American news USA-CANADA Universal Rule renaissance
There is a mini-renaissance happening across America with several high-profile restorations of Universal Rule R boats completed and possibly more in the offing, reports Chris Museler.
This movement was legitimised in the autumn of 2011 with the first Alexandra Cup, a challenge cup like those of yore, this time between defender, Canada’s Royal Vancouver Yacht Club with their Lady Van, and challenger, San Francisco-based St Francis Yacht Club’s Ace. Both boats have been meticulously restored, computer measured and optimised, according to yacht designer Greg Stewart of Nelson Merrick Yacht Design. Ace and Lady Van qualified to represent their nations by beating Aloha and Pirate at the Jack Cribb Memorial Regatta earlier in the season. At the Alexandra Cup in October, both were crewed by world champion sailors. The shorter, lighter Lady Van won by five points to two over Ace. Pirate, the most famous R Boat, on which scores of pond yachts have been based, has
Kestrel by Brad
Miller Photographs for the article on the Herreshoff yacht Kestrel in CB280 (pp42-46) were by Brad Miller, with one (p45, top right ) by Kim Miller. Brad also supplied much of the information for the article. Our apologies to Brad and Kim for failing to credit them on the page.
CHESAPEAKE
Herreshoff in airport display
remained the bellweather boat of the class since her 2002 restoration at the Center for Wooden Boats in the Pacific Northwest. She was drawn in 1925 by LE ‘Ted’ Geary.
The International Yacht
Restoration School recently restored the Burgess, Swasey and Paine R Boat Ruweida V which raced the 2011 season in Newport, RI.
Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival
Nearly 30 years ago the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival started like most grass-roots events, with a bunch of like-minded people – in this instance, going for a row, writes Chris Museler. Last October, dozens of traditional (and un-traditional) boat sailors showed up at the historic town of St Michaels on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay for a weekend of sailing and rowing. Craft ranged from an antique 15ft (4.6m) clinker Delaware Ducker to the 9ft (2.7m) custom box boat Bonito with a composite mast. Blustery autumn conditions led to several collisions, though all arrived at the docks safely. Awards were given in various categories and
first place for Traditional Design/Modern Build went to Aeon, a strip-planked Mellonseed skiff built by Barry Long. Boats at this event do not need to get wet to count: Aeon never left her trailer.
CLASSIC BOAT FEBRUARY 2012 23
The heritage of classic yachting will be impossible to miss when flying into Rhode Island. At the base of the arrivals escalator for Providence’s TF Green Airport sit three boats on loan from the Herreshoff Museum, their rigs stretching into a multi-storey atrium. The three boats, a 1905 launch, the Watch Hill 15 Firefly and the mass-produced Amphi Craft lapstrake sailing dinghy, were put on display in September by request of Governor Donald Carcieri. It is planned to keep them there for several years. CM
CRAFTSMANSHIP
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