Below are some interesting racing notes from the Cleveland Fleet, published in the 1953 Yankee One-Design Association handbook. A window into competitive pre-fiberglass racing, these notes show the Yankee champion pitted aqainst R boats and 6 meters.
Rocky River, Ohio 1952
"Mademoiselle" owned by R.S. Albrecht, remains Champion of the Cleveland Yachting Club Yankee Fleet and was the winner of each series during the 1952 season having won every race except on in the Labor Day Series in which she was second to "Valhalla", owned by Frank Poulson.
This year, the 54-mile overnight race to Put-in-Bay for the Alexander Winton Trophy found three Yankees racing against seven R boats and one 6 meter under the universal rule. "Mademoiselle" was second, "Dawn" third and "Sirocco" fifth out of the eleven places.
But, it was during the annual Nitecap Race that "Mademoiselle" was really fired up. This is a 13 mile sunset race for all classes to the Cleveland Waterworks Crib and return. The start was crowded and "Mademoiselle" found herself crossing in a sandwich between two top notch Rs with spinnakers set, but before her crew had time to see the excitment, she had wriggled clear and was proceeding to establish a 1/4 miles lead before rounding on the close reach home. It was then that the Rs found conditions that were tailored exactly to their liking, and when one of them almost reached "Mademoiselle's" stern, she again dug in and opened up another 1/4 mile lead before the finish.
At the end of the year, "Mademoiselle" was awarded the E.R. Andrews Trophy, an old sterling pitcher, which was put back into circulation for presentation to the Cleveland Yacht Club boat having the best overall record for the season out of all entries, which totaled 99 for this year."
