Philip Rhodes / Abeking & Rasmussen 49 ft Bermudan Cutter 1961/1995

THUNDERHEAD may be one of the most successful examples in this size and era of an exquisite looking yacht that lives up to its promise in sailing ability and comfort – a true family cruiser-racer. She is also as fine an example as they come of the transatlantic rapport that existed through the 1950s and 1960s between the Rhodes design office in New York and Abeking & Rasmussen’s fine craftsmen at Bremerhaven, Germany. A combination of tank testing, fine specification and build quality, and the right kind of care and use, has stood THUNDERHEAD in good stead for over 60 years and many thousands of sea miles. Many have craved ownership of this very special yacht, but chances to have been few and far between.

"It has been my privilege to see THUNDERHEAD in her home grounds of Long Island Sound any number of times, and she has never failed to stand out from the other boats nearby. A clipper-bowed cutter under way makes a brave sight, and I have no doubt that much of THUNDERHEAD's racing success is due to accidental jibes by competing boats whose helmsmen could not take their eyes off her. It is interesting that THUNDERHEAD'S good looks are only hinted at in her plans. I for one would never have thought from her profile drawing that she would turn out to be so handsome in three dimensions, which goes to show how essential it is that a yacht designer be an artist as well as an engineer. THUNDERHEAD was meant for racing as well as cruising, but racing considerations do not seem to have dominated over common sense..."

"This classic vessel has had the great good fortune of having had very conscientious
owners throughout her life who have been able to provide continuous restorations and
upgrades performed to the highest professional standard with the traditional materials
originally used in her construction thus maintaining the vessel at the 'classic' level and
greatly enhancing her ability to maintain her value through the years."

2021
- Topsides paint, exterior varnish and bottom paint
- New propeller
- New engine starter motor

2017
- Major engine service
- Replaced all wiring, electrical panel and batteries

2016
- All exterior varnish stripped and re-finished

2015
- New Seafrost fridge/ freezer

2014
- New Navigation electronics package
- New Espar heater

1995
- Significant bottom work
- Re-planked in teak below waterline
- Refastening
- New hull strapping

PHILIP L. RHODES DESIGN No. c720
ABEKING & RASMUSSEN BUILD No. 5678

From the second generation of a successful New York City real estate developing and contracting family, THUNDERHEAD’s first owner, Mamaroneck resident and Larchmont Yacht Club yachtsman Paul Hoffmann, had cut his teeth offshore in the Frank Paine International 8-Metre KAYUGA, then from 1955 with the 1938 Philip Rhodes designed 46 ft double-ender centreboarder HOTHER (ex KIRAWAN II - nicely described as “unique at both ends” in Richard Henderson’s seminal 1981 biography ‘Philip L. Rhodes and his yacht designs’).

Study of this beautiful yacht is rewarding when analysing THUNDERHEAD’s perceived uniqueness. It becomes clear that, though not his original concept, Hoffmann must have thoroughly approved of almost everything HOTHER offered. In THUNDERHEAD he simply got Rhodes to make it even better. The most obvious difference is that THUNDERHEAD is not a double-ender, her wider aft sections contributing to remarkable spaciousness below, and a tremendously ergonomic, deep, safe and sheltered cockpit

Having worked up HOTHER to be the successful racer that as KIRAWAN II she only threatened to be, Hoffmann had over a decade of success and enjoyment with THUNDERHEAD. He was a dedicated offshore racer - one of the founders in 1965 of the Storm Trysail Club’s Block Island Race Week - who liked to do it very comfortably, and THUNDERHEAD still surprises with her performance for a relatively heavy and well found sub-50 footer. By 1966 Paul Hoffmann knew THUNDERHEAD well, but felt her rig could be modernised. The 6 ft added to her mast against the Rhodes office’s advice improved light airs performance to such an extent that they had no choice eventually than approve.

In 1974 Hoffmann transferred these principals of performance and comfort to his next offshore racer, also THUNDERHEAD, an aluminium Sparkman & Stephens/ Derektor IOR 56-footer.

The 1961 THUNDERHEAD’s subsequent few owners have kept her to the manner born and sailed her extensively - always the best recipe for a yacht’s longevity - including an Atlantic circuit in the early 2000s taking in Ireland, Portugal, the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

In present ownership since 2013, THUNDERHEAD has been based in Maine, enjoyed care in expert hands there - and many admirers.

©2024 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.

