Document No 4932: "Ranger" leads the "J" Class fleet in the race from Mattapoisett to Edgatown, 1937

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AUTEUR : Anthony D. Blake

REF : 0

EDITION : 1937

DATE : 21 Aug 1937

COURSE : 0

DESCRIPTION SITE :

Two weeks after "Ranger" had won the America's Cup, the J Class fleet raced together on the New York Yacht Club Cruise of 1937.
The painting depicts a race to Edgartown, not long after the start near Mattapoisett. "Ranger", J5, on port tack has just crossed ahead of "Rainbow", J4 and "Endeavour I", J K4. "Yankee", J US2, follows astern of "Ranger". At the right hand background is "Endeavour II", the unsuccessful challenger for the 1937 America's Cup.

Harold Vanderbilt is on the wheel of "Ranger". Just behind him is his wife, Gertrude. Alongside is his assistant helmsman ( skippered "Ranger" downwind) Olin Stephens. Crouching next to Olin Stephens is Zena R. Bliss, the navigator. Arthur Knapp, sail trimmer, is amongst the crew on the windward deck. Rod Stephens, rover ( ready for any urgent job) and without a shirt on, is crouching on the leeward deck watching the set of the staysail and quadrilateral jib.

"Ranger" pulled away from the other J Class on the beat to the Vineyard Sounds lightship, rounding over 8 minutes ahead of second placed "Endeavour II". "Rainbow" pulled out from the race with backstay problems.
"Ranger" won the race followed by "Endeavour II", "Yankee" and "Endeavour I".

Dimensions: 40" x 60"
Media: Oil on canvas

NOTES AMERICA-SCOOP :

EDGARTOWN, Mass., Aug, 21.- Harold S. Vanderbilt's champion cutter' Ranger again outsailed her Class J rivals in the New York Yacht Club's run through and around the Elizabeth Islands today, leading T. 0. M. Sopwith's Endeavour II by 9:53, G. B. Lambert's Yankee by 10:56 and Frederick Sigrist's first Endeavour by 14:06.
Chandler Hovey's Rainbow broke a backstay block ten minutes after the start and withdrew, coming through Quick's Hole under jury rig.

The breeze was the strongest of the Summer's racing, an eighteen-knot southwester that played havoc with light sails, rigging and spars. The most serious mishap was the partial dismasting of William J. Strawbridge's Persephone. While the smaller boats went through Quick's' Hole, the Class J cutters beat twenty miles down Buzzards Bay, with Ranger leading as usual and gradually dropping Endeavour II, the other Endeavour and Yankee. Ranger had a seven-minute lead on the Sopwith yacht at the turn at Vineyard Sound lightship.

Yankee "Passes Endeavour
In the run up Vineyard Sound, Yankee sailed fast, passing the first Endeavour and getting within a half mile of Endeavour II when all hands smothered their spinnakers off West Chop and hauled up for the finish at Edgartown Bell. The three-mile reach across was made at a twelve-knot pace. Endeavour, with Sherman Hoyt at the wheel, was hove down so far that the seas were halt way up her deck.

The finish times of the Class J craft, which started at 9:10, were:
Ranger, 1:50:30; Endeavour II, 2:00:23; Yankee, 2:01:26; Endeavour, 2:04:36.

LICENCE :
Autorisation de l'auteur acceptée le 28/03/2019
BATEAUX : RANGER ENDEAVOUR II YANKEE ENDEAVOUR RAINBOW
LIENS VERS CE DOCUMENT
SITE LARG HAUT ADRESSE
AD Blake marine art 600 397 http://www.adblake.com/paintings.php?wid=74
J. Russell Jinishian 800 535 http://www.jrusselljinishiangallery.com/pages/blake-pages/blakeimage-ranger1937.htm
1stdibs 2204 1432 https://www.1stdibs.com/art/paintings/landscape-paintings/ad-blake-ranger-leads-j-class-fleet-race-from-mattapoisett-to-edgartown-1937/id-a_3163151/