Heldena II
YEAR: 1916
Rick McGraw always dreamed of owning a original Gold Cup raceboat. By the year 2000, it was looking like the opportunity may not present itself, when at the Muskoka Boatshow 'Field of Dreams', Ricks eye was caught by 'Heldena II'. Saved from a wrecking yard in the 1970's by Matt Fairbrass, the hull was partially restored and all of the hardware and original fittings were with it.
LENGTH: 36'
In 1915, this boat was designed by George Crouch, and built by J.J. Taylor in 1916. It was one of the longest campaigned Gold-Cup boats of the era, and held two world records including the Fastest Displacement Hull in the World at 42 mph. It was and still is powered with a Capital-converted Liberty V-12 Open-Valve Aircraft Engine that was built by the Allies to win WWI.
BUILDER: J.J. TAYLOR BOATS
A large collection of original photographs were used to meticulously re-build this piece of history. Seldom does a boat have so much documentation, and this helps authenticate each phase of the restoration. 'Heldena II" hit the water in 2003, and participated in numerous boat shows and events. Peter Breen and Rick McGraw have spent over a decade learning the personality of the Liberty V-12 engine, and Rick uses the boat regularly.
