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Bob Kat II

Bob Kat II was designed by Olin Stephens in 1931, when he was only 22, for Bob Meyer. Her name was a combination of those of her two owners, Bob and his wife Katherine. Meyer was captain of the 1932 US team for the British-American Cup, where Bob Kat was the top scorer in the winning US team. She again formed one of the team for 1934, again being top scorer, and defended the Seawanhaka Cup for the US, beating Kyla in three straight races.

By 1937 she was based at Marblehead, Mass, owned by John S. Lawrence and by the mid 1940s she had been sold to California, where she spent the next 55 years. By 1944 Bob Kat II was fitted with a cruising style cabin and small engine which allowed her to take part in offshore racing. She was a resident of Newport Harbor and at the San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC).

From 1948 until at least 1962 she was owned by Ernest Kaiser of Newport Harbor. Around a dozen sixes were actively sailed out of various southern California ports at this time. Boats from Newport Harbor, San Diego, and Los Angeles continued to race occasionally from the war years until the mid-70s. Other members of the fleet included Saleema, Mystery, May Be II, Tidsfordriv (‘Honey’), Caprice, and others. At some point Bob Kat II was sold to San Diego and renamed twice, ‘Angelina’ then ‘Sceptre’.

She languished at the San Diego Yacht Club until 2003 when Doug Peterson purchased Bob Kat II from a fellow San Diego Yacht Club member and had her shipped to Porto Santo Stefano, Italy. Here she was restored to her full racing potential.

She came in 4th place in the 2004 European Championship in Porto Rotondo, Italy in the Classic Division. In the same year, in Les Voiles de St. Tropez, she won the Marconi/Tradition-Category “C” and was subsequently 2nd to Georgia in the Six Metre Class there. In 2005 they finished 12th in the Classic Worlds at Sandhamn. She does not appear to have raced in 2006 but in 2007 Doug brought her to the Worlds at Cowes, where she finished 6th with her best place a 2nd. After that Doug laid her up in Lymington for sale. She was bought by Andrew Webster, who had her refitted by The Elephant Boatyard and her first major regatta under his ownership was the 2014 European Championships in Falmouth, UK.

Information kindly supplied by Fiona Brown/Tim Street with additional information from Matt Cockburn.

Boat ID
1931US01
Boat Names
Original name: Bob Kat II Other names: Angelina Sceptre Last name recorded: Bob Kat II
Build Year
1931
Build Country
US
Sail Numbers
First number recorded: US54 Last number reported: GBR54 (2016)
Designers
Olin Stephens
Restored or rebuilt
Significant Dates
Boat Measurements
LOA - 26ft 11in Beam - 6ft 10in Draft - 5ft 3in
Rule Number
Rule 2
Website

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