Boat review The Yankee Dolphin A whole pod of Dolphins continues to delight
T WAS THE MID-1950S. ENTER BILL by Dyke Williams below were rewarded. Stripped-out Shaw, the man who later designed hulls were penalized. It was a great I a great many of Pearson Yachts’ rule. By contrast, CCA’s successor, the fi nest and was at that fi rm’s helm as it they’re all basically the same hull shape IOR (International Offshore Rule) of became one of the top boatbuilders in and rig design. Thus, while describing the 1970s, resulted in high masts, short the country (see article on the Pearson the Yankee Dolphin, all the Dolphins booms, empty hulls, oddly humped 28-2 on Page 33). But in his formative are included here in one way or another. stern sections, and some wholly inad- years Bill was designing for Sparkman It’s not clear how many Dolphins were equate rudders. & Stephens. One task was working built. There are at least 270 and perhaps Of his 24-foot MORC design, Bill with Olin Stephens on converting the as many as 300 or more. The 24-foot Shaw later said, “I did a half-size CCA Rule (on which the Sparkman & Dolphin is a medium-displacement prototype of Finisterre, just to test Stephens fi rm was arguably the leading masthead sloop with a hollow bow, the principles.” For those who don’t expert) to a new Midget Ocean Racing cutaway forefoot, keel/centerboard, and recognize the pedigree, Finisterre is Club (MORC) Rule for smaller off- attached rudder. Her classic appear- known as the fi rst of the light, wide, shore boats up to 24 feet (this was later ance comes from a traditional profi le, keel/centerboard breakthrough yawls raised to 30 feet). transom, and counter. Her overhangs by Sparkman & Stephens. She was As an after-hours project, Bill are short, the waterline long, the wetted raced illustriously all over the world by designed a 24-footer to see if factors surface low. The boat has always been, Carleton Mitchell. affecting safety and comfort, such as and is yet today, quite fast. The initial Shaw numbers on paper proper pitching and righting moments, looked good. Willard (Bill) Scranton encouraged by the CCA Rule, trans- The start of the story heard about this design and commis- lated well into smaller boats designed In the 1950s, the CCA Rule was the sioned a boat to be built by Jensen in for MORC. Those sketches were to reigning big boat, offshore handicap Denmark — double-planked mahog- became the Shaw 24 and then modifi ed rule. It encouraged and rewarded de- any and cedar over oak, keel/center- to become the 24-foot Dolphin, a boat signs that were seaworthy, seakindly, board, complete accommodations for that has been built in wood and fi ber- and comfortable. CCA rigs had shorter four, and a yawl rig. The result was the glass by many yards and is known by hoists and longer booms — a lower-as- fi rst Shaw 24, Trina, the fi rst MORC several names: Yankee Dolphin, pect ratio that kept the center of effort boat built. Her intended function was O’Day Dolphin, Pacifi c Dolphin, and heeling moment down. By measur- to be fast, safe, and comfortable. She Dolphin 24, and Shaw 24. ing mizzen sail area at only one-half won 27 consecutive races in three The Sparkman & Stephens-designed or not at all, the CCA Rule encouraged years following her launching in 1957 Dolphin was built from 1959 through yawl rigs because they could comfort- under four different handicap rules, the 1970s by at least fi ve fi rms. The ably and safely weather almost any including MORC. She excelled in all Yankee Dolphin built by Yankee Yachts blow by setting just headsail and miz- weather and was a light air fl yer. Naval was perhaps the best of the breed, but zen (jib ’n jigger). Creature comforts architect Gary Mull said of the Shaw 24 yawl: “That boat — with a jib and a jigger — could sail through anything.” Legends from afar Her sister ships (24 built in wood, some as sloops) created apocryphal legends of heavy-air survival in places as far afi eld as the Aegean. (Truth in writing is called for here. Your author is the owner of the restored Trina. I am looking for a new “curator” to take this historic craft safely well into the new century. If serious, contact me at
8 GOOD OLD BOAT September/October 2005