In an effort to obtain as much history of the Birds as possible, my daughter gave Myron Spaulding of Sausalito, a tape recorder and asked him to talk concerning every­thing he knew about the Birds.  He proceeded to talk for an hour and a half, non stop, and the following are excerpts from the taping.

 

Myron Spaulding, of course, is renown for his activity in sailing including design.  Myron is the designer who redesigned the rig of the Golden Gate class in the mid nineteen thirties when the Golden Gates were changed from the Bird rig to the present high profile Marconi rig. 

 

Q. Well Mr. Spaulding, where did the original Bird design come from?  When was it the syndicate?  I understand that the first Bird boat that was built was anchored off Sausalito, and stolen by a convict who escaped from San Quentin and went up on a beach on Tomales Bay.

A. HERBERT MADDEN OF MADDEN & LEWIS COMPANY WENT UP AND SALVAGED THE LEAD.  HE BROUGHT IT BACK, AND IT WAS USED AS PART OF THE LEAD IN THE ACES'S KEEL.' THE ACE WAS A SLOOP BUILT TO CLASS "R" UNIVERSAL RULE, DESIGNED BY CHARLES MOWER.

 

Q. It wasn't put back into a bird boat?

A. NO.

 

Q. Well, what do you know about the original design?  I under­stand it was originally designed by four people in the Bay Area.

A. it was basically designed by a group of men who were prominent in sailing. one was herbert madden, one was a fellow named brewer who was a naval architect, and the other was Clifford a. smith, a representative of the pacific interclub yachting association. These three people got together and SKETCHED WHAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE AN IDEAL BOAT FOR THE SPONSORING PACIFIC INTER-CLUB YACHTING ASSOCIATION.  THEY DREW UP BYLAWS AND SO FORTH, AND SENT THEIR SKETCHES TO THE OFFICE OF JOHN ALDEN, IN BOSTON.  JOHN ALDEN'S DRAFTSMAN, S.S.CROCKER DEVELOPED WORKING PLANS.

 

Q. This was the Alden?

A. yes, The john alden.

 

Q. I have one or two copies of some of the drawings that were developed by Crocker.

A. well, as i said before, crocker sent a brief list of specifications and the customary set of draw­ings, including offsets, construction and sail plan. These  were inspected by the original committee and were immediately modified by a substantial reduction of mast height. The individual builder's interpretations of  the drawings produced variations in form and construction. Their concept of building the boat was a little different than what the plans showed. In those days it wasn't customary PRACTICE In All CASeS TO LAY. ThE BOAT'S DRAWINGS Down FULL SIZE FROM ThE OFFSETS AND ACCURATELY LOFT THEm AND TRANS­FER THE DATA TO THE MOLDS AND PATTERNS.  THESE FIRST BOATS varied considerably as to form, appearance and ballast. the first four as i remember, were built in some degree by the madden & lewis company in sausalito. they were financed by a raffle, sponsored i believe by the inter-club. the san francisco yacht club had a group of people buying these tickets, madden & lewis finished #1, then Partially completed three more, but i think the funds didn't hold out far enough to finish all the boats they had" started building.

 

Q. There were three?

A. i believe there were four. anyway the first boat as i re­member went to leon de fremery, and that was boat #1. this is the one that is reported to have been stolen from the moorings off the san francisco yacht club when they had their moorings off sausalito.. the remains of the osprey were found on the sand at dillon's beach near the entrance to tomales bay, and herb madden went up there with some of his shop crew. herb was a practical and capable salvage man, and when the coast guard and tow boat companies gave up, he found a way. herbert madden was an excellent seaman, a fine helmsman, and a good builder. anyway, he got the lead off the beach, i understand, brought it back, and it was cast in the ballast keel for the "r" class sloop ace, that he was building for arthur rousseau. THE BIRD BOAT PLANS WERE CHANGED LATER ON AS THE Class got GOING, AND IT BECAME APPARENT THINGS SHOULD BE ON A FIRMER BASIS

 

