The fleet of NY50s was commissioned by the New York Yacht Club and built in the winter of 1912-1913 by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol (HMCo), Rhode Island. The boats were graceful yet powerful, comfortable in heavy weather and so swift that they won the Astor Cup for sloops 9 times.
Of the 9 NY50s built, the only known remaining vessel is Spartan (though Barbara may be out there somewhere, according to legend). Originally constructed as a jack yard tops’l gaff sloop, Spartan measures 72’ LOA and 50’ LWL. She has a 14’ 7” beam and a draft of 9’ 9”, displacing about 74,000 pounds. She carries 35,500 pounds of lead ballast.