SPARKMAN & STEPHENS 37 FT RORC ONE-TONNER 1968 - PROJECT

GOLONDRINA’s beautiful simplicity perhaps belies her superb provenance as an offshore racing thoroughbred and Mediterranean champion from a period over 50 years ago when, as OJALÀ, she and her Sparkman & Stephens cousins were blazing a trail internationally, demonstrating the viability of separating rudder from keel. In direct descent from the UK “Terrible Twins” ROUNDABOUT and CLARIONET, Chris Bouzaid’s RAINBOW II from New Zealand (One Ton Cup winner 1969, and runner up 1968), the Swan 36, and hull design sister of 1972 Mediterranean One Ton champion VOLONTÉ, OLAJÀ was Mediterranean One Ton champion in 1970 and 1971, and won her class in the 1971 Giraglia. As GOLONDRINA she has been with the same family since 1972 as a cherished cruiser, and since the early 1990s a regular entrant and winner at Vele d'Epoca di Imperia. The timing couldn’t be better with a new division being promoted by CIM in the Mediterranean for vintage RORC and IOR Rule yachts - in particular One Tonners. GOLONDRINA is priced at a realistic level because she is now in need of an extensive refit.

2018
- Rebuilding skeg at rudder shaft
- Replacement of all seacocks
- Repainting of mast, boom and spinnaker pole

2014
- Hull stripped back to bare wood
- WEST SYSTEM Resins treatment and re-varnishing.

1988
- New teak deck
- Hull stripped back to bare wood
- WEST SYSTEM Resins treatment and re-varnishing.

Sparkman & Stephens Design No. 1922

“When asked by his friends if he was going to fulfill his dream of owning a sailboat, Charles Holland always answered ‘hopefully’. These friends were Argentinian so that came out as ‘ojalà’. The dream was fulfilled…” Livorno Daily Photo blog, 2013

Her commissioning owner was 50-year-old Charles Holland, the Milan based Englishman brought up in Argentina who founded and built the success of what has become the world’s largest hearing aid manufacturer, Amplifon.

Holland had settled in Italy after the Second World War, having served there with the British Special Operations Executive (think James Bond) and the Canadian ‘Devil’s Brigade’. Much of this activity was so secret, and Holland so modest, that many close to him didn’t realise until the UK archives were de-classified in 2006 – five years after Holland’s death.

The builder, Carlini, was a Sparkman & Stephens Mediterranean favourite; under the supervision of Rod Stephens the build quality was second to none. OJALÀ was twice One Ton Champion of the Mediterranean, in 1970 and 1971. In 1971 she also participated in the Fastnet Race, and back in home waters was 1st in that year’s Giraglia.

But racing yacht design, at least to achieve a competitive rating, was moving apace late 60s/ early 70s. With an eye on the 1973 One Ton Cup at Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Holland commissioned the aluminium hulled IOR One Tonner OJALÀ II from Sparkman & Stephens which his family still owns. OJALÀ (I) transferred to present ownership as GOLONDRINA in 1972; remarkably she has subsequently only sold again within the family of her second owner.

©2024 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.

GOLONDRINA returned to racing in the early 1990s with the rise of Classic regattas. Her prize list from 1994 to 2007 is impressive:

1994 – 1st Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
1995 – 1st La Nioularge, Saint-Tropez
1996 – 1st Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
1997 – 1st Trofeo Mario Formenton, Porto Raphael
1997 – 2nd San Pellegrino Veteran Boat Rally, Porto Cervo
1997 – 1st Campionato invernale del ponente ligure
1998 – 1st Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
1999 – 2nd Trofeo Mario Formenton, Porto Raphael
1999 – 2nd Prada Veteran Boat Rally, Porto Rotondo
1999 – 1st Trofeo Carlini Race
2000 – 1st Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
2000 – 1st Trofeo Luigi Durand De La Penne, La Spezia
2001 – 1st Trofeo Mario Formenton, Porto Raphael
2001 – 1st Trofeo Luigi Durand De La Penne, La Spezia
2003 – 2nd Trofeo Luigi Durand De La Penne, La Spezia
2004 – 2nd Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
2004 – 1st Trofeo Luigi Durand De La Penne, La Spezia
2006 – 2nd Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
2007 – 2nd Trofeo Luigi Durand De La Penne La Spezia

