The following is from a taped interview of Llewellyn Howland done by John Eide in March, 2015, for spring issue of The Concordian, of which John is editor. It’s a shorter and rather different loo at this remarkable class of yachts and makes a wonderful supplement to Waldo Howland’s epic, three volume series
. . . sign up to the right to get immediate access to this full post,
plus you'll get 10 of our best videos for free.
Get Free Videos& Learn More Join Now!!for Full Access Members Sign In
David Tew says:
When I was very young plying the waters of Osterville, Cape Cod, there were four Concordias moored off the yacht club dock. I pretty much thought that was the only kind of cruising boat there was. I got to sail on one of them to Marblehead with three teenage friends and it was as as special a passage as I ever made.
Christopher Wick says:
Thanks, Louie. A good tale.
Sean Hogben says:
I came to the Concordia story from the sawdust up. My first professional job as a boatbuilder was working for the Runow family at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutters Bay in Sydney. Dieter Runow and his brother both did their apprenticeships at Abeking and Rasmussen in the 1950s and when they came to Australia in the very early 1960s they worked in Melbourne under Jack Savage’s foreman, Bill Foster, my father in boatbuilding. I saw pictures of this wonderful New England craft and quizzed Dieter often on their building. I thought how perfectly she was suited to the blue water of Australia’s east coast. That was 18 years ago. This beautifully paced, factually rich account fills in a very big blank for me. Not many boats can keep a reputation that succeeds and precedes them. My thanks to Mr Howland for sharpening the picture so very much.
Ginny Jones says:
Louie is an unparalleled yachting historian and raconteur — and the Concordias are really special boats in many ways. It was wonderful to learn more about the Howland family and more about the origin of the yawls (and occasional sloop). Unfortunately Louie didn’t mention some of the special features such as the Concordia stove, berth, or the origin of the star and crescent moon at the ends of the cove stripe, but of course it is in the Concordian and presumably everyone who gets that magazine knows all the ins and outs of the boats already. Thanks for the article, and thanks to OCH for publishing it.
Christopher Chadbourne says:
Finestkind. Story, words, pictures… finestkind.
Conbert Benneck says:
Back in the late 1950’s – early -60’s, I was working for United Aircraft Export Corp. selling their products in Germany. I visited Abeking & Rasmussen to discuss gas turbines as propulsion units for large yachts.
At the conclusion of these discussion I was given a tour of their shop, and admired a series of Concordias that were being built. At that time it was all wood construction.
A&R were one of the the top European yacht builders; and still are.
A&R built beautiful yachts, and the Concordias are examples of their meticulous workmanship
Jim Myers says:
As always, excellant
Ben Fuller says:
A fascinating glimpse of a time gone by; some of us were lucky enough to be a part of the tail end. The resources to be responsible for a Concordia are well beyond many of what would be the second/ third generation of the fine folks that originally owned them. But we admire.
And on that note I remember working a Maine Island Trail Skiff up the Medomak well past Bremen into the windy twisty river populated only by locals and clammers. So up ahead was a Concordia ( under power.) I did say narrow, twisty mudbank lined. It was MALAY with Dan at the helm, just wanted to see what was up at the head.
Rich Morrow says:
What a wonderfully insightful commentary, not just the origins of a legendary class of vessel but a fascinating discussion of the social in which this design emerged and has been so continuously enjoyed.