Ever since I saw one of Starling Burgess’s 30’ Yankee One Design (YOD) sloops, I’ve been obsessed with them. To me they’re one of the best-looking, effectively-simple, and all-round “good boats” I know of and I’ve dreamed of owning one for some 65 years.
When an OCH member offered YOD hardware, my dream re-ignited and I began communicating with friends who also revered the design. Alden Reed was one, his specialty being the smaller but similar Boothbay Harbor One-Design (BHOD) whose plans wee also drawn by Burgess’s draftsman, Geerd Hendel—although the BHODs were Hendel’s own design.
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David Tew says:
Maynard- One of your footnotes mentions KOALA as one of LFH ‘s similar designs. I was prompted to look up her plans at Mystic and noticed that although narrower than the other iterations of the type she had an enlarged sail plan sketched in. I suppose when she was built the owner or LFH deemed the change worthwhile, although it wasn’t clear if the bigger rig was ever adopted. Do you know anything about that? The LFH file at Mystic also had an article about the competition to design sailing craft to meet the criteria that the Yankee OD was eventually chosen to fulfill. It was fascinating. I wish I’d asked for a copy of it.
Maynard Bray says:
Hi Dave, Roger Taylor’s biography of L. Francis Herreshoff (volume 2, page 68) shows KOALA’s sail plan but in only one size, so I guess Roger didn’t publish the drawing you looked at. Compared to the slightly shorter and slightly heavier Hodgdon 21, she’s a skinny-minny, more than a foot narrower with only a 4’8″ beam! She’s 9″ deeper, so therein lies some of her sail-carrying ability. She must have flown! As was L. Francis’s style at the time her freeboard is extremely low and racy looking, just like his BEN-MY-CHREE, PALMETTO, and the Stuart Knockabout. I have no idea where KOALA is now, but BEN-MY-CHREE sails out of Noank, CT, and PALMETTO from Coecles Harbor on Shelter Island, NY. And there are Stuart Knockabouts all over the place. It’s great a few extant survivors of this type and I’m sure looking forward to sailing my Hodgdon 21 CAMILLE this coming summer now that Eric Dow has refastened her topsides.
David Tew says:
Thanks! CAMILLE as in the courtesan of the opera? You’ll be launching her with a wreath of camellias then! Enjoy. Did I tell you that the H-21 keeps pace with a Buzzards Bay 18 surprisingly well?
I’ve seen and admired PALMETTO and will be on Shelter Island at the end of the month. I hope to see her there with Steve Corkery’s permission if he’s still associated with the yard(?). Then on to see Paul Gartside if he’s available.
Mark Kellogg says:
YOD #1 was YANKEE, built I believe by Britt Bros. She was moored in Little Harbor, Marblehead, and owned by the Hildreth family in the ’60s. Regrettably, she was not taken care of in her later years, and, I’m told, she was broken up.
Chris Chesley says:
The only boat I ever loved deeply was my Yankee One Design – Clipper a very sweet craft.
Peter Marshall says:
The first major restoration project I was lucky enough to be a part of was a YOD named TARFON. The only thing more fun than rebuilding her was sailing her. Her Iconic J boat nose, slight hollow and curved raked transom just seal the deal!
Chuck Race says:
AHOY! After preparing the August 2006 Waterline article (with significant help from Alden), my wife contacted Maynard and purchased DELILAH for my 50th birthday, which I am greatful for. I began restoration then took her to Paul and Nat Bryant (Riverside Boat Company, Newcastle, ME) who performed a complete structural rebuild, replaced the garboards and first set of planks, foaming, epoxied 2 layers of dynel to the existing marine plywood deck, and replaced the rub rails. The deck was painted in Miami Tan, topsides white, boot top Navy blue, and bottom red. Last year the mainsail and jib that came with DELILAH were replaced by Nat Wilson (Wilson Sailmakers, East Boothbay, ME). I’ve been doing annual maintain every year at Riverside with help from the Bryants. During our short sailing season, DELILAH is either on a mooring in the Sheepscot River in Edgecomb or in Boothbay Harbor. I am greatful to Alden who guided and provided significant input for the Waterline article, and especially to Maynard who acquired DELILAH from the original owner’s nephew in Union, ME.
Allen Dodge says:
My grandfather, Parker Dodge, bought Nasket, a Hodgdon 21 from Hodgdon Bros. sometime around 1960 and sailed her to Brooklin where she was in our family until the late ‘90s. She was a fast, safe, and often wet boat, wonderful to sail. He taught me, and a few of my cousins who are all still avid sailors, sailing and seamanship on her. Like Maynard, he loved the Yankee One Design. He built a beautiful wooden model of one that today lives in my cousin’s cottage in Brooklin. Thanks for highlighting these wonderful boats Maynard.
Stephen L. Clark says:
Maynard, I knew you preferred simplicity. Thanks to OCH I know the sound of your voice well. When I read you I hear that voice saying the words. Every time I make a plan to actually come meet you it is foiled, most recently by this plague. May we both live long enough for it to happen. Thanks, Steve
Stephen L. Clark says:
Maynard, though am I seeing running backstays? Why would that be necessary? Steve
Maynard Bray says:
Sharp eyes! For racing, running backstays help keep the jib luff tight, but for the everyday sailing I’d be doing, there’s no way my YOD would have runners.
Stephen L. Clark says:
Maynard, once again I agree with you. She looks just right. Fast, but not complicated. Steve