Yankee J/US2

Built by a Boston syndicate Yankee was the widest of the new boats and with easy lines the best all round boat. Though great in moderate to heavy weather, it was her poor performance in light breezes that quickly ruled her out of contention in1930.

In 1934 a new Boston syndicate was formed to extensively modify her for the 1934 trials. With her new bow and midship sections Yankee proved a much faster boat in light winds. Throughout the selection trials she looked the clear favourite for selection only to lose out to Rainbow by just one second in the final race of the season.

 At the end of 1934 Yankee was purchased by Gerard Lambert who fitted her out for racing in England. The 1934 Americas Cup matches had finished under a cloud and Lambert wanted relations to return to the warmth they had been before the contest. He accordingly raced Yankee in England during 1935 in what is regarded as the greatest season of racing for the J Class. His actions proved a great success and a new challenge was consequently made.

 Yankee along with Weetamoe and Rainbow were fitted out in 1936 in the expectation of a challenge and she shared race honours with Rainbow, both yachts winning eight races apiece.

 For the 1937 Cup trial Yankee was altered to a single head rig which proved a failure and was quickly reversed. Both Yankee and Rainbow where out matched in the trials by the new Super J Ranger.

 After the 1937 Cup matches Yankee joined Ranger, Rainbow, Endeavour ll and Endeavour on the New York Yacht Club Cruise and historically won one of only two victories over Ranger.

 The New York Yacht Club Cruise and Eastern Yacht Club Regatta which followed was to prove the final act for the J Class in the 1930s and Yankee like the other J’s was laid up and eventually she was scrapped in 1941 to raise money for the war effort.

Specifications

Designer Frank Paine

Builder Lawleys of Boston

Construction Tobin bronze Glassy smoothness, light and strong

Launch date 10th May 1930

Dimensions

Length overall………………….125. feet

Length water line……………..84ft

Breadth…………………………….22.4ft

Draft…………………………………15.3ft

Displacement……………………148tons

Sail Area……………………………7550sqft

Mast ht heel to truck ……….162ft

Deck to mast head sheave 152ft

Syndicate members

John Lawrence Manager

Charles Francis Adams joint skipper with C Raymond Hunt

Chandler Hovey

Reference

Reference Ian Dear “Enterprise to Endeavour”

Harold Vanderbilt “Enterprise”

Norman L Skene “ Elements of Yacht Design”

Charles Lane Poor “Men against the Rule”