and bronze medals. Sans Atout won the sail-off with a winning margin of 2:26:44, taking home the Silver, with “Lucky Girl” winning the Bronze medal.

 

Restoration:

Fairlie Restorations 2007-2008 – Over her long career the yacht had undergone many changes, sloop rig and an altered and lowered keel. All the changes were reversed and the yacht was returned to her original specification, including the steel frames. A small Yanmar engine was added and a few sailing instruments. She now lives on Lake Constance.

 

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

Owner: (1910) – Lucy Tallberg. (lottery winner 3 yrs old)
Owner: (1910) – Gunnar Tallberg

 

Sail Number: US-55

Vessel Type: 6 mR Class

LOA: 37′ O” / 11.27m – LOD: 37′ O” / 11.27m – LWL: 23′ 0″ / 7.01m – Beam: 6′ 0″ / 1.82m – Draft: 5′ 6″ / 1.67m – Displacement: 8,300 Lbs. – Designer: Clinton Crane – Year Built: 1931 – Built to: Rule 2 – Hull: Wood – Builder: Nevis Yacht Yard, City Island, N.Y. – Original Owner: Briggs Cunningham – Current Owner: Matt Brooks – Home Port: St. Francis Yacht Club – Rig:  Sloop – Sail Area: 456 sq ft

 

Historical:

The last six meter designed by Clinton Crane, and arguably his best. Lucie was built to the second iteration of the International 6 Metre Rule. She was built in Henry B. Nevin’s yard on City Island in New York in 1931, for the noted sportsman Briggs Cunningham, and named after his first wife, Lynn (Lucie) Bedford Cunningham Warren. Lucie was named to three successive British-American Cup teams, her last in 1936. She is the only Crane design to stay in major competition after WWII. In addition to campaigning Lucie, Briggs Cunningham also won both the Prince Edward VII Gold Cup, the so-called “Bermuda Gold Cup” and the Scandinavian Gold Cup in 1937 with US 72 Lulu. Among his many other sporting pursuits, Mr Cunningham also won the America’s Cup in 1958 on the 12 meter Columbia.

Lucie often beat newer designs on the Great Lakes in the 50’s, such as US 81 Goose and US 87 May Be VII, while named ‘Stork’. An interesting anecdote about her comes from Barbara Castle Poole von Schilcher: “The ‘Stork’ was originally the ‘Lucie’, but the first year my grandfather (Wilmot Vail ‘Rooney’ Castle) had her, 1940, all of the guys who crewed in the forward cockpit became fathers, so he renamed her ‘Stork’ … I was the first of those forward cockpit babies.”

After a successful racing career over 75 years, she was rebuilt in the exact manner of her original construction, including shellac between her double planked hull. There are two other Crane 6 metre designs in existence, US 43 Sprig, and US 33 Clytie II.

Clinton Crane was a major force in the development of Corinthian yachting, a gentleman yacht designer, and an active 6 metre campaigner. His multiple challenges and general pursuit of the Seawanhaka International Challenge Cup are well covered in the history of that club. Mr. Crane opened the door to Olin Stephens’ career as a yacht designer, literally stepping aside when he realized that he was potentially taking clients away from Olin, a young man at the time, and whose livelihood depended on design commissions. Olin credited Mr. Crane with allowing him to succeed. Mr. Crane also designed 12’s and 8’s, as well as other sailing and power craft, including dinghies, unlimited speedboats and high speed luxury commuters.

 

Restoration History:

February 2005 – Lucie was recently moved to Maine to join the growing fleet. She will require some work, but may sail a season before her new owner decides how he would like to proceed.
November 2006 – Lucie is currently in the midst of a major restoration at Brion Rieff’s in Maine. http://www.brionrieffboatbuilder.com
May 2011 – Matt Brooks purchases Lucie and Brion Rieff finishes her in time ship the boat to Helsinki for the 2011 World Cup.

 

Racing History:

2013 – 6 Metre International World Cup – Flensburg, Germany – 1st Place – International 6 Metre World Cup – Baum & König Trophy (“Vintage” Division )
2013 – International 6 Metre World Cup – KSSS Trophy (“Classic” Division) 1st Place (Royal Swedish Yacht Club Trophy)
2012 – 6 Metre European Championships – Nynashamn, Sweden – 1st Place – August Ringvold Memorial Trophy (European Champion, Rule 1 & 2 Boats)
2012 – PANERAI Museum of Yachting Newport Classic Regatta – 1st Place – 6 Metre Division
2011 – Matt and team place 6th of 45 boats at the World Cup to win both the KSSS trophy (highest placing Rule 1 or 2 boat) and the Baum + Koenig trophy, which is awarded to the highest placing boat with a wood mast and Dacron sails.

