Sail Number: 22261

Whitehawk Specifications:

LOA: 105′ / 32.00m – LOD: 92′ / 28.04m – WL: 78′ / 23.77m – BEAM: 20′ 6″ / 6.24m – DRAFT: 7′ 6″ / 2.28m – Daggerboard: 16’10” / 5.13m – Displacement: 84 Tons – Hull: Wood (Cold-Molded) – Design By: Bruce King – Built by: Lee’s Boat Shop of Rockland Maine – Year built: 1975-1978 – Original Owner: – Current Owner: Peter Thornton, Burr Ridge, IL, Key Largo, Fla – Sail Area: 4,484 – Official Number: 591561 – Location: Marine Traffic

Historical

Styled after the famous Herreshoff racing vessel Ticonderoga, the 105’ Whitehawk was designed by renowned Maine yacht designer Bruce King and commissioned in 1978. At the time of her build she was the largest ever yacht built using the Wood Epoxy Saturation Technique (WEST SYSTEM), which insures superior strength along with incredible lightness. Whitehawk’s performance capabilities along with her state-of-the-art technology and magnificent appointments make her the ideal vacation vessel for New England summers and Caribbean winters.

The main salon exudes the warmth of a comfortably elegant living room, with separate sitting and dining areas, a cathedral skylight, and a full sized wood-burning fireplace. The ambience is embellished with polished wood architectural features crafted from the highest quality mahogany, teak, and cedar. Beveled mirrors, leaded glass cabinets, and an Italian marble countertop distinguish the unique bar area.

A modern entertainment center, complete with a color television, VCR, and stereo system with CD player, balances the old-world charm with modern-day sophistication.

Whitehawk’s full array of electronics, including two radars, two GPS installations, a Loran, weatherfax, SSB radio and sophisticated sailing computers and plotters, assures safe navigation on every voyage. The large galley, with every convenience for preparing international gourmet cuisine, features an oven/broiler, microwave, large refrigerator and freezer, dishwasher, trash compactor, and ice maker.

Her three air-conditioned double staterooms each have a private bath, with the master stateroom featuring a queen-sized bed and a stunning bathtub carved out of Maine cedar.

With a crew of five to expertly attend a charter group’s every need, Whitehawk comfortably accommodates up to six overnight guests and up to 25 for day sails and social gatherings.

Above deck, more spectacular woodwork is accented with extensive custom-designed fittings. A hand-carved teak wheel and beautiful binnacle with 12″ Constellation compass are from an era gone by. Beneath the stars or under the sun, an oversized teak table gleams in the cockpit, inviting twelve to dine. Yet for all her traditional styling, luxurious accommodations, and modern technological conveniences, Whitehawk is even more. She is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The experience of taking the powerful wheel or hoisting the massive mainsail. The experience of gliding effortlessly over pristine waters that once were the settings only for indulgent dreams. The experience of snorkeling, windsurfing or water skiing in a cool, blue lagoon while Whitehawk, the masterpiece of majestic proportion, rests peacefully, awaiting her next chance to thrill her guests under sail.

Sail Number: K 57 (original sail no.)

Type: 6 Metre Class

LOA: 36’2” / 11.02m – LOD: 36’2” / 11.02m – LWL: 23’6” / 7.16m – Beam: 6’0” / 1.83m – Draft: 5’4” / 1.63m – Designer: Charles Nicholson – Original Owner: Ronald Teacher, Rhu on the Clyde – Current Owner: Private – Year Launched: 1938 – Built by: Camper & Nicholson, Gosport, England (no. 457) – Hull material: Wood – Sail Area: – Displacement: 5 tonnes – Engine: – Flag: – Club:

Historical:

Fiona Brown/Tim Street – Designed and built by Camper & Nicholsons in 1938 for Ronald Teacher (of Teacher’s Whisky) of Rhu on the Clyde, especially for the British-American Cup Races later that year. After the war she appeared occasionally on the Clyde before being sold to Canada.

