Dorade

Just hit the shelves at Bluewater Books & Charts — Return to Blue Water by Pam Rorke Levy! 📘✨ This incredible new memoir tells the inspiring story of the legendary yacht Dorade, her historic ocean-racing legacy, and the modern restoration campaign that brought her back to glory. From racing triumphs across the Transatlantic, Newport-Bermuda, Fastnet & Transpacific courses to the personal journey of passion, partnership, and courage behind it all, this book is a must-read for sailors and maritime lovers alike.

Available now in store or online through the link in our bio! ⚓️🌊

We’re excited to announce that Dorade has been entered into the next Newport Bermuda Race, her sixth time competing in this race since she first made the attempt in 1930. Follow the link below for the full article:

“The 2026 Newport Bermuda Race fleet is shaping up to be a veritable who’s who of the sailing world! One of the most recent entries is the 1929 Sparkman & Stephens yawl, the 52-foot Dorade. From coast to coast the yacht is known as a stunning embodiment of classic design and a fierce competitor in ocean races.”

https://bermudarace.com/sailing-through-history-dorade-joins-2026-bermuda-race-fleet/

Keep an eye out this week for a retelling of the 1930 and 2012 Bermuda Races Dorade entered, excerpted from Pam Rorke Levy’s memoir Return to Blue Water. You can purchase your own copy at the Sailing Museum in Newport, RI or by following the link below.

https://bluewaterweb.com/product/return-to-blue-water/

Pam and Matt stayed true to Olin’s ethos of choosing the highest quality materials during their 2010 refit. For example, the blocks and winches were special-ordered to look the part while constructed with modern bearings and gears on the inside:

“’I want it to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing,’ Matt said. ‘Take advantage of the latest materials, the best new technology.’

“‘But have the boat look just the way it did in 1930?’ I finished his thought.

“‘Right.’

“Matt’s strategy would mean installing the most advanced electronic navigational instruments but hiding them behind wooden panels. Replacing the boat’s heavy wooden spinnaker poles with lightweight composite versions faux painted to look like wood. Using composite sails that looked like cotton. All of which required the highest level of expertise and twice as much time and money as simply restoring the boat to its original condition. And that work had to be managed remotely from San Francisco, where we both had full-time jobs.”

It may have taken more time and money than they originally anticipated, but the care and attention that Pam and Matt gave Dorade is the reason why she is still seaworthy—and competitive—today. See more of her in Return to Blue Water, which you can find through the link below.

https://bluewaterweb.com/product/return-to-blue-water/

Pam and Matt shared the same desire as Olin and Rod for Dorade to have the highest quality deck hardware and most up to date technology. How they achieved that was different! Today let’s take a peek at the brothers’ approach during the initial build.

“The boys searched yachting magazines for the latest in onboard technology. Instead of the block and tackle still in use on many sailboats, they equipped Dorade with the newest deck-mounted winches, which would help them raise and lower sails more quickly and more safely than their competitors. The deck hardware and rigging was custom made out of cast bronze, lighter than steel and less prone to failure. They carried not one but two compasses, one lit by a single battery-powered light, and a taffrail log – a spinning meter they would tow off the transom to track their distance traveled.”

Check out tomorrow’s post to see Dorade’s modern-day refit and Matt and Pam’s approach to new hardware. (And in the meantime, purchase your copy of Return to Blue Water from the link below.)

https://bluewaterweb.com/product/return-to-blue-water/