Q. What year was that now?   

A. OH, I'D SAY PRIOR TO 1930-1928 I'D SAY THEY DECIDED THE FLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS SHOULD EE CLARIFIED AND MODIFIED TO SUIT SAN FRANCISCO SAILING, SO, THEY GOT HOLD OF THE ORIGINAL ALDEN PLANS AND MODIFIED THE CONSTRUCTION, CORRECTED THE LINES, MADE A. NEW SAIL .AND RIGGING PLAN, AND RE-wROTE THE SPECIFICATIONS. THE OLD RULE CALLING FOR A MINIMUM WATER LENGTH OF 22 FEET WAS DELETED, AND MAXIMUM OF 24 FEET WAS ADOPTED, ALONG WITH OTHER BENEFICIAL CHANGES.   

 

Q. Well, we have, some photographs of the boats: racing in 1926. How would you explain that?

A. WELL, ThAT'S ALL RIGHT, THE ORIGINAL BOATS, SURE.

 

Q. I understand the Curlew #2 , hasn't been modified.

A. NO, SHE'S DIFFERENT, SHE'S GOT AN INCH MORE BEAM, AND She FLOATED DEEPER WITH THE SAME WEIGHT IN HER.  WE WEIGHED ABOUT EIGHT BOATS ONE YEAR ON A SCALE IN SAUSALITO AT THE MADDEN & LEV/IS COMPANY.  THE BOATS WEIGHED ANYWHERE FROM 8805 to 9500 POUNDS.  THEY WERE ALL WITHIN A COUPLE OF INCHES OF BEING THE SAmE LENGTH ON THE WATER LINE. SO THE VOLUMES WERE DIFF­ERENT AND KEELS WERE OF DIFFERENT SHAPES AnD WEIGHTS. THERE WERE ABOUT FOUR KEEL PATTERNS FLOATING AROUND. BUILDERS WOULD GET HOLD OF THEse, AND MODIFY THEM.  THE BALLAST KEELS BUILT TO THE ORIGINAL DRAWINGS CAME OUT LIGHTER THAN INTENDED. BOATS #2,#3,#6 AND #1 PROBABLY HAD THE SAME KEEL, THEY WERE BUILT AT MADDEN & LEWIS COMPANY.  #4 Mavis WAS BUILT BY THE BAGLEY NUNES YARD WHEN THEIR PLANT WAS IN THE EAST BAY, AND ThAT KEEL WAS WAY LIGHTER AND MUCH SHARPER FORWARD.  #6 – Skylark ultimately had half a cigar added to the lower sides of its keel. #5 was built by george kneas. she had a VERY LIGHT HULL STRUCTURE. HE BUILT TWO BOATS, HE CALLED ONE FALCON AND ONE

WE USED TO CALL BOBOLINK  WHICH I THINK WAS LATER NAMED HUMMING BIRD #22.  IT HAD' A DIFFERENT SHEER LINE. THE BOW SWEEPS UP LIKE A Canoe AND THE TRANSOM HAD HARDER CORNERS.

 

Q. The Bobolink, was she #17?

A. No, #17 was Meadowlark. She was built by some fishing boat builder in Monterey. #6- Skylark was ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUR BOATS MADDEN & LEWIS BUILT ON THE RAFFLE ARRANGEMENT. THE SPONSoRING GROUP DIDN'T DEVELOP ENOUGH TICKET BUYERS. I UNDERSTAND, FOR THE COMPANY TO FINISH ALL THE BOATS, SO #6 WAS TAKEN OVER AND FINANCED BY A MAN NAMED GEORGE CoHEN, AND GIVEN TO JEROME WHITE FOR HIS SON ROBERT. AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT BOAT HAD THE ORIGINAL THIN KEEL ON IT. IT ULTIMATELY REQUIRED ABOUT 500 MORE POUNDS ADDED TO THE KEEL, TO INCREASE THE STABILITY SO  ShE COULD STAND UP AND SAIL BETTER IN A BREEZE. PRIOR TO THAT ShE JUST LEANED OVER ON THE WIND.  #7 Alcyon, WAS BUILT BY NUNES FOR A FRIEND OF MINE NAMED HERMAN PETERSON WHO WAS A PATTERN MAKER.  HERMAN LIKED TO MAKE EVERYTHING STRONG, SO HE DECIDED TO MAKE EACH INDIVIDUAL FRAME ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH BIGGER.

