In ideal conditions at Régates Royales in Cannes, France, MARISKA’s crew handled sail the same way her original crew did after her launching in 1908 for the then-new 15-Meter class. Her original deck and rig configurations were restored in a project completed in 2007.
Particulars
- LOD: 77′
- LWL: 48′7″
- Beam: 13′7″
- Draft: 8′9″
- Displacement: 35 tons
- Sparred length: 90′5″
- Sail area (upwind): 3,767 sq ft
(downwind): 6,458 sq ft
MARISKA was built to race. Launched in 1908, she was designed by William Fife III for the then-new International Rule’s 15-Meter class, the second of the type that Fife designed and the first to be built at the William Fife & Son yard in Fairlie, Scotland. She was composite-built, meaning she had wooden planking over steel frames. In her initial three seasons, her first owner, Arthur K. Stothert, raced her no fewer than 133 times, often placing first or second.
MARISKA has reclaimed her competitive heritage in recent classic-yacht-racing events, where she is once again in her element. I joined her during a race in 20 knots of wind at Régates Royales in Cannes, France, where she is a regular competitor. As that afternoon’s sail came to an end, Manon Bajart, the yacht’s co-captain and caretaker, said, “That was a great afternoon!” I could not have agreed more.