Design and Lineage
Philip Rhodes drew the original Hurricane as a wooden centerboarder soon after World War II. The design found its footing only after the Southern Massachusetts Yacht Racing Association commissioned the Palmer Scott Yard to finish bare hulls with keels instead of centerboards, renaming them the SMYRA class.
Marscot Plastics later took a class-sanctioned mold from a SMYRA boat. In 1958, George O'Day secured Rhodes's approval to call the fiberglass version the Rhodes 19. O'Day halted production by 1980 amid rising material costs and a weak economy; Stuart Marine's first boat appeared in 1984.
The keel model has an iron-ballasted fin keel and a fixed mahogany rudder. The less-popular centerboard version substitutes a fiberglass board and kick-up rudder, with 150 pounds of internal lead ballast set low in the hull to preserve stability. Complete weight is 1,325 pounds for the keel model and 1,030 pounds for the centerboarder. In either form, the Rhodes 19 is a wholesome daysailer with a form-stable hull built on a fast, forgiving bottom.
Rig and Sailing Character
The Rhodes 19 carries a fractional rig, with a 27-foot 10-inch mast and 175 square feet of sail. The hull's relative stability makes jibing with the spinnaker pole manageable even for short-handed crews. Spinnakers were typically launched and retrieved from the cockpit, leaving the spacious foredeck clear and giving the crew room to move.
The manufacturer describes the Rhodes 19 as an accomplished heavy-weather performer, an ideal family daysailer, and a spirited one-design. Writing in Small Boats, naval architect Jim Taylor notes that the boat is particularly well suited to intergenerational sailing. O'Day and Stuart boats remain competitive with each other to this day.
Cockpit and Accommodation
The stock layout has two long molded-fiberglass seats that also serve as flotation chambers. The cockpit provides comfortable bench seating for six adults, surrounded by a varnished mahogany coaming framing the cockpit.
A well-proportioned, low-profile cuddy offers good protection from spray without enclosing the boat. A proper boom tent over the cockpit could extend its range well beyond daysailing. The more cruising-oriented Mariner shares the same hull but replaces the cuddy with a small cabin.
Construction, Draft, and Power
Solid-fiberglass construction and a mahogany rudder define the class. The keel model carries a 440-pound iron keel and draws 3 feet 3 inches. The centerboard version has a 70-pound board, draws 10 inches with the board up, and reaches 4 feet 11 inches with it down. Recommended auxiliary power is 2 to 6 horsepower.
According to one account, old O'Day hulls can be restored to peak competitiveness.
The Verdict
The Rhodes 19 endures because it serves novices and racers without compromise. It combines a stable, dry cockpit with a proven one-design rule and a hull capable of handling heavy air. The centerboard variant opens shallow water, while the keel version anchors the class's ballast-driven steadiness.
Pros
- Fast, forgiving, and accomplished in heavy weather
- Competitive one-design class, with O'Day and Stuart boats interchangeable on the racecourse
- Capacity for six adults, with flotation-chamber seating and a spray-protective cuddy
- Shallow-draft centerboard option that draws 10 inches when retrieving
Cons
- The centerboard model is less popular and carries less iron stability
- O'Day production ended by 1980, and pre-Stuart hulls require careful restoration scrutiny
- Minimal cabin accommodation compared with the Mariner cruising sister
