Bay Area Alumna ‘Gesture’ Stacks Up on Accolades

In August 2023, the freshly restored Gesture was launched on San Francisco Bay. Then, on September 11, her spinnaker was raised in preparation for the Rolex Big Boat Series on September 14–17.

Gesture is a 57-ft Sparkman & Stephens sloop finished in 1941 by builder Quincy Adams of Massachusetts. Her efforts in the RBBS cemented her reputation as “one fast boat” — sprinting to the finish in company of Bay Area legends Mayan, Hurrica V, Kay of Göteborg, Ocean Queen V and the 8 Meter Yucca. Gesture didn’t win the day, but she placed an admirable second, trailing Yucca by one point, and leading Mayan by the same margin.

The two-and-a-half years she spent in restoration at Jeff Rutherford’s Boatshop in Point Richmond were years well spent. In her heyday, Gesture was regarded as one of the best-known ocean racers of the time. A first in the 635-mile Newport to Bermuda Race in 1946 and one of three American yachts to compete in the Class 1 division at the Fastnet Race are among her achievements. Her placing in the RBBS was a promise of her return to glory. Although she followed the Bay Area race with a journey east, she continues to sail, delivering on that promise.

On Thursday, July 31, Gesture finished first in the Castine to Camden, a 19.4-mile race that serves as the first of three days of racing culminating with the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta held on August 2. She then completed the deal by placing first in the ERR itself.

Latitude reader Randall von Wedel is clearly proud of Gesture’s achievements, and of Jeff Rutherford in his work on bringing yet another classic back to life. Thanks to Randall for sending us the update.

Bay Area sailor Martha Blanchfield shared a comprehensive history of Gesture in the October 2023 issue of Latitude 38. Read here.