“Chubby” as she is affectionately known, is one of those few fortunate boats that has had only three owners in her 77 years. As a result she has been blessed by the owners that have lavished the best care upon her throughout this time.
In 1939 William Lyman Stewart a Union Oil executive commissioned New York design firm of Sparkman and Stephens to design the most up-to-date ocean racer they could produce. They responded with this elegant 67 foot yawl. Mr. Stewart had her built at Wilmington Boast Works in San Pedro.
A significant feature of her design was a bronze trimming board which gives her an additional 4 feet of draft when lowered, an advantage which made her nearly invincible when sailing to windward in a breeze.
Stewart owned and raced Chubasco until 1958 and sailed in three Transpac races:
1939 second in A class and 5th in fleet
1947 first to finish, first class A, 3rd overall
1953 third to finish, first in class A, 2nd overall
“My dad(CW Schimpff) sailed on her in the Transpac, 1953. I have his photo/info album from that amazing race.” Annie VerSteeg
Also several Big Boat Appearances in San Francisco during this time.
Chubby’s next owners were Arnold D Haskell and Don Haskell. She was campaigned for over two decades that included two more Transpacs:
1959 2nd to finish, first in class B, and 2nd overall
1961 2nd class A, 4th overall.
This was a tremendous achievement as Chubby was racing in her 31st year against the cream of ocean going east coast sailing yachts that where the latest designs.
Next followed races to Acapulco and Mazatlan in 1964 and 1966. Then Don Haskell sent Chubby east to race in the southern ocean racing circuit, a series of winter racing to and from various points in Florida and the Caribbean.
1967 SORC. 3rd overall and first to finish in three out of six races.
1969 SORC 6th overall
1970 SORC 10th overall
Chubby raced and cruised less often in the following two decades. Once Long Point race week began in the 1990s, Chubby and old crewmates came together again to race in the annual event, often taking home silver. Chubby has also been a regular at the Newport Harbor yacht club opening day race and still remains quite competitive in the right conditions.
Chubby today is almost exactly as she was in 1939, powerful yet graceful in appearance at the same time the best of all, impeccably maintained. New Owners, John Carpenter and Bill Durant are having Chubasco undergo a refit in Long Beach. For further photos on the refit check out the post here.
She is planning on participating in the 2017 Transpac.
2019 Transpac
