001 - Josephine

Built in 1954 to a design by one of America's leading yacht designers of the period, Phillip L. Rhodes, Josephine is of particular interest because she is a shoal draft yacht with a draft of 5ft 6in that increases to 8ft 6in with the centreboard lowered. Originally named Jane Dore IV, she was built to a high-class specification with centreline and framing of white oak, planking and deck joinery of Burma teak, all fastenings of bronze, lead keel, centreboard and centreboard truck of bronze.

Josephine is a typical example of the 1950's American style yacht of moderate size and designed "to be worked by her amateur crew, yet having a performance which should enable her to hold her own in any company". (YWA 1956) This certainly rings true for Josephine who, in the America's Cup Jubilee, was sailed by the family, the amateur crew gritting their teeth for second place in the storms on day one, and holding their breath as she slipped in-shore over shallow waters out of the Solent's tides in order to take real advantage of her drop keel draft.

Her large cockpit is a notable feature, typical of many American fifties yachts, and a comfortable asset for a large crew. Her sheer is elegant, with a well-balanced coach roof and deckhouse. Her rig and sail plan is well proportioned and simple for both single handed cruising and efficient racing with a fair aspect ration of 2.3. In comparison to English yachts of this era, Josephine has a broader beam, 11ft 9in; this makes for a hull of considerable initial stability and offsets the effect of the comparatively shallow draft. Her sister ship, Undina, is also a member of the BCYC - (C004). After discovering Josephine on Long Island in September 1999 in a very dilapidated state, Tim and Jo moved her to Gannon and Benjamin's yard on Martha's Vineyard and were she under went an extensive, but somewhat unexpected, structural rebuild including the replacement of many oak frames.

The extent and cost of the renovation work would have greatly exceeded Tim and Jo's resources, but Brian and Pamela Malcolm agreed to help with the project with the prospect of Josephine being able to take part in the America's Cup Jubilee Regatta. Josephine was not ready to be sailed back across the Atlantic by summer 2000. However, shipping arrangements were made and she finally arrived in Southampton in April the following year. Most of the cosmetic finishes were made on her return including bronze deck fittings being removed for chroming and the varnished surfaces taken back. Within a few weeks she was transformed into concours condition and took her place in the Regatta.