STEARNS

In 1922 Frank Ballou Stearns, the Cleveland manufacturer of the high quality Stearns automobiles,  decided to design and commission  a motor yacht to be powered by a pair of Swedish designed Mianus  2-stroke diesels.  This was quite an experiment at the time as petrol engines were the usual small ship power plant.  Oil engines considered too heavy and dirty for pleasure craft.  The Luders shipyard at Stamford Connecticut was chosen to build and in due course No 198, 'Ginger-Dot' was launched, named after daughters Ginger and Dorothy.  Home port Cleveland, Ohio and New York Yacht Club.  She was written up at length in Yachting magazine in September '22.  Rosenfeld also made several portraits.

Stearns had to take time off from the car factory due to illness and  embarked on extensive cruises with his family and  crew. They had a particularly rough passage to Cuba when the pious Mrs Stearns insisted the crew unite in prayer. Stearns reportedly said to them he had done all the praying while the boat was being built.  Anyway they all survived to make several  long trips north and south. The Mianus engines performed very cleanly and well.

Here she is with family and friends enjoying the Yale Harvard races in 1924. Daughters Ginger and Dorothy on the foredeck. Stearns and wife leaning against the saloon.

And at home port of Cleveland, Ohio.