- Mahogany planking on laminated frames
- Teak laid deck on plywood substrate
- Rudder and skeg separated from keel
- Short fin keel with trim tab
- (Trim tab improves downwind capability)

GENERAL & FROM AFT
- Teak laid deck on marine plywood substrate
- Raised, capped varnished mahogany toerail
- Stainless steel stanchions and guardrails
- Barient and Lewmar winches

AFT
- Stainless steel pushpit
- incorporating backstay chainplate
- Stern light
- Custom stainless steel quarter fittings
- incorporating mooring fairleads, cheeck block padeyes & pushpit anchor
- Mahogany and teak laid lazarette hatch
- Alloy mooring cleats port and starboard
- Ensign staff socket

COCKPIT
- Attractively shaped S&S style coaming sweeping over trunk cabin
- Teak laid benches port and starboard at deck level
- Varnished mahogany margins
- Stowage under
- Teak laid sole
- Tiller with trim tab controls at rudder head
- Teak laid bridge deck with alloy mainsheet traveller and car
- Engine panel
- Throttle control

TRUNK CABIN
- Varnished Mahogany uprights
- Painted plywood roof
- Companionway hatch with louvre washboard
- Danforth-White Constellation steering compasses port and starboard
- Compass guards
- 4 x Line winches and associated traditional cleats port and starboard
- Instrument repeater over hatch garage
- Mahogany hatch over saloon
- Varnished grabrails port and starboard
- Mast position
- Dorade box and cowl to port over WC/ Shower compartment
- Sliding mahogany and plexiglass forehatch

SIDEDECKS
- Headsail sheet tracks at rail with cars
- Rail mounted sheaves aft
- Deck mounted headsail sheet track and cars
- Primary winches on stainless steel pedestals port and starboard

FOREDECK
- 2 x Alloy mooring cleats
- Custom stainless steel stemhead fitting
- incorporating mooring cleats; bow roller; pulpit anchor
- Stainless steel pulpit

GROUND TACKLE
- Bruce anchor
- Galvanised anchor chain
- 12 V Vertical drum windlass

- Accommodation sleeps up to 5 persons
- 4 x Steps down to sole
- Ship's electrical panel aft of companionway steps
- Liferaft stowage

PILOT BERTH TO PORT
- Also chart table seat
- Stowage outboard and under

FORWARD FACING CHART TABLE TO PORT
- Stowage outboard and under
- Sailor radio set
- Raymarine autopilot interface
- Deckhead light over
- Chromed opening port

GALLEY TO STARBOARD
- Galley to starboard
- Stowage outboard and under
- Aft facing stainless steel sink under bridge deck
- Fresh water electrically pumped to faucet
- Sea water manually pumped to faucet
- Top loading fridge
- 2 x Burner gimballed gas hob
- Bridge deckhead light
- Chromed opening port

SALOON
- Settee berths port and starboard
- Stowage outboard
- Engine space partly recessed in sole; drop leaf table over
- Bottle stowage in table
- Hatch in deckhead
- Code flag stowage port forward bulkhead
- Ship's clock and barometer
- Chromed opening ports port and starboard
- 2 x Deckhead lights

FORWARD TO ATHWARTSHIPS WC/ SHOWER COMPARTMENT
- Marine toilet, shower and stainless steel Pullman sink to port
- Stowage outboard to port
- Hanging locker to starboard

FORE CABIN/ PEAK
- 2 x Pipe cot berths
- Stowage
- Chain locker
- Sliding forehatch in deckhead
- Chromed opening ports port and starboard

RIG
- Proctor aluminium mast (1972 - replacing the original wooden mast)
- Aluminium boom (1992)
- Aluminium spinnaker pole

SAILS
- All by North Sails
- 2 x Mainsails
- Roller genoa
- N° 1 Genoa
- N° 2 Genoa
- N° 3 Genoa
- Storm jib
- Trysail
- Spinnaker

MECHANICAL
- Volvo Penta MD 2030 3 cyl 29 hp diesel engine
- JPROP 3-bladed feathering propeller

ELECTRICAL
- 2 x 12 V batteries
- Battery charger

TANKAGE
- Steel fuel tank 50 L
- 2 x Steel fresh water tanks, total 160 L

NAVIGATION
- 2 x Danforth-White Constellation steering compasses
- Autohelm wind, log and depth
- GPS
- Raymarine autopilot

COMMUNICATIONS
- Sailor radiotelephone