- Double planked African mahogany topsides
- Double planked teak underbody (1995)
- White oak longitudinal structure with teak keelson
- Laminated white oak frames
- Silicon bronze screw fastened
- White oak floors with bronze strapping
- 6 tonnes lead keel; bronze keelbolts
- Teak laid deck (c.1979)
- Oak deck beams and sheer clamp/ beam shelf
- Varnished teak bulwark rail and capping

GENERAL
- Varnished teak bulwark/ rail and capping
- Teak laid deck
- Varnished mahogany superstructures

FROM AFT
- Stainless steel pushpit
- Stern nav. light
- 2 x Dorade boxes with bronze cowls
- Bronze ensign staff socket
- Bronze panama fairlead in transom
- Bronze recessed mooring fairleads port and starboard
- Bronze downwind sail sheet padeyes port and starboard

COCKPIT
- Raised coaming
- Elevated helm position with shaped teak laid seats
- Lockers under
- Binnacle on steering pedestal
- 5-Spoked stainless steel ship's wheel; leathered
- Stainless steel granny bar with mainsheet winch
- Engine panel and controls
- Sunk forward cockpit
- Part laid teak benches port and starboard
- Lockers under
- Teak laid sole
- Bronze and teak flush hatch in sole

SHEET WINCHES
- 2 x Bronze self-tailing Barient 32 ST sheet winches
- 2 x Bronze self-tailing Barient 28 ST sheet winches
- 2 x Bronze electric self-tailing Barient 40 ST primaries
- Associated A&R pattern bronze cleats
- 1 x Bronze self-tailing Barient 23 ST sheet winches

SHELTER/ HARD DODGER
- Athwartships bench
- Navigation instruments
- 2 x Fold down chart tables
- Plexiglass hatch to saloon
- Windows port and starboard
- 2 x ports forward
- Varnished teak grab rails port and starboard
- Fold down boom crutch

TRUNK CABIN
- Bronze centreboard control housing
- Gas bottle locker
- Dorade boxes port and starboard; bronze cowls
- Varnished teak grab rails port and starboard
- Hatch over galley
- Main companionway hatch with garage to starboard
- Adjacent stainless steel grab rail
- Dorade box to port; bronze cowl
- Antique Merriman winch aft of mast
- Teak and bronze pinrails at mast
- Teak liferaft stowage chocks
- Hatch over forecabin

SIDE DECKS
- Deck prisms
- 2 x Bronze recessed spring fairleads port and starboard
- Bronze chain plates holding bronze turnbuckles to shrouds
- Stainless steel stanchions on bronze bases with bronze caps
- Bronze headsail tracks on cap rails

FOREDECK
- Heavy-duty flush fore hatch of bronze and teak
- Deck prisms adjacent port and starboard
- Bronze fitting for inner forestay
- Bronze Panama fairleads port and starboard
- Bronze stem head fitting with roller and forestay chain plate
- Stainless steel pulpit with port and starboard nav. lights

GROUND TACKLE
- 60 lb / 27 kg CQR bower anchor stowed on bow roller
- Spare Danforth and Bruce anchors
- Anchor chain and rode
- Bronze Ideal electric windlass
- Chain gypsy; rope drum; foot switches; remote

THUNDERHEAD's striking, modern feeling, open plan layout actually has its origins in Philip Rhodes's 1938 design for the 46 ft double-ender cutter KIRAWAN II, owned as HOTHER from 1955 by THUNDERHEAD's first owner, Paul Hoffmann. It's not surprising that Hoffmann almost replicated and expanded HOTHER's aft saloon/ forward stateroom interior concept in THUNDERHEAD, because it really works - both for racing and cruising. Philip Rhodes nicely described it thus:

"... one of the most wide-open and amiable layouts ever put on a boat. When you walk below on this boat, you think she's twice the size she is: it has a tremendous vista".

FROM AFT

MAIN COMPANIONWAY ACCESS VIA STARBOARD HOUSE SLIDING HATCH
- Attractive wheeled staircase to teak and holly cabin sole
- Bronze/ mahogany rail/ balustrade
- Aft to saloon; to port to galley; forward to nav desk, wc, and forecabin

SALOON AFT
- Plexiglass hatch to cockpit
- U-shaped settee
- Drop leaf saloon table over bronze centreboard case
- Sideboard to starboard with 4 x drawers
- Barometer and clock over
- Glasses stowage alcoves to port and starboard
- Book shelves and signal flag pockets
- Lockers under
- Quarter berths outboard port and starboard
- Slatted hull sides at quarter berths
- Reading lights
- 4 x Bronze opening ports
- Grab rails in deckhead port and starboard

GALLEY TO PORT
- Gimballed 4 x Burner Luke propane stove
- Top and front loading Seafrost fridge (2015)
- Top loading Seafrost freezer (2015)
- Stowage lockers under side deck
- Almost on centreline athwartships stainless steel sink
- Mixer tap and seawater hand pump faucet
- Plate racks and stowage over
- Bronze opening port at trunk side
- Grab rail at deckhead port and starboard
- Hatch in trunk deckhead
- Deckhead lights
- Cooling fan in side deckhead

