Concordia yawl facts for kids
The Concordia yawl is a famous type of wooden sailboat. It was designed in 1938 by a talented boat designer named C. Raymond Hunt. He worked with other experts like Llewellyn and Waldo Howland to create this special boat.
The idea for the Concordia yawl came after a big storm in 1938, called the Great Hurricane of 1938. A family's old boat was damaged. They wanted a new sailboat that could be used for both fun trips (cruising) and exciting competitions (racing). This new boat also needed to be strong enough to handle the windy and sometimes rough waters of Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. So, the Concordia Company, started by Llewellyn Howland, created this amazing 39-foot-10-inch yawl.
Between 1938 and 1966, 103 Concordia yawls were built. This makes it the largest group of big, identical wooden sailboats ever made! Most of them, 99 boats, were built in Germany by a company called Abeking & Rasmussen. It's incredible, but 102 out of the 103 original Concordia yawls are still sailing today!
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Winning Races and Making Movies
These boats are not just beautiful; they are also champions! Concordia yawls have won many important races over the years. For example, they won the famous Newport Bermuda Race in 1954 and 1978. They also took first place in the Annapolis Race (1955), at Cowes Week (1955), and the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race (1955 and 1997). This shows how fast and reliable these boats are!
- In 1954, Malay (Concordia #2) won the Newport Bermuda Race.
- In 1955, Actaea (Concordia #17) won the Annapolis Race.
- Also in 1955, Harrier (Concordia #30) won at Cowes Week.
- Malay won the Marblehead-to-Halifax Race in 1955 too.
- In 1978, Babe (Concordia #26) won the Newport Bermuda Race.
- In 1997, Crocodile (Concordia #67) won the Marblehead-to-Halifax Race.
You might have even seen a Concordia yawl on the big screen! Two of these boats, named Arapaho (hull #85) and Irian (hull #70), appeared in the movie Message in a Bottle.
What Makes a Concordia Yawl Special?
Concordia yawls are known for their strong build and clever design. They are made mostly from wood, which gives them a classic and beautiful look.
Key Measurements
Here are some important facts about their size:
- Total Length: About 39 feet and 10 inches (around 12.1 meters). This is the length from the front to the back of the boat.
- Width (Beam): About 10 feet and 3 inches (around 3.1 meters). This is the widest part of the boat.
- Depth in Water (Draft): About 5 feet and 8 inches (around 1.7 meters). This is how deep the boat sits in the water.
- Weight: The boat weighs about 18,000 pounds (over 8,100 kilograms). This is called its displacement.
- Sail Area: The sails cover about 690 square feet (around 64 square meters). This is the total size of the main sails.
Inside the Boat: Comfort and Features
These boats were built with comfort and sailing in mind.
- Strong Construction: They have a strong oak keel (the backbone of the boat) and a hull made from African mahogany wood. The deck is covered with canvas.
- Sails and Rigging: They use strong Dacron material for the main sails and ropes. The masts are hollow, and the rigging (the wires that hold up the mast) is made of stainless steel.
- Engine: Each boat has a Gray 4-cylinder engine with 31 horsepower, which helps when there's no wind.
- Water and Fuel: They have three water tanks that can hold about 60 US gallons (227 liters) of fresh water. There's also a 20 US gallon (75 liter) fuel tank for the engine.
- Cabin Life: Inside the cabin, there are special folding beds and comfortable mattresses. There's a table, an ice box for keeping food cold, and an alcohol stove for cooking. The cabin also has electric lights and a classic kerosene lamp.
The boats come with other useful items like an anchor, life rings for safety, dock lines, a compass for navigation, and covers for hatches and skylights.