 

Q. What is she named now?

A. IT USED TO BE cALLED ALCYoN  I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS NOW. HE BUILT A FANCY "BREAD AND BUTTER" AFTER DECK, ONE STRAKE WAS CEDAR AND ONE WAS PHILIPINE MAHOGANY, oR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND HE pUT ONE MORE PLANK ON THE AFTER DECK, ABOUT FOUR INCHES HIGHER THAN THE PLAN SHOWED.  THIS MADE THE TRANSOM 3” OR 4" DEEPER, BUT HE HELD THE OVER ALL LENGTH TO MAKE HER MEASURE CORRECTLY.  SEE WAS A VERY, VERY, HEAVY BOAT.  SHE HAD A HEAVY PEAR-SHAPED SOLID MAST WHICH WAS A HORRIBLE THING.

 

Q. Gee, that was awful, just terrible.

A. A STRONG MAST, HELL FOR STRENGTH, BUT LOUSY FOR SAILING. MANY DIFFERENT HELMSMEN FOUGHT WITH THAT BOAT TRYING TO MAKE IT SAIL BETTER, EARLIER, DURING THE UNCONTROLLED PERIOD. THE WYATT BROTHERS BUILT A SPRUCE MAST FOR THE Curlew, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT DIDN'T PROVE TO BE A SUCCESS.

 

Q. How about #8?

A. #8 WAS ViNCE JERviS' BOAT, THE PETREL SHE HAD A VERY HEAVY KEEL AND SHE WEIGHED LIGHT.  THAT'S ONE of THE BOATS WE WEIGHED.  ShE WAS ONE OF THE 8805 or 8808 POUND BOATS.

 

Q. She's in the yard right now, you know.

A. YES, HE DECIDED HER KEEL WAS SO HEAVY THAT SHE WOULDN'T SAIL.  HE HAD ABOUT HALF A CUBIC FOOT CF LEAD REMOVED, AND PUT IN A WOOD BLOCK, AND SHE SAILED WORSE.  I THINK THAT TWO OR THREE OWNERS LATER ON, THEY TOOK THE WOOD BLOCK CUT AND PUT THE LEAD BACK IN.

 

#9 WAS KITTIWAKE SEE WEIGHED HEAVY. SHE WAS 9200 SOMETHING POUNDS, ON 23 FOOT 10 INCH WATER LINE.

 

Q. All outside ballast?                                         

A. NO, ALL THESE BOATS HAD INSIDE BALLAST. We HAD AS MUCH AS 1500 POUNDS OF BALLAST IN SOME OF THOSE BOATS.

 

Q.1500 pounds?

A. AS MUCH AS THAT, YES. I DON'T THINK THEY COULD STAND IT NOW, THEY'RE SO WATER SOAKED. SKYLARK  AS I REMEMBER, COULDN'T HAVE ANY INSIDE BALLAST, WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME KEEPING HER TO THE THEN STRICTLY CONTROLLED LIMIT CF 24 FOOT WATER LINE.  

 

