William Frank Stone YANKEE

Historical:

The Yankee was commissioned in 1905 to William Frank Stone by David Abecassis, a European remittance man living with family in San Francisco. Yankee was designed by Stone, and built during 1905-06 at his Harbor View Yard in San Francisco adjacent to the Presidio of San Francisco. On April 18th, 1906, with the yacht nearing completion, the Great Earthquake and Fire struck San Francisco, and shook the Yankee off her cradle to the shore below. Suffering no significant damages, she was promptly hauled back up to be formally completed and launched in the following weeks. Yankee’s original design was that of an engineless gaff rigged sloop, with her main mast located where the foremast now steps, and the main boom extending eight feet further aft than at present. A centerboard was located below amidships adding an additional four feet to draft when lowered. Yankee was built of primarily local timber, including white oak and Douglas Fir. She was rigged without winches, and remains so today.

Abecassis raced her under the Corinthian Yacht Club burgee in 1906 and 1907, with Corinthian Commodore Carl Westerfield as skipper, winning numerous races, including both McDonough Cups, and the first offshore race held from the Bay, the Farallon Race.

In 1907, Mr. Abecassis, reportedly under some urging from his family, determined to leave San Francisco for the East Coast, and put Yankee up for sale. Yankee had proven her worth against some of the quickest competition on the Bay, winning the ’06 and ’07 McDonough Cups as well as the first offshore race from San Francisco, and had caught the eye of area yachtsmen. She was purchased by Charles E. Miller, a notable yachtsman of the day and member of the Bohemian Club.

Charlie Miller raced and cruised Yankee extensively, taking her to Catalina and back almost every winter, all without an engine. Under Miller’s ownership Yankee won the inaugural race for the San Francisco Lipton Cup, donated in honor of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. In the middle 1910’s Miller converted Yankee to her present schooner configuration, removed the centerboard, filling the trunk with concrete, and added a gasoline engine, offset to the port side. In 1923, Yankee accepted a leading role in the silent movie, Wild Oranges, produced and directed by King Vidor of the Goldwyn Studios. The film was released in January 1924, and is today available from Warner Studios on DVD.

In 1925 Yankee was moored in the basin of the San Rafael Slough, north of San Francisco, with all her sails and removable spars in storage, as Miller did not use her any more. One day, schoolboy Robert D. Ford, riding home from school along the canal spotted her for sale. On arriving home he announced to his father and uncle, “I’ve found our boat!”. Sydney and Arthur Ford purchased the Yankee that year, beginning the longest single family ownership of a yacht on San Francisco Bay today. Both Sydney and Arthur were active racers and cruisers, and continued to add to the boats reputation and history.

In 1933, Yankee was stolen from her yacht harbor berth, sailed out the Golden Gate, then abandoned and beached off Fleishhacker Zoo, only three miles south of the Gate. Rolling in the surf, she took on a great deal of sand before being dug out and towed off the beach after several attempts by a large steam tug. Fortunately, the only structural damage suffered was to the forward bulwarks, where the hawser went over the top when she was towed off. All through the thirties, Yankee continued her winning ways skippered by ‘The Ford Brothers’.

When WWII broke out in 1942, Yankee was among a small fleet of yachts from the area taken by the US Navy for duty. She was commissioned, painted Navy Gray and sent to sea with a Naval Lieutenant, cook and a member of the Yankee crew. Geoffrey W. Ford was in command. Their duty was to spot and report the location of a large Japanese fleet suspected of being headed for the California coast. Bob Davis, one of the Yankee crew, recounted some years later the tale of the Navy ‘landlubbers’ seasick, and the duty immensely boring. They soon realized that, If they did spot the Japanese fleet, they would soon be in the water, so devised a standard report to be sent, saying, “Spotted ships – sunk by same.” The anticipated Japanese fleet was later discovered by USN Patrol Bombers, and the famous Battle of Midway ensued. Soon after, Yankee and the others were retired from our active war fleet. The Federal Registry Number, assigned by the US Navy, remains Yankees identity.

In 1960, Yankee unwittingly had a cameo role in the movie ‘Days of Wine and Roses, appearing in an early scene at the yacht harbor with Lee Remick.

In 1955 Sydney Ford sold his interest to Arthur Ford, and in 1967, Arthur sold half his interest to Robert D. Ford, with right of survivorship. In 1981, Robert sold half of his interest to his son Richard Ford. In 1989, Richard Ford was elected Commodore of the St. Francis Yacht Club, marking the Yankee as the Club’s flagship for the sixth year of its history. Each of the owners had held the Commodore post for one or two years.

In the early 70’s after a race to Santa Cruz in which the aft deck had pulled loose, Yankee was put on the hard for work, including replacement of a number of ribs, a few planks and the transom, while refastening the aft deck and transom. In 1980, all the work that had been done in the 70’s had developed problems as the interior ceiling had been closed in, blocking circulation of air. Twenty- seven ribs were replaced and extensive replanking, caulking and refastening done. A photographic record of this project was collected and kept.

