“Edlu” Specifications:
ex, Wynfred, ex, Roban, current Orion
LOA: 56′ 2″ / 17.11m – LWL: 40′ 0″ / 12.19m – Beam: 13′ 0″ / 3.96m – Draft: 7′ 10″ / 2.38m – Design Number: 35 – Rig: Origin Cutter – Displacement: 47,100 lbs – Sail Area: 1,449 sq ft – Designer: Sparkman & Stephens – Built By: Henry B. Nevins, City Island, NY – Original Owner: Rudolph J. Schaefer – Current Owner: – Current Name: Orion – Launched: 1934 – Contract Cost: $25,000 – Sail Number:
Historical:
Edlu, named after daughters Edmee and Lucy, was designed and built for Rudolph J. Schaefer, Commodore of the Larchmont Yacht Club. A proven race winner, she won the 1934 New London-Bermuda race (660 miles) in her first year, three-weeks after being launched.
Although a proven winner, in 1936 she was re-rigged as a yawl, including a five-foot new bowsprit with extended headstay. The main mast remained the same height, although the boom was shortened, reducing the sail area. A new mizzen mast was added along with a bumpkin. In all, sail area was increased from 1,449 to 1,729 sq ft. To compensate for the additional sail area, 1,600 lbs of lead was added to her recasted keel. With the new additions Edlu now rated higher, the designers figured that she would be much faster, warranting the change.