#10 IS GREY GOOSE. UNITED SHIP REPAIR WAS THE BUILDER, DOWN ON STUART STREET, AND A FELLOW NAMED EDWIN "BABE" STEVENS SAILED IT FOR THE OWNER, Mr.E.J.SWEETLAND.  Grey GOOSE HAD A MOTOR INSTALLED DURING THE OFF SEASON. BABE USED TO BRING IT TO HASTING’S SLOUGH UP THE RIVER AND GO DUCK HUNTING EVERY WinTER.  HE SORT OF GOT ME IN TROUBLE BECAUSE WHEN HE WENT UP THERE HE LOANED ME HIS bertH IN THE YACHT HARBOR. SO I BROUGHT MY BIRD BOAT, #13-LOON, OVER FROm HURRICANE GULCH IN SAUSALITO AND TIED UP IN THE BERTH.  THE PARK COMMISSION'S WATCHMAN THREATENED TO PUT ME IN JAIL BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A LICENSE TO USE THE HARBOR ALTHOUGH THE BERTHING HAD BEEN PAID FAR IN ADVANCE.  THE HArBor MASTER CAmE DOWn TO ARREST ME ONE DAY, BUT WAS DETAINED AT THE HEAD OF THE GANGWAY BY THE THREAT OF CLASS COLLECTIVE MUSCULAR RESISTANCE.

 

Q. Well, who built #11?        

A. JOHN TORNBERG BUILT IT, NAMED IT ORIOLE.

 

Q. She must be a light one, but seems to be very stable.

A. WELL SHE WAS A STRANGE BOAT AS TO HELM BALANCE.  SHE ALWAYS SEEMED To TRIM A WAY DOWN BY THE NOSE. JOHN WAS A FINE SAILOR, ALONG WITH HIS BROTHERS. THEY REALLY SAILED Well.

 

Q. She has always done pretty well I guess.

A. SHE WAS A HARD BOAT TO SAIL - LEE HELM ON ONE TACK, NEUTRAL ON THE OTHER.  NEVER FOUND OUT WHICH SIDE WAS THE FATTEST OR THE THINEST. THEY WERE ALWAYS DEBATING ABOUT IT. PERHAPS THE LITTLE "UNINTENTIONAL LIBERTIES” TAKEN BY THE BUILDERS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.

 

#12 PUFFIN WAS BUILT BY LESTer stONE.  SHE WAS A GOOD BOAT. LESTER STONE WAS A FINE AND ACCURATE BUILDER. HE STUCK TO THE PLANS, HIS BOATS WERE FAIREr IN FORM AND THE RECORD INDICATES THAT THEY SAILED BETTER THAN THE OTHERS. THE FRAMES ON THE PETREL ARE SMALLER THAN THOSE ON THE PUFFIN.  THE ORIGINAL ALDEN PLANS SHOWED THE LOWER FRAME, ENDS TERMINATING HALF WAY BETWEEN THE FLOOR TIMBERS WITHOUT BENEFIT OF EXTENDED CARRY THRU STRENGTH. THIS WAS CORRECTED IN GEORGE WAYLAND'S DRAWINGS. THE PUFFIN WAS BOUGHT BY THE DOHRMAN BROTHERS LESTER STONE OFTEN STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON SPECULATION DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN THINGS WERE SLACK.  HE USED THE CORRECTED PLANS, THE ORIGINAL ALDEN PLANS WEREN'T VERY
SPECIFIC. THE CLASS PAID GEORGE WAYLAND A HUNDRED AND SOME DOLLARS TO RE-DO THE PLANS.  LATER ON ALDEN COMPLAINED BE­CAUSE ON THE PLAInS IT SAID BIRD CLASS AS MODIFIED BY SAN FRANCISCO BIRD CLASS ASSOCIATION." BUT GEORGE WAYLAND, NAVAL
ARCHITECT, DID THE WORK.  ALDEN FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS AFTER HE STARTED RESEARCHING SOME BUILDERS, AND FELT A COMMISSION WAS DUE FOR EACH BOAT. THE CONTROVERSY DIED DOWN FOR AWHILE AND THEN GOT RE-KINDLED THRU THE EFFORTS OF A FEW ORIGINAL OWNERS WHO FELT THAT THE ORIGINAL DATA WAS ADEQUATE AND THAT BUILDERS AND OWNERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO INTERPRET THE IN­STRUCTIONS TO SUIT THEIR OWN DESIRES, A PRACTICE THAT IS NOW BECOMING MORE PREVALENT IN SO MANY CLASSES THAT WERE FORMERLY STARTED AS TRUE ONE DESIGNS.  IT WAS LIKE ALDEN, BECAUSE HE WOULD GIVE A SKETCHY PLAN AND LEAVE IT UP TO THE YARD TO DEVELOP.

