History: Nancy was originally designed and built for a Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club syndicate headed by Van Merle-Smith and Phil Roosevelt. Her first appearance was in Bermuda for the spring series held there in 1932. She was sailed in the series by her designer, Olin Stephens, but a disqualification placed her out of the running for the Bermuda Gold Cup. She was then shipped to England for the British-American Team Races. Nancy won the 3rd race and the American team of Nancy, US 56 Jill, US 54 Bob Kat and US 55 Lucie prevailed, winning in 4 straight races. Nancy was then sent to the Clyde in Scotland with Jill to challenge for the Seawanhaka Cup. US 56 Jill, skippered by J. Seward Johnson with crew Olin Stephens, Briggs Cunningham, Bayard Dill and Philip LeBoutillier, was chosen to challenge for the Cup and defeated "Wee" John Stephen sailing the defender, Maida, in 3 straight races. At the end of this racing Nancy was sold and has resided in the U.K ever since. Here is an account of Nancy's history in the UK, from Tim Street and Fiona Brown, which can also be found at the 6 metre Archive:
Nancy was designed by Olin Stephens and beautifully built by Nevins in 1932 for three members of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club of Oyster Bay, expressly for the British-American Team Races to be held that year at Cowes. Due to the bad situation on Wall Street, Olin Stephens was invited to helm her and the US team won in a clean sweep. The other US boats were the Olin Stephens designed Bob Kat II and Jill, with Lucie by Clinton Crane for Briggs Cunningham, making the fourth team member. This was the first American team to win in the Solent and was certainly partly due to their getting to England three weeks before the match, where they all lived in a team house and practised every day. They did get a fright however when all four boats ended up high and dry on the Brambles Bank, but all returned to harbour safely on the rising tide.
Following the British - American team races Nancy went north to Scotland for the challenger trials for the Seawanhaka International Challenge Cup, but was not selected. US 56 Jill succesfully challenged and following this series Nancy was sold to a Harold Edwards on the Gareloch in Scotland, where she began her long stay in England and was re-named Dragon.
In 1936 the Six Metre Class was re-formed on the Solent so Harold Edwards brought her south and she had a distinguished record racing at both Burnham-on-Crouch and on the Solent, where she finished second overall in both 1938 and 1939.
After the war she was purchased by a C.M. Coates of Lymington who raced her in the 1947 Cowes Week, together with another eleven Sixes. She did not get a place, however, so over the winter he sold her to H.V and T.K. Culpan who reverted to her original name of Nancy. In 1948 she took part in Poole Week, together with eight much newer Sixes, gaining a first and second during the week.
By 1951 she had been sold to Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex and raced in Burnham Week. By 1956 she had been fitted with a cabin and small deckhouse designed by Laurent Giles and been measured for an RORC Rating for Ocean Racing, subsequently taking part in a number of East Coast offshore races over the next few years. She was then sold to Capt. Mike Henry RN, who took her back up to the Gareloch where he owned her for twenty-five years, taking part in many Scottish cruiser races.
In the early 1990s she was sold to A.C. Joyce who brought her South to the Hamble, taking part in the 1995 Coupe de L’Entente Cordiale in the Solent and British Open Championships, still with her cabin. She was subsequently bought by R. Dean Wilson and Ms Valerie Wilson Trower who owned her prior to selling her to Bill Green, the founder and principal of Green Marine, Lymington. Bill undertook a complete rebuild to her original status as a Six Metre, subsequently fitting a Third Rule keel to a design by Olin Stephens. Having brought her fully up to date he and his son Pom raced her in major international events for the first time since 1932 starting with her win at the 2004 European Championships at Porto Rotondo, Italy. An interesting side note is that Bill Green's old friend, the America's Cup designer Doug Peterson brought his newly restored US 54 Bobkat to the regatta - the first time the boats had been together since 1932. Nancy is still in the UK, currently owned by Andy Short.
