Maritime Wood

A Decade of Legendary 12s

The very fact that several of these early U.S. 12s are still around today is testimony to the strength of their design, quality of construction, and the wisdom of the Iyru in making the class requirements. In fact, by the time of the 1958 Cup races, a total of about 100 12-meters had been built world-wide since the inception of the class half a century before, and it was estimated that 50% of them were still in use then.

Most of the first six U.S. 12-meters had engines installed by 1937, and though they continued to race, the nearly unending change of owners and names that so often befalls old boats had begun to take place amongst the 12-meter fleet. Isolde underwent at least three name changes (Sally Ann, Ptarmigan, Soliloquy) and as many owners, as well as a move to the West Coast before she dropped from records in 1957. Likewise Tycoon (Zio, Arundel, Trull) passed through a number of hands and refits in her later years.

Other boats did not suffer the bad luck sailors believe results from name-changing. Anitra, for instance, kept her name and though she had an engine installed in 1953 and was eventually re-rigged as a yawl, she was still in active service 45 years after her construction.

Gleam continues to sail out of Newport and could be seen during the last America’s Cup races frolicking about on Rhode Island Sound, providing a sleek, beautiful, and gracious contrast to the racing machines thrashing about in the same waters. Flica II, an old British 12, was occasionally in company with Gleam.

The pre-war 12s, then, have a recent history like that of many other boats: some have survived under caring owners who can justifiably sail them with pride and pleasure, while others have gone from hand to hand, and eventual ruin. Regardless, these early American 12s were spectacular in their day, proved to be excellent designs, and provided keen competition. Their existence may well have kindled the renewal of the America’s Cup races in 1958, for had they not existed and raced successfully before, there would have been no large, single-rule boats in which to hold the races for the “Olde Mug.”