 

#13 WAS LOON, BUILT BY UNITED SHIP REPAIR FOR THE SON OF ROBERT A. SMITH, THE THEN CHEVROLET AGENT IN SAN FRANCISCO. SHE WAS INCORRECTLY NUMBERED.  #20-LINNET SHOULD HAVE BEEN #13, BUT HER OWNER, THOMAS CRCWLEY REFUSED THE NUMBER #13, AND CHOSE #20 INSTEAD.  MR. SMITH APPARENTLY HAD NO FEARS ABOUT #13 AND TOOK THAT NUMBER FOR LOON.  I LATER BOUGHT LOON, THE NUMBER DIDN'T BOTHER ME A BIT.

 

#14 & 15 WERE APPARENTLY NEVER SAILED IN SAN FRANCISCO. THESE NUMBERS COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. BOATS WHICH WERE AGAIN SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT IN HULL AND RIG.

 

#16 WAS CUCKOO A STONE- BUILT BOAT. #17 WAS MEADOWLARK, MODIFIED TOO MUCH TO BE ALLOWED IN THE CLASS.

 

#18 WAS ROBIN A STONE BUILT BOAT. #19 WAS POLLY, ANOTHER STONE BUILT BOAT.    #20 IS LINNET (SHOULD HAVE BEEN #13.) ALL THE PLANKING IN THE BIRD BOATS WERE Galvanized NAIL FASTENED EXCEPT #5 - FALCON. SHE WAS COPPER FASTENED WITH RIVETS SET UP ON BURRS.

 

#21 WAS WIDGEON, MURRAY FOSTER'S BOAT, THE ONE WITH PORT HOLES.  SHE WAS ORIGINALLY PAINTED BLACK. SHE HAD AN ENGINE IN HER FOR A LONG TIME. She WAS A SORT OF HEAVY BOAT BUILT BY UNITED SHIP REPAIR.

 

#22 USED TO BE CALLED BOBOLINK, but is now named Hummingbird, BUILT BY GEORGE KNEASE.

 

#25 was originally SNOWBIRD, now named Swallow was one OF ARCH BECKER'S BOATS.  SHE'S ANOTHER STRANGE ONE, WENT WELL IN LIGHT WINDS.  THEY BARELY LET HER IN. SHE HAS A POINTED TRANSOM, A LOT OF DEAD RISE IN THE TRANSOM, VERY "V" SHAPED. IF YOU SHOULD TAKE A TEMPLATE OFF THE PLANS AND YOU TRY AND FIT THE TEMPLATE TO SOME OF THESE BOATS YOU WOULD GET SOME MOST INTERESTING VARIATIONS OF THE SHAPES, LIKE THE GREY GOOSE TRANSOM IS WIDE AND FLAT, ETC.  I GATHER THAT ALL THESE BOATS ARE NOW BEING REPRIEVED AND ACCEPTED AS BIRDS.

 

#24- TEAL BUILT BY UNITED SHIP REPAIR.

 

#25- SWALLOW BUILT BY MADDEN & LEWIS IN THE 1940s For ROLLY HERMAN.  THAT’s THE ONE WE WOULDN’T ALLOW IN THE CLASS, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE KEEL WAS SHAPED. THEY HAD FOUND ONE OF THE OLD KEEL PATTERNS, AND HAD IT CAST AND BOLTED ON.  I WAS THEN ON THE MEASUREMENT COMMITTEE.  THE LEAD KEEL HAD TO HAVE ½ INCH ADDED TO EACH SIDE.

