1956: YEAR OF CHANGE
Class boats made exciting news over the past season. First there was the New York Yacht Club's court petition to change the deed of gift for the famous America's Cup to allow classes smaller than the huge J boats to sail for it—possibly classes like the 12-meter (above), some 50 feet shorter than the traditional Js. Second was the number of unusual new sailing designs that appeared around the nation. Finally there were the new winners of the North American trophies and the winners of major international national and regional class boat championships.
FLYING DUTCHMAN
One of the most fascinating of the new planing hulls is the Flying Dutchman, a European design only three years old yet numbering more than 400 boats. The Dutchman has a clean, ribless plywood or fiber glass construction, and will hit speeds of 20 mph or more when she rises out of water and planes. Her cockpit provides racing quarters for two men or wide-open comfort for a five-or six-man pleasure sail. Included in the racing rig is a wild-looking trapeze, a belt and wire arrangement slung from the top of the mast which makes it possible for the crewman to dangle far over the windward side (right), doubling his efficiency for keeping the boat on an even keel where she sails the fastest.
Length: 19 ft. 10 in.
Beam: 5 ft. 7 in.
Designer: U. van Essen, Bussum, Holland
Racing sails: mainsail, jib, genoa, spinnaker
Weight: 374 lbs.
Cost: $1,400-$2,100
PELICAN
The Pelican (left) is the godchild of the boating widows of Miami whose husbands left them sitting on the dock during the weekend. Fed up with spending their time ashore, the women shopped around for a small, simple boat for themselves. Harold Glander, South Miami boat builder, responded with the Pelican. Small and light, with a minimum of running gear, the Pelican is as easy to handle as any boat afloat. She races well with two aboard, but is beamy enough to hold four adults for an afternoon sail. Her speed in a breeze is about five knots, and in heavy winds she can skim along at better than seven. Best of all, with her fat, flat-ended design, she can stand up in winds over 30 knots. The ladies, however, are still having trouble. On more than one weekend, the husbands have deserted their big boats to race in the sporty Pelicans, leaving the wives once again on the dock.
Length: 11 ft. 2 in.
Beam: 4 ft. 7 in.
Weight: 140 lbs.
Cost complete: $435
Kit minus sail: $185
Mainsail (Dacron): $75
Designer: Harold Glander,South Miami, Fla.
NEWPORTER
The brand-new Newporter has a massive doghouse and an engine which gives her a seven-knot cruising speed—facts which have caused her to be brushed off by some diehards as an out-and-out motor sailer. She isn't. She has a low handicap rating and her top sailing speed approaches nine knots. Primarily, however, she is practical and comfortable, with 6-foot 4-inch overhead throughout, a cockpit that can seat 10, enough sail to be interesting and enough power to get in fast when the wind flats out. Finally, she has an unusually low price tag that includes choice of three rigs—Marconi ketch (below), gaff ketch or Marconi sloop.
Length: 40 ft.
Beam: 13 ft.
Cost complete: $17,500
Designer: C. E. Ackerma, Costa Mesa. Calif.
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PHOTO
JOHN MATTHEWS' 12-METER "VIM," BUILT FOR HAROLD S. VANDERBILT (SEE PAGE 69), MAY BE NEXT TO DEFEND AMERICA'S CUP
SEVEN PHOTOS
ILLUSTRATION
JACK KUNZ
MAST HEIGHT: 24 FT. 9 IN
JIB AREA: 60 SQ. FT.
MAINSAIL AREA; 116 SQ. FT.
BOOM LENGTH: 9 FT. 4 IN.
DRAFT, BOARD UP: 5 IN.
MID-POINT FREEBOARD: 12 IN
DRAFT, BOARD DOWN: 3 FT. 8 IN.
ILLUSTRATION
JACK KUNZ
MAINSAIL AREA: 62 SQ. FT.
BOOM LENGTH 8 FT. 6 IN.
MAST HEIGHT: 17 FT. 6 IN.
DRAFT: 6 IN.
DRAFT, BOARD
DOWN: 2 FT. 6 IN.
MID-POINT FREEBOARD: 14 IN.
ILLUSTRATION
JACK KUNZ
MIZZEN HEIGHT: 37 FT.
MAIN MAST HEIGHT: 46 FT.
CRUISING RIG AREA: 761 SQ. FT.
HEADROOM: 6 FT. 4 IN.
DRAFT: 6 FT.
CUP CHAMPIONS
Mallory cup was won by Fred Hood, 28-year-old sailmaker who lives in Marblehead, Mass.
Adams cup went to Texas crew which was headed by Mrs. Hal Lattimore of Fort Worth Boat Club.
Sears cup winner was Seattle's 17-year-old Alan Holt, who took up sailing only three years ago.
Morss trophy was won by high-scorer Jim Googe and the Navy team when Brown U. team fouled.