In 1896 yacht designer Capt. Nathanael Herreshoff designed the Newport 30, a class of sailing yachts that helped create the foundation for one-design racing with the New York Yacht Club.
Other designs followed, including the NYYC 70 and the NY 57. The last was the New York 40 class (NY40), 14 of which were built between 1916 and 1926.
These yachts, known as the Fighting Forties, were almost 60 feet long and designed to excel at racing and cruising. Distinctly different from the preceding Herreshoff NYYC classes, they had a wider beam and a higher freeboard for greater accommodations.
Few examples remain of the original collection. However, Herreshoff grandson Halsey C. Herreshoff owns Rugosa, which was built in 1926, and he continues to race the boat.
This video, produced by Degan Media and Granite River Studios, has more.
Halsey Herreshoff, who also is the former president of the Herreshoff Marine Museum, has designed a line of Herreshoff ketches from 27 to 45 feet and sailed in four America’s Cup matches.