 

#26- KIWI ANOTHER WITH DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS. SHE HAS A LONG RAISED DECK FORWARD, THE SHEER LINE WAS ChANGED. I THINK THEY RAISED THE BOW SO IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WAS GOING DOWN HILL LIKE THEY ULTIMATELY LOADED THE BIRD BOATS. IF THE BIRDS HAD A LITTLE MORE BODY BUILT INTO THEM UNDER­WATER IN THE FIRST PLACE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO ADD INSIDE BALLAST, BUT THEY FOUND OUT AFTER THEY WERE BORN THAT THEY WOULD GO BETTER IF THEY HAD MORE BODY FORWARD. s0 THEY CREATED BODY VOLUME BY PLACING INSIDE BALLAST AROUND THE MAST AREA.  THE ORIGINAL WATER LINE WAS A MINIMUM OF 22 FEET.  THEY NEVER ACTUALLY FLOATED THAT LIGHT EVEN WITHOUT INSIDE BALLAST.  THE NATURAL INCREASED SOAKING ThROUGH THE YEARS MUST MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN 24'3".  THE ORIGINAL PLANS AS DESIGNED WOULDN'T RACE FOR SOUR GRAPES IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY'S NORMAL 18 TO 25 MILE BREEZES.  THE PLANS ALDEN SENT OUT HERE WERE COMPLETELY CHANGED.  THEY TOOK ABOUT 4 FEET OFF THE TOP OF THE MAST, PUT A 3rd CHAIN PLATE ON EACH SIDE, BEEFED UP DECK AND PLANK THICKNESS, MODIFIED THE LOCATION, THICKNESS AND SPACING OF THE FRAMES AND RE-­DID THE KEEL TO WEIGH ABOUT 3600 POUNDS, PLUS OR MINUS 5%. (ALDEN'S KEEL WEIGHED ABOUT 3200 POUNDS).

 

CUCKOO, #16, WAS CONVERTED TO A TALL RIG, wAS REALLY AN “S" BOAT.  THE "S" STANDS FOR A CLASS, LIKE "R" CLASS.  "S" BOATS RATED LESS THAN 17 FEET, UNIVERSAL MEASUREMENT RULE. THE "R" CLASS WOULD BE 20 FOOT RATING OR UNDER. WAYLAND ALSO DESIGNED THE TALL RIG WITH A LONG HEAVY SOLID SPAR.  HE WANTED A STANDING BACKSTAY ON THE TRANSOM AND HAD TO GO UP HIGH TO GET THE SAIL AREA.

KESTREL WASN'T REALLY A BIRD BOAT, SHE WAS BUILT DIFFERENTLY. SHE HAD 9 OR 10 INCHES ADDED TO THE FORWARD RAISED PORTION, THE SHEER LINE WAS LIFTED FORWARD, AND SHE IS REPORTED TO HAVE HAD A THINNER BALLAST KEEL. WAYLAND DESIGNED THE "S" CLASS SAIL PLAN FOR THE BIRD BOAT HULL. HE WAS A VERY CAPABLE MAN.  THEY WANTED A BOAT WITH­OUT RUNNING BACK STAYS, AND A BOAT TO SAIL A LITTLE FASTER, I SUPPOSE.  WE HAD A CLASS OF “S” BOATS HERE ONCE. THERE WERE FOUR THAT WERE RATED UNDER THE UNIVERSAL RULES AS "S" BOATS.  ONE WAS NAMED BETTY AND THERE WAS MOONLIGHT, VIXEN AND LITTLE RUBY(THAT WAS OLDER AND SMALLER THAN THE BIG RUBY THAT RATED "R" CLASS AT TIMES).  THE BIRD BOATS WOULD HAVE RATED "S" UNDER UNIVERSAL RULE, RATED NOT MEASURED.  A STRICT "S" BOAT WOULD BE MORE OF A RACING MACHINE. THE "S" RIGGED BOAT DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST A BIRD BOAT.  IT HAD A SPAR LIKE A BIG HEAVY SOLID LOG WAY UP IN THE AIR, AND A TALL NARROW JIB THAT WAS VERY INEFFICIENT, AND YOU WOULDN'T EVER EXPECT IT TO GO.

 

Mr. Spaulding indicated you could have half the weight of the inside ballast ADded to the right spot in the keel and have the same effect with reference to having the need for more "body-up forward”.