SWAMBA 1910
The 20-raters, known as R-Boats, were the Universal Rule class which was built in the greatest number. Lake Ontario was a hotbed of R-boat racing during the quarter century which began in 1910 with appearance of Swamba. Named for the Jarvis children (Samuel, William, Æmilius, Mary, Bertha, and Augusta), she was designed by George Owen and built in Oakville by Captain Andrews, and her racing skipper was W.D.P. Jarvis (William).
Brand new, she sailed to Kingston to race for the George Cup, and won it, defeating Kathleen the Kingston defender and Crescent the U.S. challenger. Returning home, Swamba became the smallest yacht to win the Prince of Wales Cup in a memorable race which is recorded in the fine mural by Owen Staples which graces the west end of the RCYC ballroom.
The design of R-boats developed rapidly and Swamba was soon outclassed but sailed the waters of Lake Ontario for many years under owners including Colonel L.F. Grant of Kingston, who renamed her Four Winds. Later Kingston owners included Wallace Drake.
Swamba's days ended about 1950 when she was broken up near Deseronto on the Bay of Quinte.
L.O.A. 35 ft.
L.W.L. 21 ft. 9 in.
Beam 7 ft. 4 in.
Draught 5 ft.
LENORE 1904
The 16-footers of 1904 were able daysailing and racing yachts. Lenore enjoyed a long career within her class winning the championship several times, including 1911 and 1912.
NAOMI 1902
Naomi was designed by B.B. Crowninshield and built by J. Weir in Hamilton for Rev. C.E. Whitcombe, whose reputation as a life of the party preceded him wherever he raced and cruised. Built as a sloop to the 30-foot L.W.L. class, she was later rigged as a gaff yawl. She took her class championship on several occasions, winning the Cosgrave Cup in 1902 and 1903 and the Lansdowne Cup in 1905.
In July 1908, she was one of the RCYC fleet that cruised to Put-In-Bay on Lake Erie for a week of racing against U.S. competitors, the first such excursion since Canada's victorious challenge of 1896.
Club records show Naomi still in the RCYC fleet as late as 1937, owned by J.G. Finch.
L.O.A. 41 ft. 2 in.
L.W.L. 25 ft.
Beam 9 ft. 7 in.
Draught 5 ft. 11 in.
STRATHCONA 1903
In 1903, Rochester Yacht Club first entered the Canada's Cup fray, their challenge accepted over two from Chicago and two from Detroit.
Although three aspirants were planned for the RCYC defence, only Strathcona materialized. She was designed and framed in England by A.E. Payne of Southampton and completed by Captain Jas. Andrews in his Oakville yard for Norman Macrae.
Strathcona was less extreme than some earlier Canada's Cup contenders – sturdier because her owner desired an able cruising yacht, and moderate because the contenders of 1903 were built to the new 40-foot waterline restricted class rather than to a formula. Nevertheless, she immediately proved her superiority over any of her predecessors.
The American challenger was Irondequoit, designed by Wm. Gardiner and sailed by a professional captain. Strathcona was sailed by Æmilius Jarvis and won the first two races – whereupon a change in skippers brought out the best in Irondequoit and Strathcona could only make a good fight of it as she dropped three straight – and so began the iron grip which Rochester Yacht Club maintained on Canada's Cup for the next half century.
Strathcona's subsequent career was long and honourable. After winning the Prince of Wales Cup in her maiden year, she took the Queen's Cup three times and the Lorne Cup nine times. Laid up for several years after 1920, she was re-commissioned in 1925 and joined Gardenia and Yolanda in the First Division. Active through 1928, her final season followed the death of Hubert H. Macrae, brother of her original owner. Strathcona was dismantled and never sailed again although her final end was delayed until she was broken up in Oakville in 1947.
L.O.A. 59 ft. 6 in.
L.W.L. 40 ft.
Beam 13 ft. 7 in.
Draught 8 ft. 4 in.