| FLYING CLOUD IV,
a 43' "motor cutter," was built in 1940 at the Hodgdon Bros.
Yard in East Boothbay, Maine.
William Hand Jr., born in Portland, Maine, in 1875 designed the
strongest and most beautiful motorsailers ever built.
Hand's motorsailers were considered the ultimate in form and
function. This may be so because he owned and used each motorsailer.
As a result of his experience, each new design was a well thought out
improvement over the last.
FLYING CLOUD IV was discovered in Wickford, Rhode Island, by Bruce
Kennedy, a wooden boat restoration expert.
Bruce was working on one of his boats at the Wickford Shipyard when he
noticed FLYING CLOUD IV and asked about her.
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FLYING CLOUD IV
Hand
Motorsailer 43'
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FLYING CLOUD IV was the last of an era of Motorsailers
designed by William Hand who was considered the dean of motorsailers.
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Hand's unique motorsailers can be traced from 1927 to 1940, and
FLYING CLOUD IV was his last.
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FLYING CLOUD IV's previous owner had spent about $35,000 on her
restoration only to discover the freelance boat carpenter he hired
had destroyed the boat beyond reasonable repair with irresponsible
work.
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Bruce found out
she was derelict on her storage bill to the shipyard because the Maine
Museum, to which she had been donated two years prior, realized she was
more of a project than they could manage and afford so they ignored her.
By the time Bruce discovered her, she could be had for the overdue
storage bill.
That was when Davita Nowland visited Bruce and Flying Cloud IV.
This boat was not a viable restoration project and Bruce planned to
use the interior, the rig and other components on his boat.
One month later Nowland returned with a small crew to disassemble the
hull, and loaded as much as possible into a box truck and brought it to
Gloucester.
More information about William Hand and his designs are available at
the Hart Nautical Museum at M.I.T.
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