Mouette 12 K 15

Design & Construction

Mouette was built in 1928 to the International Second Rule by Camper & Nicholson at Gosport, England. She was designed by Charles Nicholson and built for Sir Thomas O. M. Sopwith, one of the most prominent patrons of 12 Metre racing. She carried the sail number K-15 and was rigged as a Bermudan cutter.

Like all 12 Metres, Mouette was not twelve metres in overall length, but instead conformed to the International Rule formula, resulting in a yacht measuring well over twenty metres overall.

Early British Career (1928–1931)

Owner: Sir Thomas O. M. Sopwith
Home Port: Portsmouth, Great Britain

Under Sopwith’s ownership, Mouette enjoyed immediate success. She won the 12 Metre Class Championship in both 1928 and 1929, establishing herself as one of the leading Second Rule Twelves of her generation.

Transfer to the United States & Major Racing Success (1932–1940)

Owner: Horace Havemeyer
Home Port: New York, NY, USA

In 1932, Mouette was sold to Horace Havemeyer and shipped to the United States. During this period she was altered to a design by Sparkman & Stephens (project no. 62), reflecting evolving American approaches to performance refinement.

Her U.S. racing record was exceptional. In the 1932 season, she recorded 32 starts, achieving 21 firsts, 4 seconds, and 4 thirds. She competed against Cantitoe (formerly Magda XI) and several Twelves designed by Starling Burgess.

Mouette won the Long Island Sound 12 Metre Championship in:

  • 1932 (4 firsts, 1 second, 3 thirds from 8 starts)

  • 1933 (2 firsts, 2 seconds, 3 thirds from 9 starts)

She also won the 1932 Larchmont Yacht Club Race Week 12 Metre Class.

Subsequent U.S. Ownership (1941–1955)

Ownership during this period included:

  • 1941–1942: George Reidy (Glen Cove, NY)

  • 1946–1947: Frank V. Drake (New York, NY)

  • 1948–1949: Ellery C. Midgett (Manteo, NC)

  • 1950–1955: Gerald W. Ford (Larchmont, NY)

An engine (Gray 6-cylinder) was installed in 1943, removed, and later reinstalled in 1953, reflecting alternating racing and cruising use.

Later Ownership & Modifications (1956–1975)

  • 1956–1957: Edward T. Rice (Larchmont & Fishers Island, NY)

  • 1958: Mrs. Harriet Church Rice (Fishers Island, NY & Mystic, CT)

  • 1959–1970: Robert E. Rohe (Mystic & Norwalk, CT; Plymouth, MA)

During this period, Mouette underwent significant changes:

  • Re-powered in 1959

  • Rig altered in 1960 to an auxiliary ketch

  • Sail area reduced to approximately 140 sq. m

After these changes, Mouette disappeared from Lloyd’s Register, consistent with many retired racing yachts converted for private use.

Final Years & Fate (1971–1976)

Later owners included E. Bronson Conlin and Fred A. Richards. By 1976, Mouette was reported sunk in the United States, bringing to an end the life of one of the most successful Second Rule Twelves of the interwar and early American racing era.

Historical Significance

Mouette stands out as one of the most successful and widely campaigned Second Rule 12 Metres, achieving top-level results in both British and American waters and demonstrating the adaptability of early 12 Metre designs through multiple rig, engine, and configuration changes over nearly five decades.