Bolero Relaunched After 18-Month Restoration at Rockport Marine

A crowd of more than 350 people — including invited guests, shipyard staff and crew, and members of the local and boatbuilding communities — gathered on May 15 for the noon launching of the classic Sparkman & Stephens racing yawl Bolero. The relaunch followed an intensive 18-month restoration and systems refit carried out at Rockport Marine in Maine.

Bolero is a 73-foot yawl originally built by the Henry B. Nevins shipyard on City Island, New York, for John Nicholas Brown, who served as commodore of the New York Yacht Club. Launched in 1949, the Sparkman & Stephens-designed racer enjoyed early success, finishing first in several Bermuda races during her competitive career.

Rockport Marine undertook a comprehensive restoration that addressed both structural integrity and modern systems. Shipwright John England led a team that at times numbered up to 20 craftsmen. When Bolero arrived at the yard, many frames were broken and inspection revealed the horn timber and several deck beams needed replacement. The restoration program replaced those elements and rebuilt the backbone of the vessel to contemporary standards while respecting her classic design.

The hull was rebuilt with a new internal structure of laminated oak frames. To restore the watertight integrity and longevity of the hull, Rockport Marine double-planked the hull, using sipo (African mahogany) over cedar and bonding the layers with epoxy. This approach preserved the vessel’s wooden character while adding modern adhesives and methods to improve strength and durability. Bolero’s original cedar deck was replaced with an Alaskan yellow cedar veneer over a composite deck structure, combining the look and feel of traditional materials with the resilience of modern composites.

Major standing and running rigging components were also addressed. Both the main and mizzen masts received extensive overhauls to ensure they met safety and performance standards. Interior spaces were largely redone: the restoration refreshed living quarters, cabinetry, joinery and finishes to make the interior both seaworthy and comfortable for future use.

Rockport Marine, founded in 1962, specializes in the restoration and construction of traditional and contemporary wooden vessels. The yard’s expertise in preserving classic craft made it well suited for a project of Bolero’s scale and historic importance. At the time of the relaunch, Rockport Marine was also working on other notable restorations, including Adventuress, an 83-foot Fife schooner scheduled for launch in 2011, and Tradewind, a 1938 Alden motorsailer expected to return to the water in the same season.

The relaunch offered an opportunity for the community and the wider yachting world to see how careful craftsmanship and modern materials can extend the life of a classic racing yawl. By blending traditional wooden boatbuilding techniques with contemporary adhesives, laminated framing, and composite deck construction, Rockport Marine restored Bolero’s structural integrity while honoring her original lines and racing pedigree.

Bolero’s return to the water underscores the value of thoughtful restoration in preserving maritime heritage. The relaunch ceremony brought together those who built, maintained and admired the yawl, celebrating both the vessel’s storied past and the future made possible by careful conservation and skilled workmanship.

This article originally appeared in the New England Home Waters section of the July 2010 issue.