Rod, who passed away in 1995 at 86 yrs old, was a year younger than Olin and very involved in athletics - captain and quarterback of his unbeaten high school team - and playing basketball and baseball as well. Olin, on the other hand, spent his time reading history and teaching himself how to design boats. They were both good students in high school, and they sailed whenever they could - on western Long Island Sound from Larchmont YC where they were members, and on Barnstable Bay on Cape Cod, and out of Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard where their father had rented summer homes. As kids they decided that whenever they sailed together Olin would take the helm and make tactical decisions while Rod's high energy level made him gravitate to handling the foredeck, trimming, making the boat go fast and generally making sure everything worked. This picture of Rod is from Frank Kinney's book "You are First".

Rod crewed on many competitive boats and was very much in demand by S&S's best racing clients. He was 'the best sail trimmer ever' said one high profile skipper. He could climb the mast or forestay to fix things or look for the breeze. He was S&S's go-to person for the rig, deck layout, construction details, boat and builder inspections and sea trials.

He was creative, inventing the now famous Dorade Box, the standard for classic ventilation, and was a driver in getting the DUKW's - the amphibious 2 1/2 ton Army truck - to become an important contributor to the World War II effort.

Like Olin, Rod neither smoked or drank. He loved pla

Like Olin, Rod neither smoked or drank. He loved playing his accordian for the crew as he is doing here on Ranger with Mike Vanderbuilt steering - this picture from the Rosenfeld Collection.

ying his accordian for the crew as he is doing here on Ranger with Mike Vanderbuilt steering - this picture from the Rosenfeld Collection. However, Rod was also a top skipper and tactician as

Rod was also a top skipper and tactician in his own right. In 1932 he skippered Dorade in the Bermuda Race finishing 1st in Class. He was the skipper when Stormy Weather won the 1935 Transatlantic Race. In his own boat, Mustang, an S&S designed New York 32, he won Class B in the 1952 Bermuda Race and was 2nd in Class on 2 other occasions.

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Webmaster Note: On July 23rd, Field Invesigator Chris Becker advised that after a long search for a Dolphin he could sail and restore he settled on a Tarten 27. His email (edited) in response to a follow made by your webmaster regarding his Dolphin hunt is below. He has our "sympathy" as well as good wishes. A Tarten 27, after all, is a Dolphin's bigger brother. Chris has made a number of interesting contributions to this website including this link on Rod Stephens and his book http://sparkmanstephens.com/yachtdesign/rodstephens_book/RAS_On_Sailing_Master.

July 23, 2008

I am not out of the loop yet. I am alive and sailing.

After the boat at Browns died for me and have looked at the others, I decided to get a Tartan 27 in Beverly Mass. It was the best boat for the money on the East coast, knowing that I could take a step down later.

I am still putting the boat back into shape in accord to what I feel it needs. This may take a few months or into the winter. In the meantime, I can sail and I can work on the boat at any time. It does both things for me now.

I still keep an eye out for the Dolphin 24 activities. In fact, I know where the green boat is moored near Larchmont. I plan to get a package together and sail by him and leave it for his review and action. The prime action is for him to contact you. If I see the boat out sailing, I will get the sail number which I think is 71.  That may not be it. I am not very sure of that part. I had the pleasure of seeing the boat in the yard for the whole winter. I was able to get answers and dimensions of things that I wanted to know about, without going to Brown's Boat Yard.

The concept of the Dolphin 24 is a perfect thing for me. The key thing is that it goes on a trailer with ease at Larchmont. That means, one morning and the boat is out or in the water and moved back. That is a key money thing too.

I am planning to keep the Tartan in the water for the winter. I want to sail and to work on the boat at the same time. There is a lot of work getting the correct sails in place and getting the settings too. That takes time, as you know. I still think that the Dolphin 24 should sail faster and better with less room below. That is my take now.

I hope that you enjoy the Rod book. I had the pleasure of knowing him and have sailed on Mustang. When I read this book, I can see him talking. I have to say that I agree with about 98% of what he says in the book. The other 2% are minor areas. The material in this book should be required reading for all sailors. I suggest that you go on the SO&SO website and down load the whole "type plan'' section. I think that there are parts of that you should integrate into your work. The check lists are the same for a DO-24 as for Palawan and upward. These are good for both a new boat and an old one being updated and brought back into spec with SO&SO norms.

Will be keeping in touch with you.

With warm regards,
Chris Becker

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