ONAWA is a 1928 70 foot 12 metre (rule) designed by W. Starling Burgess and Built by Abeking & Rasmussen.  She has accommodations for 7 guests, 3 in crew.  Her restoration was completed in the summer of 2001.

Construction:

Carvel planking - Above waterline: tight seam glued with 5200; Below: caulked
Mahogany planking at 1-1/4” with steel and oak alternating frames
Oak structural keel.  Steel and oak floor timbers.
Copper rivets on wood frames, bronze bolts on steel with 5200.  1-1/4” deck comprised of layered 5/8” fir, fiberglass and ½” teak.
3’x6’ cockpit. 2 trunk cabins, dynel over plywood cabin roof.  Mahogany (stained and varnished) deck trim.  3000 pound lead ballast.

Mechanical:

2001 56 hp Yanmar 4JH3-TE engine; 4 cylinder, single, diesel, fresh and salt water cooled. 3 blade stainless Maxprop

Tanks:

70 gallon ss fuel tank; 50 gallon ss water tank; 50 gallon ss holding tank

Electrical:

4 x 12v batteries, circuit breakers; 30 amp shore power

Accommodations:

7 berths comprised of 2 staterooms and 5 single berths; 1 head; 1 sink; 5 ventilation hatches and 4 opening ports

Sails:

 Dacron sails from North Sails (2005): Mainsail, #1 Genoa, #2 Jib, Heavy Weather Jib, Spinnaker
Delivery & Charter (2005): Mainsail, 2 Jibs, Spinnaker, 7/8 rig with wire stainless rigging-standing material; stainless turnbuckles with wire fittings; spruce spars, bright finish, mast stepped on keel; 4x Meissner halyard winches; 2x Harken sheet winches

Ground Tackle:

Wilcox – Crittenden #65 Kedge, 200’ x 3 strand rode

Equipment:

2 electric diaphragm Bilge pumps; 3 ABC model 460H fire extinguishers; emergency tiller; bell; 15 type 1 Life preservers; 4 fenders; docking lines; boathook; spreader lights; sail covers; double lifelines; berth cushions

Electronics:

Barometer; Clock &/or Chronometer; Compass: Binnacle: VHF; GPS; CD Player

Onawa was designed by the renowned naval architect, W. Starling Burgess, of the firm Burgess, Rigg & Morgan, Ltd. in New York City. She was number 6 of 6 nearly identical twelve meter yachts built for prominent members of the New York Yacht CLub in 1928 by the world famous Abeking & Rasmussen yard, of Lemwerder, Germany. US-6 was built for W. Cameron Forbes of Boston and was sailed in the summer seasons out of Hadley Harbor, at the north end of the Elizabeth Island chain. The Forbes family had owned the Elizabeth Islands for generations and still does to this day.

Mr. Forbes, also a member of the Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, Mass., campaigned his twelve meter vigorously under the watchful eye of Captain Jackson, her professional captain. Onawa served her original owner for six fine years. In 1934, US-6 was sold to Mr. Horace F. Smith, Jr., of Philadelphia. Mr. Smith sailed his yacht out of Jamestown, Rhode Island under the Conanicut Yacht Club burgee up to the second World War.

During the war, Onawa was sold for a brief period to an attorney in New London, Conn.

Shortly thereafter, she lost her lead keel to the war effort, where it was used for submarine ballast. Onawa's fourth owner, Mr. John F. Requardt, Jr., bought her keel-less after the 1941 Harvard-Yale boat race. She was laid up at the Williams & Manchester Boat Yard, near the present location of the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, Rhode Island. Here they poured a primitive keel, which was with the boat until her current restoration began in January of 2000.

Mr. Requardt enjoyed many years on board Onawa. He spent a season with her in New England before sailing her down to the Chesapeake Bay. Her home port was Annapolis, Maryland until 1953 when she was sold to Mr. Ward Bright. Mr. Bright changed her name to Horizon, installed an engine and sailed her to St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands. Horizon's new owner was no stranger to fine old yachts, for he was also the owner of the 3 masted schooner and transsAtlantic record holder, Atlantic.

From this point on Onawa's history is vague. Years later, she ended up in a boat yard in City Island, New York with the name Lithuanica on her transom. In 1991, Dan Prentiss and Fred Van Liew bought her at the recommendation of Bob Tiedemann, of Newport, Rhode Island. She was trucked to Newport and was laid up for nearly ten years when a group was formed by Earl McMillen, Chuck Parrish and Will Lobb to restore her. Once again carrying the name Onawa, she graces the waters of Narragansett Bay.

Onawa has been meticlously restored by McMillen Yachts who have become very well known for their restorations and preservation of classic yachts.  Continued care and management is also available through Mc Millen Yachts.