Stormy Weather and Dorade compared

Adapted from The Rudder, October 1935

Above: at the left — the sail plan of Dorade. Right: Stormy Weather. Sections and profiles are shown below.

Through the courtesy of the designers, Sparkman & Stephens of New York, we present the lines and sail plans of the two famous ocean racers, Dorade and Stormy Weather. Among other achievements, both these craft have won a transatlantic race and both have scored signal victories over the stormy Fastnet course. Perhaps through a similarity in performance, these two have been spoken of as yachts of practically the same form but a comparison of their lines will dispel all question on this score. As can be seen, they are similar in rig only. Though there is little difference in waterline length and draft, Stormy Weather has much more beam, correspondingly firmer bilges and distribution of displacement over a greater part of her length. She is of a more “wholesome” form, has all of Dorade’s speed coupled with much greater initial stability. Her righting moment at 30 degrees is over 53,000 foot pounds, as opposed to Dorade’s 27,400.

Dorade measures 52 feet overall by 39.17 feet water-line by 10 feet 3 inches extreme beam, 9.25 w.l. beam by 8 feet 2 inches draft. Her displacement is 38,720 pounds. Sail area, four lowers, is 1,079 square feet. Stormv Weather measures 53 feet 11 inches overall, 40.25 feet l.w.l., 12 feet 6 ¼ extreme beam, 11.35 feet w.l. beam and 7 feet 10 ¾ inches draft. Her sail area is slightly under 1,300 square feet and her displacement is 42,240 pounds.

Stormy Weather, launched in 1934, is owned by Philip Le Boutillier of New York. Dorade, built in 1930. is owned by her designer, Olin J. Stephens, II, and his brother, Roderick Stephens, Jr.