Sail Number: 27735
Type: Gaff Schooner
ex; Hopeful (1928); Kelpie (1934)
LOA: 78’8″ / 24.00m – LOD: 65’0″ / 19.81m – LWL: 49’2″ / 15.00m – Beam: 14’9″ / 4.70m – Draft: 9’6″ / 3.00m – Displacement: 39.16 tons – Ballast: – Sail Area: Upwind 3,229 sq ft / 300m2 – Downwind 4,305 sq ft / Downwind 400m2 – Original Owner: Archibald McLaren, New York Stock Broker – Original Name: Hopeful – Year Launched: 1928 / refitted 1990 | 2003 | 2014 – Designed by: Ford, Payne & Swiesguth, New York – Design No. : – Built by: Harvey Gamage Shipyard, South Bristol, Maine – Hull Material: Wood
Historical:
KELPIE was designed in 1928 by Ford, Payne & Swiesguth, New York and was built by Harvey Gamage Shipyard, South Bristol, Maine.
Kelpie was once known as ‘the fastest schooner in the West’, and won many West coast regattas in her heyday. She has not yet achieved her full potential on the Mediterranean regatta circuit, and still has more silver to take home. Although an exciting yacht to race, Kelpie is also suitable for family cruising, easy as she is to handle with her cruising sails only, and her well thought out interior.
World War II Service
During World War II, Kelpie became part of the famous Coastal Picket Patrol, also known as the Corsair Fleet or the “Hooligan Navy,” started by officers of the Cruising Club of America and overseen by the U.S. Coast Guard. These private vessels, many of them CCA sailboats, patrolled the 50-fathom curve off the U.S. Atlantic coast year-round in fair and foul weather during World War II, on the lookout for German U-boats. Kelpie’s beat was off the coast of Maine.
Racing Career
The Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race, was Kelpie’s favourite – she competed in it 23 times, won several trophies and, in 2000, broke a 54-year-old record under the command of Mike O’Connor, her skipper for 15 years.
Refit
1990 | 2003 | 2014 – REFIT YARD Gweek Quay Shipyard, Cornwall, under the supervision of Capt. Charles Wroe. Classic Boat ‘Restoration of the Year’ award, 2014
Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):
Owner: (1931) – William McMillan, Baltimore, MD
Owner: (1950 – 1980) George Minney, Newport Beach, CA
Owner: (2007) – John Durra
Owner: (2012 – current) Owner Representative Capt. Charlie Wroe
Skipper: Mike O’Connor, Dana Point, California
Delivery Skipper: Trevor Murphy
Skipper: Milos Brnjervarac
Helmsman: Phil Badger
Guest: Paul Newman
Guest: Elizabeth Taylor
Charter Skipper: Dennis Connor