Without intending any disrespect to grammar, yachts are often referred to as “she” — and Saga makes that feel completely natural. Her slender lines and elegant overhangs mark her as a classic Six Meter, a boat that turns heads and rewards close inspection.
Modern yachts no longer sport carved, bare-chested figureheads, but a well-turned hull still invites the roving eye. Saga’s graceful stern and long counter are the definition of tasteful boat beauty. She has been admired by many — including Cornelius Shields, the investment banker and gifted sailor who fell under her spell in the 1930s.
I had the pleasure of following in Corny’s wake on a calm summer day as Saga was taken for a sail off Port Madison, Washington, by her owner, Kimo Mackey. In the light breeze she skimmed the Puget Sound, her pale-green hull slicing gently through the water under a moderate heel. The rudder was feather-light and precise, and the uncluttered deck and large Mylar genoa created classic sightlines for anyone who appreciates the romance of traditional sailing.
Saga is unmistakably a classic yacht, but she benefits from modern hardware and rigging installed with meticulous care. Before describing that work, it helps to look back at her origins.
An inspiration for a new class
Saga was designed and built in Norway in 1935 by Bjarne Aas for Sir Eldon and Kenneth Trimingham of Bermuda. She was intended to race locally and, in April 1936, she competed at regattas in Hamilton Harbor against visiting U.S. Six Meters. Cornelius Shields saw her there and later wrote that he fell instantly in love: he admired her shape, her sheer, her modest transom and her long counter — features that haunted him on his voyage home.
Saga won trophies at those regattas and her lines proved persuasive. Shields was seeking a new design for a one-design class: a boat built by a single yard to a uniform rule so racing would be close, campaign costs would be controlled, and a variety of small classes could be consolidated. Inspired by Saga’s elegant International Rule–influenced hull, Aas produced drawings for a slightly smaller, lighter boat with less sail area and a short cabin trunk. That design became the International One Design (International One Design).
Shields promoted the new class energetically, even using personal persuasion and hard work to secure orders. He arranged for production in Fredrikstad, Norway, and the first boats were sold to American sailors at a competitive price that included sails, shipping and insurance. The IOD quickly gained popularity up and down the U.S. East Coast, in San Francisco and in Europe — a success that also drew many sailors away from the Six Meter class.
Saga was eventually sold by the Triminghams and spent time racing on Long Island Sound, then moved to San Francisco where Myron Spaulding sailed her for a time. In 1941 she went to the Pacific Northwest and became a mainstay of the emerging regional Six Meter fleet, where she remains a beloved and iconic boat.
The Gucci factor
Before Kimo Mackey purchased Saga in 1990 she had a succession of caring owners, including Six Meter enthusiasts Ray Elliott and Bill Buursma, and she campaigned successfully in Victoria, British Columbia, under Paul Longridge. Saga’s racing record includes a North American championship in 1961 and strong showings at other major regattas, including recognition as the top “Senior Six” at the 1983 World Cup in Newport Beach.
Mackey attributes much of Saga’s longevity to the exceptional materials used in her original construction. “She is probably the only Six Meter that has an original backbone and floors of teak and bronze,” he notes. Her steady racing career also meant she received continuous care, avoiding the deterioration that sometimes affects boats left idle.
In 2002 Jespersen Boat Builders in North Saanich replaced the lower halves of the frames between mast and rudder post with laminated oak sections bonded to the existing upper frames. That work added strength and stiffness to support her 7,000-pound lead ballast and helped preserve performance, even in light air. Mackey and his crew also optimized the rig—moving the mast slightly aft and the forestay forward to increase headsail area without upsetting the boat’s balance, which improves light-air performance.
When Mackey took sole ownership he addressed a number of critical needs: a new deck built from two layers of glassed quarter-inch plywood, carefully shaped deck beams with individual cambers, and a thoughtfully arranged cockpit and mast location. He added a laminated coaming capped with an unvarnished teak rail and a small aft rumble seat covered by a butterfly hatch — a favorite spot for children and guests.
To seal hull seams he used a flexible epoxy and chose a hull color inspired by the pale green label on a Campari bottle. But the most telling signs of quality are in the details: blocks and sheaves aligned with precision, custom-made Tufnol risers and backing plates to resist wear under load, and protective tubes in turn-block drill holes to keep water out. Even the genoa track was installed so there are no visible fasteners from above, a small touch that reflects hours of painstaking work. Mackey estimates a professional yard might have charged a six-figure sum for the same level of finish.
Dual purpose but one gender
Longtime crew member Tom Delius appreciates the result. “You have to appreciate what Kimo’s done,” he says. “Saga is both comfortable for cruising and competitive for racing. He really nailed it.”
Mackey plans modest cruising upgrades — a custom dodger and a transparent skylight over the forward cockpit — to make passages to the San Juan and Gulf Islands more practical. His conversions have always been pragmatic: Saga can be outfitted for overnight trips with little more than air mattresses, sleeping bags, a cooler and a portable head.
Returning to her dock at Port Madison, Saga passes other celebrated Six Meters such as Llanoria and Goose — impressive boats in their own right — yet she retains a dignity and presence all her own. Her largely original hull, her influence on the design of the International One Design class, and the careful restoration work she has received place her in a league by herself. Approaching eighty years old, she looks and sails as well as many newer yachts. It’s easy to understand why Cornelius Shields fell for her lines and why Saga continues to be affectionately called a “she.”
Dieter Loibner is sailing editor for Soundings.
February 2014 issue