 

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

Owner: (1931) – Briggs Cunningham (Vessel named Lucie)
Owner: (1940) – Wilmot Vail ‘Rooney’ Castle
Owner: (1962) – Hugh T. Brown (renamed Stork)
Owner: (1968) – Mathews
Owner: Peter J. Durand and Frederick M. Miller (renamed Lucie)
Owner: (1986) – Patrick T. Henley
Owner: (2004) – Thomas Owsley Rodes
Owner: (2005) – Gregory C. Carroll
Owner: (2011) – Matt Brooks

 

Sail Number: 294

Type: S&S 47

LOA: 46’8” / 14.22m – LOD: 46’8” / 14.22m – LWL: 35’11” / 10.95m – Beam: 13’5” / 4.09m – Draft: 7’5” / 2.26m – Designer: Sparkman & Stephens – Original Owner: Peter Kurts – Current Owner: Simon Kurts (son) – Year Built: 1973 – Built by: Cec Quilkey – Hull material: Cold moulded timber – Sail Area: – Displacement: 14586kg – Engine: – Flag: Australia – Club: CYCA

 

Historical:

Love & War is the 41-year-old classic Oregon and Maple wooden boat that has won the Hobart three times; 1974, 1978, 2006 and won the 20 Year Veteran Division of the 50th anniversary race in 1994. She was the second of five yachts owned and raced to Hobart by Peter Kurts, but Love & War held a special place in his heart and she has now passed to his son, Simon, who allowed Peter’s long time navigator to take the boat in the Hobart Race in 2006 – the rest is history. As in 2009 when they finished 24th overall “when we got becalmed in light air in Bass Strait”. She last went to Hobart in 2012 where she finished 15th overall and second in IRC Division 4. Simon Kurts will again skipper the yacht, with May aboard as navigator to sail his 41st Hobart race and Simon’s 23 year-old son Phillip. Heavy breeze on the nose is the preferred option for this boat.

 

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

• Owner/Guardian: (1973) Peter Kurts
• Owner/Guardian: Simon Kurts

 

Resources

Australian National Maritime Museum
Australian Classic Yacht Association
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

 

Sail Number: S7

Vessel Type: Knockabout Massachusetts Bay Cabin Class

LOA: 39′ 10″ / 11.91m – LOD: – LWL: 21′ 0″ / 6.40m – Beam: 10′ 6″ / 3.23m – Draft: 3′ 6″ / 1.09m – Design Number: – Rig: Sloop – Displacement: – Ballast: – Sail Area: 950 sq ft – Designer: W. Starling Burgess – Built By: D. Fenton, Manchester, MA – Original Owner: Thornton K. Lothrop, Jr, Boston MA – Current Owner: – Launched: 1902
 

Photo Credit: Hart Nautical Photograph (Charles H. W. Foster / Jackson, Willard B.)

 

Historical:

Extreme example of the 21′ water-line Knockabout with a ballasted centerboard. 21′ restricted class sloop Little Haste, designed by W. S. Burgess as a rule beater.

 

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

Owner: (1902-1903) – Thornton K. Lothrop, Jr, Boston MA (Massachusetts Bay)
Owner: (1903-1909) – Fred B. Thurber, Providence, RI – Sailed in Narragansett Bay
Owner: (1909-1912) – A.D. Cummins, Philadelphia – Sailed in Atlantic City, N.J.
Owner: (1912) – Mr. Hollis Burgess – Sailed in Class A Interclub Yacht Racing Association of MA

 

Sail Number:

Vessel Type: Staysail Schooner

LOA: 74′ ‘0″ / 22.55m – LOD: 64’9″ / 19.73m – LWL: 46’0″ / 14.02m – Beam: 15’4″ / 4.67m – Draft: 8’6″ / 2.59m – Displacement: 42 tons – Sail Area: 2,400 sq ft / 222.96m² – Original Name: Lion’s Whelp – Original Owner: Abbott and Phineas Sprague, Jr – Current Owner: Phineas Sprague, Jr – Year Launched: 2003 – Designed by: Niels Helleberg – John Alden (1982) – Built by: Hull C&D Boat Works Finished Portland Yacht Services – Hull Material: Strip planked /cold molded – Homeport: Portland, Maine – Location: Maritime Traffic

 

Historical:

LION’S WHELP was finished by a member of one of New England’s most knowledgeable yachting families. Absolutely no expense was spared in her construction and all work was done to the highest standard possible. Every single construction detail and material was chosen to insure the long term durability of the yacht.

Sister ship is Etesian 1044, the hull was started in 1984 in San Diego, California and was never finished. LION’S WHELP was purchased and moved to Maine in 1998 and launched in 2003, after an extensive and thorough restoration.

 

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

Owner: – Abbott and Phineas Sprague, Jr
Owner: (Current) – Phineas Sprague, Jr