McCurdy & Rhodes

McCurdy & Rhodes
Name	McCurdy & Rhodes
Industry	Yacht design
Founded	1965
Founder	James A. McCurdy, Philip Rhodes (firm continuation)
Headquarters	Newport, Rhode Island
Products	Sailing yachts, cruising yachts, racer-cruisers

McCurdy & Rhodes is an American yacht design firm known for a lineage of cruising and racer-cruiser sailboats that blended traditional naval architecture with fiberglass-era production. Founded amid a period of expansion in recreational boating, the firm produced designs that were built by multiple boatbuilders and sailed by owners associated with marina hubs from Newport to Annapolis. The practice intersected with prominent naval architects, yards, and sailing events that shaped late 20th century yacht culture.

History

The origins trace to a collaboration rooted in the legacy of Philip Rhodes and the later partnership with James A. McCurdy, connecting to the milieu of Newport designers like Olin Stephens and firms such as Sparkman & Stephens and Graham & Schlageter. During the 1960s and 1970s the firm worked alongside manufacturers including Hinckley Yachts, Tartan Marine, Island Packet Yachts, and Pearson Yachts while responding to market forces from the boom that involved companies like Catalina Yachts, Bertram Yachts, and Hatteras Yachts. McCurdy & Rhodes engaged with racing circuits exemplified by events such as the Transpacific Yacht Race, the Block Island Race Week, and the Fastnet Race, and their designs were campaigned by skippers associated with clubs like the New York Yacht Club, the Newport Yacht Club, and the Annapolis Yacht Club. The practice overlapped chronologically with industry shifts involving firms like Morgan Yachts and technologies promoted by institutions such as the American Boat and Yacht Council.

Notable Designs and Models

Signature hulls include models commissioned by builders comparable to C&C Yachts clients and vessels that competed alongside classes like the International Offshore Rule fleets and the One Ton Cup contenders. Noteworthy designs were marketed to cruiser-racer owners who also considered alternatives from Nicholson Yachts, Hallberg-Rassy, Nautor Swan, Alberg 30-style contemporaries, and designs by Ted Hood and Bill Lapworth. Specific McCurdy & Rhodes models found ownership among mariners participating in regattas run by organizations such as US Sailing and regional series including the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association. Their hull forms were compared in reviews that juxtaposed them with models from Swan 36, Contessa 32, Beneteau First, and J/Boats entries on lists curated by magazines like Sailing World, Cruising World, and Yachting Monthly.

Construction and Materials

Construction practice reflected the era’s move from wood to fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP), following precedents set by builders like Cal Yachts and West Wight Potter. Laminate schedules paralleled techniques used by yards such as Hinckley, Tartan, and Pearson with cores inspired by innovations from suppliers associated with Vinylester and polyester resin advancements. Keel and ballast arrangements echoed approaches seen in designs by Olin Stephens and Bill Tripp, while deck hardware choices mirrored products from manufacturers like Lewmar, Harken, and Barient. Interior joinery on production-built examples resembled standards promoted by firms like Chris-Craft and Marlow-Hunter, and systems installations followed conventions advocated by organizations such as the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Performance and Reception

Sailors and reviewers evaluated McCurdy & Rhodes designs against performance benchmarks established by contemporaries including Swan 40, C&C 30, and Ericson Yachts models, with assessments appearing in periodicals such as Practical Sailor and Sailing Magazine. On offshore passages comparable to those raced in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race or cruiser-racer circuits of the St. Petersburg to Fort Lauderdale Race, owners reported seaworthiness akin to vessels by Holman & Pye-influenced designers and handling characteristics reminiscent of Tucker, Hood and Lapworth hulls. Critics contrasted their motion and pointing ability with performance-oriented designs from J/Boats and luxury appointments from Nautor Swan, while cruisers praised accommodation layouts in the tradition of Island Packet and Hallberg-Rassy ergonomics.

Company Ownership and Corporate Changes

Throughout its existence the practice interfaced with boatbuilders and brokers similar to Hinckley Yachts, Pearson Yachts, and independent yards that underwent consolidations like those affecting Bayliner parent companies and conglomerates such as Whittaker Corporation. Licensing of molds and plans followed patterns used by designers who worked with firms like Cutter & Co. and consultants employed by yards in Rhode Island, Maine, and Florida. Ownership transitions across the leisure marine boom paralleled business movements experienced by Morgan Yachts, Cal Yachts, and marque reshufflings documented in trade outlets including Trade Only Today and Soundings.

Legacy and Influence on Yacht Design

The firm’s contributions influenced designers and builders engaged in the evolution from classic lines to modern cruiser-racer hybrids, joining a lineage that includes Philip Rhodes predecessors, contemporaries like Olin Stephens and successors such as Robert Perry and German Frers. McCurdy & Rhodes designs informed decisions by production builders and custom yards alike, contributing to trends visible in fleets fielded at venues like Newport to Bermuda Race and America’s Cup-inspired naval architecture developments. Their work is referenced in studies and collections alongside archives of Mystic Seaport Museum, Herreshoff Marine Museum, and catalogs curated by National Maritime Historical Society.

Category:Yacht designers Category:Shipbuilding companies of the United States