By 1995, with Robert quite old and suffering health issues, and Richard and his three daughters having tragically lost his wife, Liz McNeill Ford, to cancer, the ownership and maintenance of Yankee became a challenge. Robert had reached the point where he should no longer participate and Richard could not continue alone. Neither had been able, in the prior few years, to afford Yankee the time, attention and care she needed, nor to sail her regularly. Consideration was being given to disposing of the boat. All the family loved Yankee and the family history with her, but only a few were really involved in sailing, and in Yankee.

During 1995, at the instigation of brother-in-law Gerald O’Connell, with support from brother-in-law John McNeill, Richard was asked to join them in finding a way to continue the ownership and enjoyment of Yankee. It was determined that a Limited Liability Company could be formed to own the boat, and every member of the family could have the option of joining the company, effectively engaging the entire family in ownership and enjoyment of the Yankee. This plan was presented to Robert for his approval. After some strenuous conversation with Robert, consideration of his estate needs, and his acceptance that the plan could succeed, the plan was agreed. Ownership of the Yankee was gifted to Richard, and his sisters Ellen and Janet Ford, who then used the boat as the basis of the formation of The Yankee LLC in February 1996. The LLC has now owned and cared for the boat for twenty years.

In late 2001 Yankee suffered a collision from a neighboring boat while sitting in her berth, which seriously damaged the aft cap rail and starboard quarter of the hull. Repairs of the damage and replacement of the cap rail were performed, and a full hull inspection survey conducted in February of 2002. With this repair, ventilation of the very tight aft space through the cockpit was added to prevent condensation and rot.

In the meantime, Yankees history ON the waters of the Bay has continued to log. Through 2005, Yankee continued her usual racing schedule in the Master Mariners and Jessica Cup regattas, plus some occasional intraclub racing, and a long commitment to the San Francisco Leukemia Cup. In 2005, with the help of a perfect ‘Yankee Day’ (flood tide and 20-25 knots of breeze) she posted the fastest course time for a gaffer winning the prized Billiken Trophy.

In 2006, Yankee celebrated her 100th Birthday with a grand celebration of classic yachts, current and former crewmates and friends at the St. Francis Yacht Club, only a stone’s throw from the site of her launching 100 years earlier. Her centennial year was amply noted as the City issued a ‘Yankee Day’ Proclamation, the yachting media produced numerous articles across the country, and her presence in the Classic Regattas of 2006 was feted.

2008 marked the addition of a new suit of sails, and some dramatic racing results. The inaugural Great San Francisco Schooner Regatta, hosted by San Francisco YC, saw Yankee winning the gaff division handily as the only boat to finish within the time limit. The three race Jessica Cup Regatta at StFYC was even more exciting, as Yankee won the first race by a slim margin, then, in the second, while jibing at Blossom Rock broke the main gaff, forcing retirement. Finding, however that Yankee was still ahead in the regatta by one point, the crew resolved to repair the gaff and race the final race the next day. A new main gaff was fabricated from hardware store materials overnight and mounted early the next morning. With this spar, fashioned with 2 x 6 lumber and plywood, and carrying the logo ‘Home Depot Racing’ they then went out and won the final race and the regatta. The Yankee crew had won this annual event for the first time in decades, and captured the ‘Yankee Cup’, originally earned by Yankee in the 1931 Stockton Regatta.

Yankee served as the St Francis Yacht Club Flagship for the seventh year in 2009 as skipper John McNeill was elected Commodore. The usual racing schedule was supplemented by numerous parades and cruises with Yankee at the fore. In recent years, Yankee has posted regular wins in the classic races on the Bay, and enjoyed a number of cruises to neighboring harbors on the Bay and Delta. In 2012, Yankee proudly participated in creating the Invitational Classic Division for the Leukemia Cup, racing alongside such noted yachts as Dorade, Santana, Yucca, and her sistership from Seattle, the 1907 Stone-built Schooner Martha. In the 2014 Leukemia Cup, Yankee not only placed second in the Classics, but also was the number one fundraising boat of the entire regatta.

Because of the continued efforts of the crew and family, and the generosity of supporters, Yankee is sound and actively sailed, and should continue her famed ways on the Bay for the foreseeable future.

November 2014 The Yankee Family

UPDATE: June 2015

Yankee has posted a good start to this sailing season, first winning the Billiken Trophy and her division in the Master Mariners Annual Regatta, and then winning the Gaff Division of the Great San Francisco Schooner Regatta. Next up will be the Master Mariners Jessica Cup, followed closely by the 2015 Leukemia Cup, both in October.

Known Restoration History:

1999 – KKMI Boatyard, Point Richmond, 18 month restoration

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

Owner: (1951) – David Abecassis, San Francisco
Owner: (1907-1926) – Charles Miller, San Francisco – Converted to a two-masted schooner
Owner: (1926-1986) – Sydney & Arthur Ford
Actress/Producer: Mary Pickford
Actor/Screenwriter/Director/Producer: Douglas Fairbanks
Owner: (current) – The Yankee, LLC