Classic R-Class Yachts racing in Sodus Point, New York. Circa the 1970s
The R-Class yacht design is based on the Universal Rule and was popular during the 1920's. Over the last decade many R's that were thought to have been lost have reemerged out of workshops all over North America looking as good as new. Two predominant styles of restoration are evident, classic restorations with wooden spars and booms and "classic" sails, and the racing restoration with self tailing winches, aluminum masts, and modern sails. There seem to be 4 fleets of R's. The west coast, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and New England. This website is an attempt to have a central database which lists all the currently active R's and to help those who are interested in restoring an R locate the remaining boats. If you have information about an R-Boat that is sailing at your club or is sitting disused in a barn, back yard, garage, field or parking lot, please feel free to contribute what information you may have.
Each boat has a detail page with and pictures, notes and comments, you can click on the name of a boat below to visit the detail page.
The number of R's currently actively sailed according to database: 26
Please complete this form if you have any modifications regarding the boats below or would like to see something added
As mentioned above, the R-Class rule was know as the 20 footer, for boats measuring into the universal rule below a total rule measurement of 20' where all measurements were in feet and pounds.
On Lake Ontario, the Lake Ontario R-Class association developed their own updated version of their local rule. This version is used to measure in boats on the lake for the many annual regattas where they race level. The highlight being the annual LYRA regatta where the R's have perpetually raced for the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup since it was deeded to the class in 1926.
There is demand among owners to develop a revised version of the rule that might apply to boats from all over which would offer an opportunity to organize racing with more of these lovely boats.
Sail Number | Image | Name | Status Long Description | Status / Condition | Previous Name(s) | LOA | LWL | Beam | Draft | I | J | P | E | Displacement | Current City | Designer | Year Designed | Builder | Year Built | Current Owner |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R-20 | Nayada | Sailing out of Sodus Bay NY | Sailing | 26.6 | 7431 Irwin Street, Sodus Point, NY, USA | T.F. Benson | Ditchburn Boat Works | 1923 | ||||||||||||
R5 | Jack Tar | Restored in Maine | Sailing | 36' | 24' | 7'4" | 5' 6" | Southwest Harbor, Maine | Tams, Lemoine & Crane | Wood & McClure | 1916 | |||||||||
R02 | Scorpion | Sailed out of Cleveland | Sailing | 200 Yacht Club Drive, Cleveland, OH | ||||||||||||||||
R1 | Aloha | Sailed out of Sidney BC | Sailing | Sidney British Columbia | ||||||||||||||||
R10 | Ace | Currently Sailed out of SDYC in San Diego California | Sailing | 43' | 27' | 7.5' | 6' | 13,000 lbs | SDYC in San Diego California | Charles Mower, New York | 1926 | Madden & Lewis, Sausalito CA | 1926 | |||||||
R11 | PENOBSCOT | Currently Sailed out of Maine | Sailing | 37 | 25.5 | 8 | 6 | 11000 | Charles R. Mower | 1923 | Hodgdon Bros., Boothbay, Maine | 1923 | ||||||||
R11 | Pirate | Sailed out of Seattle | Sailing | 40’ 3” | 8’ 6” | 5’ 5” | 10,900 lbs | 1010 Valley St # Main, Seattle, WA | L.E. (Ted) Geary | 1926 | Lake Union Dry Dock Company | 1926 | ||||||||
R115 | Lovely Lady | Sailed out of Cleveland | Sailing | 200 Yacht Club Drive, Cleveland, OH | ||||||||||||||||
R13 | GYPSY | Sailed out of Ashbridges Bay, Ontario, Canada | Sailing | 30 Ashbridges Bay Park Rd, Toronto, ON | ||||||||||||||||
R25 | ACADIA II | Sailing out of Sodus Bay Yacht Club | Sailing | 29.17 | 6.1 | 13000 | 7431 Irwin Street, Sodus Point, NY, USA | Jerry Dodge | ||||||||||||
R26 | Val | Sailing out of Sidney Nova Scotia. Commissioned by Samuel McLaughlin Owner of GM Canada | Sailing | Eleanor | 39 ft. 3 in. | 26 ft. 3 in | 6 ft. 9 in | 5 ft. 10 in. | Sidney Nova Scotia | Bingley Benson | 1925 | Unknown (Built in Oakville Ontario) | 1926 | unknown | ||||||
R3 | Ruweida V | Restored at IYRS in 2011. Currently For Sale | Sailing | Wynnewood, PA, USA | William Starling Burgess | 1926 | Lawley, IYRS | |||||||||||||
R3 | VITESSE | Sailed out Of Sodus Bay | Sailing | 7431 Irwin Street, Sodus Point, NY, USA | John Alden | 1926 | ||||||||||||||
R38 | Bernida | Sailed out of Lake St Clair | Sailing | 38' | 24' 3" | 8' | 5' 4" | 10,000 lbs | George Owen | 1921 | George Lawley & Sons | 1921 | Michigan Maritime Museum | |||||||
R40 | Arrow | Out of Gypsy Mould. Currently sailed out of St Clair Marine in the town of LaSalle Ontario Canada. She is active on the Detroit River and Lake Erie. | Sailing | Renegade | 40 | 26.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 15000 | 2650 Front Rd Windsor, ON | Frank C Paine | 1927 | Wiggers | 1989 | ||||||
R40 | GAMECOCK | Restored in Maine | Sailing | northeast harbor, maine | ||||||||||||||||
