Rowdy was designed by the legendary Nathaniel Herreshoff and built (by him) in 1916 in Bristol, Rhode Island. She is one of the yachts of the "New York 40-Foot Class," so named because one of the strict requirements of the class rules was that she be 40 feet long in the KVL. Between 1916 and 1918, approximately 15 boats of this class were built. Better known as "fighting forties," these boats were built for members of the New York Yacht Club. World War I hindered the development and further construction of this class of yachts, and today most of them have ceased to exist. Rowdy was fortunate to be one of the few yacht models to survive and recently underwent a major restoration that will ensure her longevity. Funnily enough, her current owner, the famous British yachtsman Graham Walker (who was head of the 1987 British America's Cup Fighting Syndicate) bought this incredible boat on eBay.
