Whirlwind 3

In Whirlwind her designer, Francis Herreshoff built a revolutionary boat packed full with new innovations. Unfortunately she proved a failure at the time largely due to her steering, but in her size and rig she predicted the future development of the J class from the old triple head rig to the modern single head rig, and from the smallest waterline allowed by the Universal Rule to the largest.

Her underwater plane had a large area increasing her frictional resistance making her slow in stays. With high hard bilges Whirlwind was the most powerful of the new Js

Although of very strong construction Whirlwind was never fitted out again after the 1930 contests and was broken up in 1935.

Specifications

Designer Francis L Herreshoff

Builder Lawleys of Boston

Construction Composite

Launch date 7h May 1930

Dimensions

Length overall………………….130. feet

Length water line……………..86t

Breadth…………………………….21.8ft

Draft…………………………………15.6ft

Displacement……………………158tons

Sail Area……………………………7550sqft

Mast ht heel to truck ……….166ft

Deck to mast head sheave 152ft

Syndicate members

Landon K Thorne- boat manager

Alfred Loomis

Paul Hammond- skipper

Reference

Reference Ian Dear “Enterprise to Endeavour”

Harold Vanderbilt “Enterprise”

Norman L Skene “ Elements of Yacht Design”

Charles Lane Poor “Men against the Rule”