Her new owner in Canada, Sandy Martin, renamed her Hecate (KC14) and she joined the growing Six Metre fleet in Vancouver. Over the next few years she made her way south to Seattle via various owners who used her mainly as a cruising boat. She eventually ended up owned by Ann Lichtenwalner and Richard Langendoen, where she was later donated to the Center for Wooden Boats, a small maritime museum on Lake Union. She was minially restored and was renamed Erica.

Eventually the museum decided they needed to find a new home for Erica and she was bought and brought back to England by Richard Bond on 2001. She arrived only just in time to be re-furbished enough by the Webb Brothers to take part in the RSrnYC Metre Boat Regatta that summer. Later she was restored more thoroughly by Brian Pope at Penpol after which Richard Bond finished 6th in the 2003 Worlds at St. Tropez, really her best ever international performance up to then. Established as a very fast boat, she was sold to Peter Andreae who finished 7th in the 2007 Worlds at Cowes; 5th in the Europeans at La Trinité sur Mer in 2008 and with Robert Laird helming, finished 4th in the 2010 Europeans at Brunnen, Switzerland.

In 2016 she changed hands again and was extensively refurbished by Tom Owen in Fowey. Relaunched in 2018, she was raced at the European Championships in La Trinité sur Mer that year, coming 4th out of 20 competitors in the classic division. She is regularly raced in the UK and in Spain.

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

• Owner/Guardian: (1938) Ronald Teacher, Rhu on the Clyde (First sail number recorded: K57 (1938)
• Owner/Guardian: Sandy Martin / Hugh Mann, renamed her Hecate, used from 1956 sail no.(KC14)
• Owner/Guardian: Ann Lichtenwalner and Richard Langendoen, donated her to the Center for Wooden Boats.
• Owner/Guardian: Center for Wooden Boats, curator and skipper Scott Rohrer, renamed Erica.
• Owner/Guardian: (2001) Richard Bond, England, Last number reported: GBR57
• Owner/Guardian: (2007?) Peter Andreae
• Owner/Guardian: (2016) Private

Resources

Lloyd’s of London
6 Metre Archives
6 Metre North America
Lithograph – The original hand-tinted black and white photo that inspired this design was first published in 1941 as an advertisement to raise funds for the British War Relief Society.
6 Metre European Championships
Half model of Erica. Presented to the Royal Northern Yacht Club by Ronald Teacher.

Sail Number: 410/1

Type: International 410

LOA: 35’10 7/8″ / 10.70m – LWL: 28’3″ / 8.62m – Beam 6’10 3/4″ / 1.86 – Draft 5’9″ / 1.79m – Hull Number: – Designer: C. Raymond Hunt – Original Owner: Ray Hunt – Current Owner: – Year Built: 1947 – Built By: Marblehead Yacht Yard – Hull Material: “Harborite” Plywood Construction – Gross Displacement: – Sail Area: 482 sq ft – Status: Lost in 1961 (Shagwong Reef buoy off Montauk Point)

Historical:

James H. “Sham” Hunt on sailing on the International 410 Et Toi – “CRH and I only..age 13…raced in the New London to Marblehead Race in 1949 and won by such a large margin that the committee called the Canal to see if we had taken a short cut through it..no of course….this was when you had to check in before any transit was allowed! I doubt I added much but he had such stamina that a 24 hour vigil was a piece of cake.”

Thames Yacht Club members considered the International 410 “Nor’wester” – “A stylish double-ender, one of the most beautiful boats to ever grace the club fleet. Under sail or bare-poled at her mooring, she always drew comments from people impressed with her near-perfect lines.”

In the Fall of 1961, during the Off Soundings Club Regatta, Nor’Wester’s 4th owner, Charles LaCour and his three member crew were enjoying a comfortable lead with two other boats, they were way ahead of the rest of the fleet. Under full main and small jib with 20-knots of breeze, they were approaching Shagwong Reef buoy off Montauk Point, when a strong squall approached out of nowhere knocking down Nor’wester. A huge swell then filled the non-self-bailing cockpit, and within minutes the boat sunk. The entire crew were picked up and brought to Shelter Island, New York, their final destination point of the first day’s race. That night, still shaken by their ordeal, they returned back to New London, on the Orient Point Ferry.

