Appendices & Sources
Appendix A: Ownership Timeline
| Period | Owner(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1905–1907 | David Abecassis | Commissioned construction; raced under CYC burgee |
| c. 1907–c. 1925 | Charles E. Miller | Converted to schooner rig; added engine; removed centerboard |
| c. 1925–1955 | Arthur & Sydney Ford | Purchased by Ford family; Yankee stolen 1933; WWII service |
| 1955–1967 | Arthur Ford (sole) | Sydney sold his half to Arthur |
| 1967–1981 | Arthur & Robert D. Ford | Arthur sold half to Robert, with right of survivorship |
| 1981–1996 | Robert D. Ford & Richard Ford | Robert sold half to his son Richard |
| 1996–c. 2019 | The Yankee LLC | Family LLC including all living Ford descendants |
| c. 2019–present | West Coast Seafaring Society | 501(c)(3) nonprofit; EIN 84-1776838 |
Appendix B: Flagship Years at St. Francis Yacht Club
| Year(s) | Commodore |
|---|---|
| Unknown (pre-1951) | Arthur & Sydney Ford (2 early years) |
| 1951–1952 | Arthur Ford |
| 1972 | Robert D. Ford |
| 1989 | Richard (Dick) Ford |
| 2009 | John McNeill |
Seven flagship years total per multiple sources.
Appendix C: Key Specifications
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Length on Deck (LOD) | 52’ 6” |
| Length Overall (LOA) | 62’ 6” (incl. bowsprit) |
| Length Waterline (LWL) | 36’ |
| Beam | ~15’ (some sources say 16’) |
| Draft | 5’ 10” |
| Rig | Gaff schooner (originally gaff sloop) |
| Sail Area | 1,475 sq ft (Jib 395, Fore 335, Main 745) |
| Construction | Douglas fir planking on white oak frames |
| Engine | Perkins 4-236 diesel (current) |
| Sail Number | K-103 |
| Builder | William Frank Stone, Stone Boat Yard, Harbor View, San Francisco |
| Designer | William Frank Stone |
See Sailing Yankee chapter for additional details.
Appendix D: Sources and References
- “Tales of the Yankee” — Transcript of St. Francis Yacht Club Wednesday Yachting Lunch presentation by Staff Commodore John McNeill, January 17, 2018.
- “History of the Yankee” — Four-page illustrated history written November 2014, updated June 2015. The Yankee LLC.
- “The 1906 Gaff Schooner, Yankee” — One-page factsheet, The Yankee LLC, April 17, 2011.
- “YankeeHistory RDF” — History narrative authored by Robert D. Ford, covering 1906 through 2014.
- “RDF YankHistory.docx” — Word document version of the RDF history, covering 1906–mid-1980s.
- “Yankee Sailing On” — Three-page website-style overview. WCSS.
- San Francisco Call articles, 1906–1913: Multiple newspaper accounts of Yankee’s early racing career.
- Pacific Motor Boat magazine, August 1915: Pan Pacific Regatta coverage.
- Charles Miller Log, 1915: Ship’s log kept by owner Charles Miller.
- “XMAS Letter Arthur Ford” — Christmas 1982 letter by R. D. Ford.
- “Wooden Boat Building in San Francisco Bay: One Family’s Story” — Presentation by Roberta Stone O’Grady, Alameda County Historical Society, January 26, 2012.
- “Generations of Greatness: Profiling the Ford and McNeill Families” — Mainsheet magazine.
- San Francisco Chronicle, April 28, 2006: Centennial feature article.
- “Sailing in Marin: Century-plus old schooner Yankee a family treasure” — Marin Independent Journal, October 12, 2015.
- Latitude 38, April 2006: Comprehensive illustrated history.
- The Shellback (MMBA newsletter), November 2010.
- “WCSS — WHY and HOW” — Founding document, May 2021.
- San Francisco Yacht Club (SFYC) founding history (1869).
- St. Francis Yacht Club (StFYC) history and records (1927–present).
- Corinthian Yacht Club (CYC) history and burgee records.
- Marin Multihull Basin Association (MMBA) records and archives.
- Stone Boat Yard Wikipedia entry and maritime records.
- Naval Maritime Archive harbor records and vessel registrations.
- Schooner Martha Foundation archived documentation.
- 1906 San Francisco Earthquake historical accounts and impacts on Bay industry.
- Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) historical records and timeline.
- Wild Oranges (1924 film) production records and cast information.
