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Westward Eleonora
Westward Eleonora
Westward
TO
Eleonora
1910
Newsclip above from The New York Times, January 25, 1911.
Photo of Captain Charles Barr, 1903 ©Mystic Seaport, Rosenfeld Collection,
10 Mystic, CT, #B426; photographer: James Burton.
Westward on the Racecourse
From the moment she arrived in Europe in April 1910, Westward set sail on an
astounding succession of victories on the racecourse beginning with the Emperor’s Cup
in the Kiel Regatta. Outsailing and outmaneuvering the other vessels, she showed her
superiority both to windward and downwind.
With the wind blowing a steady twenty knots or more, Westward could run downwind
carrying as many as ten sails. When she came hard onto the wind, the crew would
scramble to get the huge headsails changed as fast as possible and trim in the acres and
acres of Egyptian cotton loudly going taut overhead. As the mighty hull leaned its
shoulder into the waves, the hardy crew, perhaps still gasping for breath after their
exertion (without the assistance of modern winches), would grab hold of the safety line
attached to the port and starboard bulwarks to keep then from being washed down the
dramatically heeled deck into the waves rushing along the lee rail.
So intimidating was Westward that by the time she headed back to the English Channel
in the summer of 1910, the owners of the British yachts she would confront next were The Big Class racing in 1926, from left:
already planning to impose an arbitrary and sizable handicap on her. Outraged, Cochran Lulworth, Shamrock, Westward, Britannia,
declared he would not sail in their handicapped races; he would only compete in races and White Heather (above)
governed by the A-Class of the International Rule for which Westward was built. Cochran
got his way and Westward spent the rest of the summer demonstrating her amazing prowess. Royal London Yacht Club Race
When Cochran’s captain, Charlie Barr, died suddenly in January 1911, Cochran was August 1, 1910 — Cowes, Isle of Wight
Finishing Time Corrected Time
devastated and sold Westward the following autumn. Except for a brief interlude racing
Westward 2.58.52 2.51.56
as Hamburg II in the fleet of German schooners, she was not fully exercised on the Shamrock (cutter) 3.13.12 3.3.40
racecourse again until the mid 1920s, when she was purchased by T. B. Davis. Germania 3.26.31 3.26.31
By the 1930s, most of the grand schooners she’d competed against in earlier days Meteor IV 3.31.59 3.31.59
were no longer racing, and she set her cap instead for the great cutters of the day. In the The King’s Cup
1933 Lymington Cup, Westward came in first ahead of Britannia, Astra, Candida, White August 8, 1934 — Cowes, Isle of Wight
Heather, and Shamrock V. To mark the King’s Silver Jubilee in 1934, one more great Finishing Time Corrected Time
schooner race was organized off the Isle of Wight. Competing against Altair, Cetonia, Westward 2.30.49 2.30.48
Velsheda (cutter) 2.34.24 2.33.52
Golden Hind, and Bluenose, Westward slipped across the finish line well over a minute Candida (cutter) 2.43.38 2.34.54
ahead of her closest competitor. Astra (cutter) 2.45.21 2.38.37
Westward defeated all of the cutters in the 1934 King’s Cup, and soon after Shamrock V (cutter) 2.46.28 2.42.56
conquered every other vessel in the Royal Yacht Squadron’s Regatta, including several J- Britannia (cutter) 2.49.30 2.43.58
boats. Until Westward and Britannia both retired, the two rivals continued to race
Newsclip at left from The New York Times, August 1, 1910.
regularly, with Westward usually taking line honors. King George was once heard to Photo above by Beken of Cowes.
declare, “Whatever we do to improve Britannia, we must beat that damned schooner.” 11
The Rebirth
On March 31, 2000 — exactly 90 years, to the day, after Westward was launched —
Eleonora slid down the ways at Van der Graaf Shipyard in the Netherlands.
Painstakingly planned and meticulously executed, this stunning reincarnation was
the vision of a Dutch entrepreneur and connoisseur of classic vessels who is dedicated to
bringing back to life the grande dames of the Golden Age of yachting. With the
assistance of the Hart Nautical Collections of MIT Museum, Eleonora’s designers and
builders were able to pay close attention to the original Herreshoff Manufacturing
Company drawings every step of the way. Truly a replica of Westward, Eleonora has exactly
the same lines as the original, and was constructed using the same materials.
The passion of Eleonora’s current owner is to perpetuate the spirit of Westward and
to bring to twenty-first-century admirers the amazing experience of seeing, sailing, and
racing on such an exquisite 160-foot schooner. Since purchasing her, his ongoing
mission has been to make Eleonora even more faithful to Westward. Through careful
study of Herreshoff’s plans and original Beken of Cowes photos of Westward, he has
made alterations to the sailplan, including installing a new jackyards topsail, some new
Eleonora sailing in the 2006 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez (above), foresails, and a spinnaker pole based on Westward’s. New deck fittings and a classic
at anchor in the Caribbean (below left), and in Portofino (below right) tender have been added, and the dimensions of new spars have been adjusted. He also
intends to install a replica of Westward’s last binnacle and bell (the originals are now in
the collection of Jersey’s Maritime Museum).
Today Eleonora continues to sail and compete in classic regattas in Europe, the
Caribbean, and the U.S. In keeping with Westward’s heritage, she is always raced with
style and sportsmanship, never forgetting that the ultimate goal is enjoyment. Eleonora
is also available for charter to discriminating clients.
