Tuiga, Mariquita, Cambria, Shamrock, Eleonora, Zaca, Moonbeam, Lulworth, Sunshine, Partridge, Altair, Nan, Marilee, and Bona Fide: these are the sailing yachts of legend. Restored in the last ten years, the original splendor of these superb boats is now profiled on the pages of Classic Yachts. A testimony to maritime history, this book tells each sailing vessel's story through arresting photographs, an informative text, and architectural diagrams. Author Francois Chevalier recounts the entertaining history of these boats, covering everything from their construction and restoration to anecdotal tales of regattas won and lost. Gary Jobson, America's preeminent sailing ambassador, provides a foreword and lively captions, which underscore the contemporary significance of these traditional yachts. Double-page spreads and a unique, oversized oblong format feature Martin-Raget's brilliant photographs. Readers feel as if they are on deck with the crew. While outdoor photography captures the excitement on board, images of the boats' interiors offer a peak at their luxurious accommodations. In addition, illustrator Francois Chevalier's detailed diagrams of each vessel provide the reader an overview of each boat's architecture. Gilles Martin-Raget is a journalist and professional photographer who has raced in international sailing competitions. He is a regular contributor to numerous sailing magazines and the author/photographer of Abbeville's Legendary Yachts and Legendary Yacht Races . François Chevalier is a naval architect, professor, and widely published journalist. He has written several books on the history of sailing. Gary Jobson is a world-class sailor, television commentator, and author. Jobson won the America's Cup in 1977 and has written several books on sailing. He is a broadcaster and producer on ESPN and an Editor at Large for Sailing World . FOREWORD It was the first day of our cruise in Maine aboard the rebuilt J-class Endeavour . The mist was clearing and the prevailing southwesterly breeze started to fill. Time to get underway. As I came up on deck, I was asked the greatest question ever heard in the sport of sailing, Would you like to take the helm?” Every sailor will always respond positively to that wonderful query. So with my hands on the wheel and my feet planted firmly on deck, I waited as the immense sails were hoisted. The anticipation of the upcoming sail made the moment special. We live for these days. Soon the yacht started to heel over in fifteen-knot winds, and we were underway. Looking aloft, I spied a bird flying above the mast. Perhaps the graceful creature identified with the shape of our sails, which resembled its wings. At that moment it seemed, to me, that the sky, the bird, the sails, my body, the boat, and the water existed as one complete entity. There is no greater moment than when a boat begins to move under her own power. The crew feels the freedom of leaving land. The sensation is the same on every yacht, and in particular the classics featured in this beautiful book. On page after page, these yachts leap into our affections. You can truly feel what it is like to be on board these fourteen recently restored classics. I love studying the intensity of the crews in this book’s photographs. These are teams just like you find in any sport, and their uniforms show the importance of each day on the water. Each member is assigned a different job, with everyone working together to set and trim sails, steer, call tactics, grind the winches, haul on halyards, and handle the endless miles of lines. The environment at sea is dynamicin order to gain an edge over the competition, crews must continually focus to stay in tune with the winds and waves. Well-disciplined crews keep their eyes on the task at hand, but no one can resist looking across the water to judge how their yacht is performing, and when gains are made, the crew feels a communal sense of satisfaction. When I sail aboard a class yacht, I make a point to spend time on every part of the vessel. Your feelings change dramatically from different vantage points. The helm, of course, is my favorite because you can feel the power of the boat in your hands. Notice in many of the pictures that the helmsmen lean forward in an effort to make the yacht sail faster. Another great spot is on the leeward rail near the shrouds. The water rushing by the rail is loud. The hull seems to glide through the waves with authority. There is little conversation here because you fall into a kind of trance. The bow is reserved fora unique fraternity of sailors. The bowman, in charge of setting new sails, is often the first to go aloft for any reason and is the lookout during close quarter situations with other boats. These people have a big responsibility to perform to perfection. Going aloft in a bosun’s chair is not for the faint of heart. The deck looks very small when you are one hundred feet above it. The boat