- Days of Wine and Roses (1962 film) production documentation.
- Armed Yacht Service Wikipedia entry and Navy records.
- Kupor Koltin Maritime Industries (KKMI) restoration documentation and logs.
- Latitude 38 magazine historical archives and racing records.
Appendix E: Fact-Check Notes
The following details appear in the archive sources but could not be fully corroborated, present internal contradictions, or require further verification. They are flagged here for transparency.
Dates of Ford Family Purchase
The date is given inconsistently: McNeill oral history says 1925, the 2011 Factsheet says 1927 (also the founding year of StFYC). The discrepancy may reflect uncertainty over initiation vs. completion. (See Chapter V.)
Date of Schooner Conversion
Varies: McNeill says 1911, 2014 History says “middle 1910s.” A date in 1911–1915 is plausible but uncertain. (See Chapter IV.)
Carl Westerfield’s Title
Called both “Past Commodore” and “CYC Commodore.” Requires verification against CYC records. (See Chapter III.)
Abecassis Departure Destination
McNeill says Vermont; 2014 History says “the East Coast.” Vermont is specific but unconfirmed. (See Chapter III.)
The 1907 Farallon Race
Called both “first offshore race” and “inaugural” Farallones race. Some accounts give different months (July vs. September 1907). Possibly two attempts. (See Chapter III.)
Wild Oranges: Goldwyn vs. MGM
Sources say “Goldwyn Studios” but by mid-1924 it had merged into MGM. The crew’s claim that Yankee is visible has not been independently verified by film historians. (See Chapter X.)
Dennis Jordan in 1914
McNeill says Jordan sailed on Yankee as a six-year-old in 1914, placing his birth around 1908. Not independently verified. (See Chapter IV.)
Number of WWII Patrol Yachts
McNeill says “ten”; other sources say “a small fleet” or “a number.” Not verified against Navy records. (See Chapter VI.)
Battle of Midway Connection
Archive sources imply a connection between Yankee’s patrol and the Battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway was fought 2,000+ miles from California. The yacht patrols were more likely related to early 1942 fears of Japanese submarine activity along the California coast. (See Chapter VI.)
Geoffrey vs. Jeffrey Ford
Likely the same person with a transcription variance. (See Chapter VI.)
Beam Measurement
Given as 15 feet in some sources, 16 feet in others. (See Appendix C.)
Fleishhacker vs. Fleishacker Zoo
Correct spelling is Fleishhacker. McNeill transcript renders it “Flash Acre” (likely transcription error). (See Chapter V.)
Days of Wine and Roses Date
Archive says “1960”; the film was released December 1962. Off by 1–2 years. (See Chapter X.)
Jessica Cup: First Time
2014 History says “first time ever”; McNeill says “first time in decades.” The Jessica Cup was only added to StFYC in 1990. (See Chapter IX.)
St. Francis Yacht Club Founding
2011 Factsheet says 1927, consistent with StFYC’s own website. (See Chapter V.)
Appendix F: Image Sources and Unfulfilled Placeholders
All images in this history are drawn from the Yankee project archive. The following images were not available and would strengthen the document if located:
| Placeholder | Description | Suggested Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Boat Yard, Harbor View | Photo of the yard c. 1900–1911 | SF Maritime National Historical Park |
| David Abecassis portrait | Photo of Yankee’s original commissioner | Abecassis family or CYC archives |
| 1906 McDonough Cup trophies | Sterling silver trophies from Toulon | Yankee Archive (Tales PPT) |
| Arthur “Skipper” Ford | Portrait c. 1930s–1950s | Ford family or StFYC archives |
| Robert D. Ford | Portrait of the discoverer | Ford family or Mainsheet |
| WWII Navy gray Yankee | Photo of Yankee painted gray, 1942 | U.S. Navy records or Ford family |
| 1976 Bicentennial trophy | Trophy at StFYC | StFYC or Yankee Archive |
| KKMI restoration, 1999–2001 | Crew working during haul-out | Yankee Archive InProcess |
| 2006 Centennial celebration | Party at StFYC | Yankee Archive or SF Chronicle |
| Wild Oranges film still | Frame showing Yankee | Turner Classic Movies |
This appendix compiled March 2026. Images should be added as they are located and permissions secured.
This history was compiled in March 2026 from the John McNeill Digital Archive and supplementary research. Every effort has been made to reconcile conflicting accounts across the primary sources. Where discrepancies could not be resolved, they are noted in Appendix E above.