Witnessing the awesome majesty of Eleonora, her sails filled as she surges forward,
her white wake streaming aft, no one could deny that such a captivating vessel truly
possesses a soul. Sadly, with very few exceptions, all of her predecessor’s contemporaries
from the Golden Age are, like Westward, lost today. Thus, the only way to recapture the
thrill of that era is through the creation of replicas like Eleonora. Following the original
plans as closely as possible, these carefully crafted vessels should only vary from their
forebears in regard to concessions for the safety and comfort of modern sailors and
guests.
Perhaps one day it will be possible to survey the heart-stopping panorama of an entire
fleet of Big Class replicas, all hoisting their massive sails to re-create those marvelous
12 Photos by Franco Pace. Photo in oval by Gilles Martin-Raget. days when kings and gentlemen competed in the grandest vessels of all time.
Eleonora on the Racecourse
Eleonora has become a tangible and exciting
reminder of Westward’s daunting performances
on the racecourse. Under her current owner’s
stewardship, she has had impressive finishes in
the foremost classic regattas on both sides of
the Atlantic, including those in Saint-Tropez,
Cannes, Monaco, Porto Rotondo, Palma,
Mahon, and Antigua.
A memorable vision thundering around the
marks, Eleonora’s most recent wins have
included, in 2006, three major trophies in the
Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (Best Elapsed Time
of All Schooners, Best Elapsed Time in Classic Class,
Action on deck while racing during the 2006 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (above)
and Best Elapsed Time in Vintage/Classic Class), and
and Eleonora leading Lulworth in the 2007 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez (below)
third place in her class in Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. In 2007,
she took second place in her class in the Vele d’Epoca in Porto Rotondo, sailed to a third-
place finish in her class in the Regates Royales in Cannes, and culminated her 2007
racing season with a first-place win in her class in Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Eleonora
also came in second overall in a fleet of 52 sailing superyachts racing in the 2007
Superyacht Cup in Palma.
In the Concours d’Elegance at the 2003 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, Eleonora’s
incredible beauty and immaculate condition caught the eye of all the judges, who
presented her with the trophy for first place overall. She was also awarded the trophy for
Most Photogenic Yacht. At the 2007 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, she was again
chosen the winner in her class in the Concours d’Elegance.
Dazzling all with both her swiftness and her pulchritude, Eleonora will continue to
carry the spirit of Big Class racing to classic yacht gatherings wherever she goes.
13
On Board Eleonora
Below Eleonora’s wide and uncluttered decks an
atmosphere of classic ambience and luxury envelops
her guests. As they descend the grand stairway to the
saloon, they are transported to an era when the
day’s racing was topped off with cucumber
sandwiches and tea poured from a silver teapot.
The interior is graced with refined period-style
furnishings and masterfully carved mahogany
paneling in the Herreshoff manner, all enhanced
with modern amenities to deliver the level of comfort
expected today on a yacht of this class. The main saloon
is appointed with a large L-shaped settee, card tables and
chairs, a bar with refrigerator, and fine cabinetry concealing a
Companionway leading aft to main saloon (above left), dining for eight (above right), state-of-the-art entertainment system. To port, the dining table seats up to eight guests.
and the main saloon (below) While Westward also had an elegant saloon amidships as well as a comfortable
owner’s cabin, her original plan also included berths for more than 30 crew. In contrast,
Eleonora offers three double staterooms and one twin stateroom. The owner’s suite fills
the full width of the yacht aft of the main saloon. Well illuminated by multiple portholes
and a large skylight, this handsome compartment is fitted with a wide double berth, built-
in wardrobes, a dressing table, settee, and seating area with desk. The adjoining
bathroom offers both a shower and a bathtub. The guest staterooms are similarly fitted
with built-in desks, wardrobes, and drawers. All three have their own private ensuite
bathrooms with showers.
The crew quarters, forward, feature comfortable, efficient accommodations. The
galley is outfitted with all-stainless steel appliances as well as all the tools required for the
chef to create superb meals in keeping with the five-star service always provided aboard
Eleonora.
On deck, Eleonora has broad spaces for sipping champagne at the end of another
exhilarating day on the racecourse, dining under the stars, or simply relaxing in a deck
chair at anchor in a picturesque bay. While the pace of modern life rushes on somewhere
else, Eleonora offers a dignified and exclusive escape. All is serene on board — that is,
until the starting gun is fired once again, and this majestic reincarnation of power and
Photos at top and in oval by Gilles Martin-Raget. Photo on bottom by Franco Pace.
Opposite, photos of column, desk, and master stateroom by Gilles Martin-Raget. beauty surges across the line as her competitors look on in admiration.
14 Other three photos by Franco Pace.
Four details showing the fine workmanship found throughout Eleonora’s elegant interior (above), the owner’s stateroom (below left), and one of three guest staterooms (below right)
15
Brochure by Mimi Steadman & Co. (mimi@midcoast.com) • Design by Tim Seymour • Large cover photo by Beken of Cowes; small cover photo by Franco Pace • Drawings by François Chevalier • Brochure © Peras Limited
Westward
Launched March 31, 1910
by Herreshoff Manufacturing Company
Bristol, Rhode Island, USA
Eleonora
Launched March 31, 2000
by Van der Graaf BV Shipyard
Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Netherlands
Beam — 8,20 m / 27 ft 1 in
Draft — 5,20 m / 17 ft 1 in
Crew — 9 • Guests — 8
w w w. Ya c h t E l e o n o r a . c o m