Anemometer readings, from Montauk Point had clocked gust up to 79 miles per hour. NorWester had sunk in 55′ of water, with strong currents, LaCour decided not to salvage her, figuring reluctantly that they would be unsuccessful in there attempt to raise her.

Later that year, the Off Soundings Race Committee, mandated that all entries had to have self-bailing cockpits. The tragedy influenced the implementation of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) laws that generated numerous maritime safety rules still in effect today.

Ownership History:

1947 – Et Toi – Ray Hunt
1950s – Nor’wester – Lawrence Chappell, Jr (joined the Thames Yacht Club Fleet)
1950s – Nor’wester – Ray Camp Norwich
1960 – Nor’wester – Charles M. LaCour, Thames Yacht Club member

Known Racing History:

1952 – Thames Yacht Club Distance Race – First boat to finish and corrected time winner.
1949 – Off Soundings Race – (Lawrence Chappell) Spring and Fall – 1st and 2nd place respectively
1948 New London – Marblehead Race (Ray Hunt) Et Toi beat the nearest competitor by 2 hours.

Ship Plans:

NOR’WESTER: Double ended auxiliary sloop, Design #410:

Mystic Seaport
SHIPS PLANS
Plans set
Hunt, C. Raymond; Marblehead Yacht Yard
1947-08-04; 1948-10-11

4 sheets of plans for 35.92 ft. double ended auxiliary sloop, NOR’WESTER (built 1947), design #410 by C. Raymond Hunt. Dates on plans range from 08-04-1947 to 10-11-1948. Also known as the 410 class sloop.
SP.29.178

Sail Number: JK4

Type: J-Class

LOA: 129’6″ / 39.47m – LOD: 129’6″ / 39.47m – LWL: 88’2″/ 26.87m – Beam: 22’0″/ 6.71m – Draft: 14’9″/ 4.49m – Displacement: 143 tons – Sail area: 7,651 sq ft / 710.8 m2 – Engine: – Hull material: – Designer: Charles Ernest Nicholson – Built by: Camper and Nicholsons, Gosport, United Kingdom – Year Launched: 1934 – Original Name: Endeavour – Original Owner: Sir Thomas Sopwith – Current Name: Endeavour – Location: United Kingdom

Historical

Endeavour, a 130-foot J Class sloop, was commissioned by Sir T.O.M. Sopwith and built by Camper & Nicholson at Gosport England to challenge for the America’s Cup in 1934. Having prepared his campaign in Shamrock V, Sopwith was keen to ensure that this yacht was the most advanced design possible. With his experience designing aircraft Sopwith applied aviation technology to Endeavour’s rig and winches and spared nothing to make her the finest vessel of her day. From launching in 1934 shecontinued her preparation by competing against Shamrock V (then owned by Sir Richard Fairey) and the newly launched Velsheda (owned by W.L Stephenson). She swept through the British racing fleet and into the hearts of yachtsmen the world around, winning many races in her first season. Like many before her, Endeavour did not win the Cup but she came closer to doing so than any other challenger.

Endeavour pioneered the development of the Quadrilateral genoa, a two clewed headsail offering immense sail area and power, and still used on J Class yachts racing today. She also had a larger and better designed spinnaker but Sopwith was let down by poor crewing. Just prior to departure for the USA, his professional crew went on strike for more money and Sopwith was forced to round up keen amateur sailors, who had the enthusiasm but not the experience. Afterwards, she returned to England to dominate the British racing scene until 1938 when she was laid up prior to the war.

Over the next 46 years, Endeavour passed through many hands, her fate often hanging by a thread. Among other indignities, she was sold to a scrap merchant in 1947 only to be saved by another buyer hours before her demolition was due to begin. In the seventies, she sank in the Medina River in Cowes. Again at the eleventh hour, she was bought for ten pounds sterling by two carpenters who patched the holes in her hull with plastic bags and got her afloat again. In the early eighties, Endeavour sat in an abandoned seaplane base in southern England. She was a complete wreck, a rusting and forlorn hulk with no keel, rudder, ballast or interior.

