ORIOLE IV 1921
This last Oriole closed the famous series of Gooderham yachts, which dated back to 1871. Her story is told by C.H.J. Snider in the Annals Of The Royal Canadian Yacht Club, 1921: "After many vexatious delays, Commodore Gooderham at length secured his new flagship, Oriole IV, the most advanced example of marine architecture freshwater had seen yet. She was ketch-rigged, 90 feet overall, 60 feet waterline, and 9 feet 6 inches draught without her centreboard; all of steel, but with teak decks and deck fittings, cabin house, skylight, hatches and even large cleats all of teakwood.
Oriole IV had no bowsprit, but two marconi masts, the mainmast originally 105 feet high and the mizzen 55. The main mast had, unfortunately, to be shortened. It was discovered that it was practically impossible to keep the mainsail aloft, the single halliard putting such strain on the sail on its one point of support that the cloth would not stand it, and the headboard was all the time pulling out. The mast was reduced to a little over 89 feet, which gave an easily handled mainsail of snug proportions, but removed Oriole IV as a racing possibility except in a hard breeze. She was a grand reacher and could stretch across to Port Dalhousie on a westerly wind with her lee ports open and beat yachts staggering rail down under clubtopsails.
"Before selling Oriole III, Mr. Gooderham had patriotically given an order to Dominion Shipbuilding Co. in Toronto for Oriole IV, and the templates were all made and much of the steel plate cut when labour troubles made it impossible for the local firm to carry out their contract. It would have meant the spending of $65,000 in Toronto, but the workmen were obdurate, and in the end brought about the entire closing of the shipbuilding industry in the city. Mr. Gooderham gathered together what had already been done, and shipped it all to Boston, for completion by George Lawley and Sons Corp. Chaotic post-war conditions on the railways resulted in the loss of the shipment for months. The Lawley Corporation at length built the new Oriole IV from the blueprints up, and in all cost her owner $100,000 and an enormous amount of worry. She was, however, unquestionably a very fine vessel, and her auxiliary power and moderate draft was admirably adapted for all kinds of cruising. She was designed by Mr. George Owen, the largest yacht from his board to reach the lakes."
Purchased in time by Gordon Leitch, Oriole IV was presented to the Navy League of Canada. In 1948, she suffered dismasting while sailing in the inaugural 400-mile Snyder Trophy Race sponsored by Rochester Yacht Club. Her replacement mainmast was built in the RCYC marine yard over the following winter. Shortly thereafter Oriole IV transferred to the west coast and remains on Navy muster today, actively serving as a training vessel, based in Esquimalt until her transfer to Halifax in 2018.
L.O.A. 90 ft. 10 in.
L.W.L. 60 ft.
Beam 19 ft. 2 in.
Draught 9 ft. 6 in.
AVORAH 1925
No prouder name exists in Canadian yachting history than that of G. Herrick Duggan. A brilliant engineer, he was responsible for the finally successful design of the Quebec Bridge, rose to head Dominion Bridge Co., and served on numerous boards. He was one of the founders of the Lake Yacht Racing Association, the Toronto Yacht Club, and the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club.
In 1897, he was honoured with Honorary Life Membership in the RCYC, "in consideration of the valuable services rendered in the interest of yachting generally in Canada, and in particular of the two splendid successive victories obtained by him in the contest for the International trophy known as the Seawanhaka Corinthian Cup …". Those two famous victories were won with light centreboard racers and were followed by successive defeats of the American challengers every year until 1905. With that glorious era, Mr. Duggan concluded his active racing career, devoted himself to his business and to the fine succession of cruising yachts which he designed and had built. These yachts ranged in size from 30 feet to 60 feet waterline, and were as follows:
ESCAPE Yawl 1879
YENDYS cutter 1906
THYONE Yawl 1911
ZAVORAH Schooner 1921
AVORAH Ketch 1925
GLENCAIRN Ketch 1928
KINGARVIE Ketch 1933
L.O.A. 50 ft.
L.W.L. 37 ft. 6 in.
Beam 12 ft.
Draught 6 ft. 2 in.
INISHFREE 1958
In 1953 and 1954, George Cuthbertson had worked closely with Norman Walsh in readying Venture II for her successful Canada's Cup challenge. Pleased with the outcome, Mr. Walsh then commissioned the design of a major ocean racer, to join the RCYC First Division and to evidence Canadian design and construction capabilities.
Inishfree was George Cuthbertson's first design of consequence and she was built in Meaford, Ontario by Cliff Richardson Boat Works. A year and a half under construction, her materials and workmanship were the finest. Finished bright, she was double planked of mahogany over laminated oak frames, and bronze fastened with cast bronze centreboard in a monel trunk. Her laid deck was of teak, and her mainmast aluminum, but her other spars were of spruce, including her mizzen mast, which had been stepped in Venture II when she won Canada's Cup. Inishfree was launched in August, 1958 and sailed from Georgian Bay to Toronto in time to score her first win – the Edward Prince of Wales Cup. In 1960, the RCYC burgee was first flown in a Bermuda Race as Inishfree sailed to a respectable finish in Class B. Returning home, she won the Freeman Cup Race, her first of three in a row – the only yacht ever to so accomplish – and she added a fourth Freeman Cup win in 1964.
Many more trophies bear her name. In 1961 alone, Inishfree won the Marlatt and Boswell Trophies, the Cosgrave, Dufferin, Marquis of Lorne and Queen's Cups, her second Freeman Cup and the Rochester Race – her first of three in a row.
Subsequently owned by W. Bernard Herman of Island Yacht Club, Inishfree became in the early 1960's the first Canadian entrant in the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit, initiating Canadian participation which was to prove historic in years to come.
Her third owner was Alec Rigby, RCYC, who cruised her extensively for years. Bound south in October 1973, at night off the Carolina coast, Inishfree was sailing fast, struck a submerged object, and began to take water. Her crew opted to secure to a nearby Texas Tower but, in so doing, she sustained further damage. The next day, while under tow bound for Morehead City, Inishfree foundered.
L.O.A. 53 ft. 7 in.
L.W.L. 36 ft. 9 in.
Beam 13 ft. 7 in.
Draught 5 ft. 10 in.
Sail area 1296 sq. ft.
HASWELL 1915
The schooner Haswell was designed by N.G. Herreshoff and was built in Bristol, R.I. for Mr. Thos. Tiffany of New Bedford. She was bought by Æmilius Jarvis in 1919 and joined the revival of the First Division.
Haswell was a beautifully built composite vessel with frames of Tobin bronze and double-planked with a deck of pine and teak trim. Her high freeboard, and short rig belied her speed which became evident immediately her rig was increased.
During the winter of 1920/21, Commodore Jarvis cruised 5,503 miles from New York completely round the West Indies to Jamaica, through the Caribbean Sea and home again. His story of his cruise, entitled 5000 Miles In A 27 Tonner, is in the RCYC library.
Haswell initiated an era which continues to this day by winning the first Freeman Cup for long -distance racing in 1921. Sailing the 189 nautical miles from Hamilton to Kingston in twenty hours, twelve minutes during a phenomenal thundersquall and lightning storm, Jarvis carried her tallest clubtopsail throughout.
In 1923 Haswell was sold to Mr. A.R. Pedder of Santa Barbara, California, and renamed Diablo. She raced from Santa Barbara to Honolulu, then raced back again and won both races.
L.O.A. 60 ft.
L.W.L. 44 ft. 6 in.
Beam 14 ft. 22 in.
Draught 8 ft. 6 in.
Sail area 2000 sq. ft.