EGRET

EGRET is a lapstreak hulled Radio Class racing sloop designed by Samuel S. Crocker for The Pleasant Park Yacht Club in 1935. In March of 1935 the Regatta Committee commissioned Mr. Samuel S. Crocker to design a new boat to be known as the Radio Class. By June, Mr. Willis J. Reid, boat builder, delivered six of these boats. One other Radio Class boat was built in that year by Arthur Landry and joined the fleet of weekend racers. This boat created wide interest because of its stability and speed. It is also interesting to note in 1935 prediction that “this class in 1936 will no doubt be the largest class sailing from any club” (Courtesy of PPYC club history found on it website).EGRET (Hull #20) is believed to have been built some years later in 1938. The current owner has never seen another Radio, but Mr. Paul C. Bucknam of Marblehead, MA, tells of racing one in the Winthrop fleet as a teenager. Paul happened upon Egret during a layover in Plymouth several years ago and kindly donated to the current owner an original blueprint of Sam Crocker’s “Profile & Arrangement” plan which he happened to have in his library, as well as a photograph of the fleet under sail. Paul also unearthed a fascinating original copy of the Corinthian Yacht Club’s 1949 Marblehead Race Week “Official Racing Year Book”, which lists the Radio Class as one of 11 classes in the Division III fleet. This Regatta registered an incredible 43 classes and more than 500 starters, representing 23 Yacht Clubs!Other fleets were located in Marblehead and Quincy, Massachusetts, by various builders. Research into these fleets is ongoing.