Rebuild

In 1984 American yachtswoman Elizabeth Meyer bought Endeavour and undertook a five year rebuild. Since the hull was too fragile to be moved and was miles away from any boatyard, Meyer had a building constructed over the boat and hired welders to restore the hull. Endeavour’s missing keel and ballast were rebuilt, the steel frames and hull plating repaired and replaced where necessary, and a new rudder fabricated. The newly seaworthy hull was launched and towed to Holland where it was put on a barge and transported to the Royal Huisman Shipyard. There, the mast, boom and rigging were designed and built, the engine, generator and mechanical systems installed and the interior joinery completed. All told, an inconceivable amount of work, love and agony went into achieving Endeavour’s present level of perfection. Endeavour sailed again, on June 22, 1989, for the first time in 52 years.

In September of 1989, a match racing series between the two J Class yachts Endeavour and Shamrock V was held in Newport USA. Endeavour and had just completed her five year restoration and Shamrock V, a two year restoration.

The first “Return of the Legends” Regatta series was a three race event in Newport’s Narragansett Bay. The boats were skippered by Ted Turner and Gary Jobson. There were more than 3,000 spectator vessels in the bay and crowds of more than 10,000 spectators watched from shore.

In early October of 1989, Gary Jobson and Ted Turner skippered the boats in a regatta in Manhattan with at least 100,000 spectators watching from the Hudson River shore.

In 1990, J Class Management Inc. ran four J Class regattas: in Annapolis Maryland with skippers Buddy Melges and Gary Jobson, in Boston with skippers Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy,in Marblehead, with skippers Gary Jobson and David Vietor; and in Newport with skippers Gary Jobson and Ted Hood.

Between 1989 and 1999 Endeavour cruised extensively and competed in numerous races, creating a wonderful spectacle. In April 1999, history repeated itself when she was joined by Shamrock V and Velsheda to compete in the Antigua Classics Regatta, bringing in a new era of J Class sailing.

Restoration

Yachting Developments proudly launched the iconic J Boat Endeavour on Saturday 8th October 2011, the launching marks the completion of an extensive 18 month refit at Yachting Developments yard based in Hobsonville, Auckland.

Endeavour touched the water at 8am, onboard systems were commissioned and checked, the new mast was stepped at 11am, the boom was fitted at 1.00pm, Endeavour then moved to her berth at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour on schedule at 2.30pm.

Absolute care has been taken throughout the refit to preserve as much of the vessel as practical while taking advantage of twenty first century sailing systems, enhanced performance and improved functionality.

The comprehensive refit includes removal and replacement of the complete weather deck including all deck equipment. Steel deck framing has also been relocated to accommodate the new load paths of the new deck layout.

There has been a long term philosophy of longevity and serviceability throughout the refit ensuring Endeavour will remain the historic Icon she is today for future generations.

Dykstra & Partners, Naval Architects, have been instrumental in the design of the new sail plan, deck layout, and structural engineering.

The main engine, generators, hydraulic systems, winches, electrical system, electronics, bow thruster and air conditioning have been replaced or upgraded.

The new carbon fibre mast was built by Southern Spars Auckland, the mast features carbon standing rigging.

Accommodation forward of the mast has been reconfigured by John Munford and Adam Lay, the new interior has been built in-house by Yachting Developments tradesmen.

The owner’s project management is by Jon Barrett Associates whom have had over 25 years experience in this role with Endeavour.

Yachting Developments Managing Director Ian Cook describes working on Endeavour as “an honor, she is something special, everyone involved has put their heart and soul into the refit, I think the care, and passion is very evident in the end result”.

Yachting Developments, Jon Barrett Associates, Dykstra & Partners will be attending this years Fort Lauderdale International Boat show.

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

Owner: (1934) – Sir Thomas Sopwith
Owner: (1984) – Elizabeth Meyer
Owner: (2000) – L. Dennis Kozlowski
Owner: (2006) – Cassio Antunes