Restoration
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“Doris, the first yacht of any consequence built under the Universal Rule.”
~ L. Francis Herreshoff
Long known as VAYU, DORIS has been a part of the New London, CT waterfront since 1955. During those years there have been at least three restoration efforts, and many dreams to save her. In September of 2015 she was moved to the boat shop of Snediker Yacht Restoration, where her restoration is now underway.
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DORIS
Beating the Great Gloriana
ON FINE RUN
DORIS Heads Three Sloops Into the Isles of Shoals
Boston Daily Globe; July 10, 1905, pg 10
The best racing of the day was between the three Herreshoff sloops, the DORIS, WASP and GLORIANA. The first named, with 10 feet greater waterline length, found her smaller but leaner rivals hard to shake off. They followed hard in her wake for half the course, the WASP often at her sternboard.
All the way from Thatchers to the finish their skippers were on edge using every means their knowledge suggested to get greater speed out of their boats. It seemed at times as if one would take the lead clean, but again the boats fell in to a bunch bowling along in close order, with none gaining.
DORIS Holds Spinnaker.
As they neared the finish they, like the schooners, were obliged to drop their spinnakers. The DORIS held on to hers and made good by it.
The breeze was nor freshening a bit, and hauling still more westerly, off the land. This gave a lively swing to the finish of the sloops.
The DORIS led them home, with a cable’s legnth to spare. She carried her spinnaker to the finish, flowed well forward. The GLORIANA was second over, 75 seconds behind the DORIS. The WASP was a cable’s length behind the Gloriana. She towed a tender throughout the run, which did not improve her going. The DORIS probably won, as she allows little, if anything, to the other two.