R41 | FIFI | Sailing the classic mediterranean circuit in Europe | Sailing | SCURRY, BOW-WOW | 40′ 1" | 26'5" | 7'4" | 5'9" | 13000 | Southern France | William Fife III | Henry B. Nevins | 1925 | Jim Ross | ||||||
R47 | ARDETTE | Sailed out of Cleveland | Sailing | 200 Yacht Club Drive, Cleveland, OH | Mower | |||||||||||||||
R5 | Cotton Blossom | Sailed out of Cleveland | Sailing | 200 Yacht Club Drive, Cleveland, OH | ||||||||||||||||
R54 | PUFFIN | Sailed out of Cleveland | Sailing | 200 Yacht Club Drive, Cleveland, OH | ||||||||||||||||
R58 | SHADOW | Currently being sailed out of Sodus Bay New York | Sailing | 41' | 27.5 | 7' | 6' | 13000lbs | 7431 Irwin Street, Sodus Point, NY, USA | John Alden | 1925 | 1925 | ||||||||
R6 | Pop-N-Jack | Sailed out of Cleveland | Sailing | 39.6 | 27 | 7 | 6.5 | 36.83 | 11.5 | 43 | 19 | 12000lbs | 200 Yacht Club Drive, Cleveland, OH | shomer/fiberglass copy of orig wood boat | 1957 | Charley Bredt | ||||
R7 | Lady Van | Sailed out of Vancouver BC | Sailing | 38.95 | 22.86 | 7.1 | 5.41 | 36.25 | 10.5 | 44.33 | 19.75 | 8455 | 3811 Point Grey Road Vancouver | Camper & Nicholson | 1927 | Vancouver Dry Dock | 1928 | |||
R7 | Marcarle | Sailing out of Collingwood Ontario | Sailing | |||||||||||||||||
R8 | Diana | Sailed out of NYC Toronto | Sailing | Hayseed VII, Kathea | 25.5 | 1 stadium Rd, Toronto, Ontario | William Starling Burgess | |||||||||||||
R51 | Butterfly | Sailing out of Chester Yacht Club, Chester NS | Sailing | 39' 1.5 | Chester, NS | Burgess/Lawley | ||||||||||||||
R15 | Archer | Sailed out of NYC Toronto | Restoration In Progress | Diana of Hastings | 40' | 27' | 6' | 13000lbs | London, Ontario, Canada | Frank Paine | 1927 | Nye Yachts | 1994 | Ryan Marr | ||||||
R18 | FANTOME | Undergoing restoration in Sodus Point New York. | Restoration In Progress | Opeechee II | 26.5 | Sodus Point, NY, USA | ||||||||||||||
R-943 | Nirwana | Same design as Scrapper II | Restoration In Progress | 38 | 23 | 8 | 5ft 5inches | 8900 | George Owen | 1912 | 1912 | |||||||||
R? | SCRAPPER II | Being restored by "Kids and Classics" charity | Restoration In Progress | 38 | 23 | 8 | 5ft 5inches | 8900 | 1912 | |||||||||||
R22 | VIVIA | Restoration has begun and is currently owned by Bruce Corley | Restoration In Progress | 36.5' | 22.5' | 8.1' | 4.2' | Norval Ontario | George Owen | 1910 | 1911 | |||||||||
R50 | BOB KAT | Recently purchased by Timm Sahs and being restored in Treverse City Michigan. | Restoration In Progress | Traverse City Michigan | ||||||||||||||||
R1 | Highlander | Sitting in a field outside of Toronto | On the hard | 27.7 | William James Roué | |||||||||||||||
R? | Debra | Used to be based out of Catalina Island Yacht Club in 1930's | Missing/Unknown | |||||||||||||||||
R12 | QUIVER | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R14 | COTTON BLOSSOM | Missing/Unknown | Ellen | |||||||||||||||||
R16 | YANKEE | Missing/Unknown | 37'6" | 6'8" | L. Francis Herreshoff | 1925 | Britt Bros | 1925 | ||||||||||||
R20 | ANITA | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R21 | UNIS II | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R22 | ALERT III | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R37 | ALOUETTE | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R4 | SPRY | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R42 | MANHASSET II | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R43 | DORESS | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R43 | TROJAN | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R44 | BARBARA | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R46 | ASTRILD | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R5 | NORSEMAN | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R51 | REDHEAD | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R52 | QUIVER | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R53 | ALARM | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R6 | Momiji | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R7 | STRANGER II | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R8 | MERMERUS | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R8 | MOJOLA (ex. BONNIE LASSIE?) | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R9 | Ariel | Missing/Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||
R? | Rascal | Unknown current status | Missing/Unknown | Lester Stone | Lester Stone | |||||||||||||||
R57 | ARDELLE | Destroyed, Sunk. 2018 | Destroyed/Sunk | |||||||||||||||||
R11 | TOBASCO | Destroyed in fire. Actively sailed until 1970 | Destroyed/Sunk | Herschoff | Graves, Marblehead, Ma | |||||||||||||||
R2 | Gossoon | Cut up in Sodus Bay | Destroyed/Sunk | |||||||||||||||||
R51 | KATHEA II | Cut up in Sodus Bay | Destroyed/Sunk | DANDELION | ||||||||||||||||
R6 | LIVE YANKEE | She went from Chicago to Cleveland where she was broken up after racing for several years. | Destroyed/Sunk | 39'6" | 6'6" | L. Francis Herreshoff | 1927 | Britt Bros | 1927 | |||||||||||
R1 | Sir Tom | Scuttled for lead ballast (1950s) | Destroyed/Sunk | 38′ 0″ | 23’0″ | 7′ 10″ | 5’6″ | 8,500 lbs | L.E. “Ted” Geary | Johnson Bros. & Blanchard boatyard | 1913 |