PASSAGE BERTH TO STARBOARD
- Slatted hull sides
- Stowage under
- Cooling fan at deckhead
- Reading light
- Bronze opening port in trunk side

PASSAGE CHART TABLE/ STUDY DESK TO STARBOARD
- Chart table; chart stowage under; drawers under
- Navigation displays outboard
- Ship's electrical panel in forward bulkhead
- Fixed navigator's upholstered stool
- Bronze opening port at trunk side
- Deckhead light

WC/ SHOWER COMPARTMENT OPPOSITE TO PORT
- Groco marine toilet
- Stainless steel sink
- Mixer tap and seawater hand pump faucet
- Stowage under and outboard
- 2 x raw teak and bronze towel rails
- Mirror
- Bronze opening port at trunk side
- Deckhead light
- Cooling fan at deckhead

SLIDING DOOR FORWARD TO FORE/ MASTER CABIN
- Double berth to port
- Drawer stowage under
- Slatted hull side
- Bulkhead mounted clock
- Deckhead lights
- Reading light
- Bureau to starboard with sliding door lockers outboard
- Upholstered seat
- Hanging locker with louvre door
- 3 x Bronze opening ports at trunk side

FORWARD TO FORPEAK
- Sail and gear stowage
- Chain locker
- Forehatch in deckhead

RIG
- 2 x Complete rigs
- Bronze bottle screws

Sitka Spruce Rig
- 1 x 62 ft / 19 m 2 x spreader mast; boom; spin pole
- Stainless steel wire rigging
- Mast winches : bronze Lewmar 16 ST; 2 x Lewmar 22 ST
- Harken Roller furling forestay

Carbon Rig
- 1 x 70 ft / 21 m Carbon 2 x spreader mast; boom
- Lewmar bronze winches (TBA)
- Rod rigging

SAILS
For Sitka Spruce rig
- Mainsail (Maine Sailing Partners 2014)
- Genoa (Doyle 2020)
- Asymmetric Spinnaker (Doyle 2020)
- ISTEC Parasailor downwind sail
- Yankee
- Staysail
- Storm Jib (works with both rigs)
- Storm Staysail
- Storm Trysail (works with both rigs)
For Carbon rig (all mid-1990)
- Mainsail
- Yankee
- Staysail
- Storm Staysail

CANVASWORK
- Sunbrella
- Hatch covers
- Small convertible dodger over companionway hatch
- Cockpit canvas bimini
- Boom cover for mainsail

MECHANICAL
- Westerbeke 64A4 63 hp diesel engine (2005)
- Major overhaul 2017
- Under 1000 hours
- 1.88:1 reduction gear
- Dripless shaft seal
- 1 in/ 25 mm Stainless steel propeller shaft
- 3-Blade bronze MaxProp feathering propeller
- Cable to quadrant steering

ELECTRICAL
VOLTAGES
- 12 V DC and 125/250 V 50A AC systems
- Mastervolt charging system (2017)
- Sinewave Xantrex inverter (2017)
- 4 x House 8D batteries
- 2 x #27 Engine start batteries
- BlueSea electrical panel
- Solar panel

TANKAGE
- 2 x 49 Gal / 185 L Stainless steel fuel tanks
- 3 x 100 Gal / 379 L Stainless steel water tanks
- 12 V freshwater pump
- 110 V Hot water heater
- 1 x 10 Gal / 38 L Hot water tank
- 1 x 20 Gal / 76 L Polyethylene black water tank
- 2 x 10 lb Propane tanks in deck locker

HEATING
- Espar kerosene heating system (2014)

NAVIGATION
- White binnacle mounted steering compass
- Course check compass forecabin deckhead
- Hand held compass
- Raymarine HybridTouch MFD plotter: on deck
- Raymarine HybridTouch MFD plotter: nav station
- Hand held GPS
- Raymarine wind instruments
- Raymarine Radar
- Simrad ST6001 auto pilot
- Barometer
- Tide time clock

COMMUNICATIONS
- Simrad VHF radio with deck repeater
- Hand held VHF radio
- Iridium Sat Phone
- Fusion Audio stereo system

- Engine-driven emergency bilge pump
- Electric Rule 1200 bilge pump
- 2 x Manual Edson emergency backup pumps
- 2 x Bilge alarms
- EPIRB
- 8-Person canister-stowed liferaft
- Grab bag
- Lifesling man overboard system
- 2 x Horseshoe lifebelts
- 4 x Type 1 Personal flotation devices
- Propane sniffer
- Portable horns
- Ship's bell
- Flare kit
- Portable fire extinguishers
- Automatic engine space fire extinguisher
- Radar reflector
- Emergency tiller

- Original, traditional ship's wheel

Sailing photos: John Williams