In 1927, through the efforts of the late Commodore William H. Green, the log canoe race for the, "Governor's Cup" was established. This imposing trophy attracted a very great deal of attention and generated a sudden upsurge of interest in canoe racing. As a result many older canoes were re-fitted for competition, and some were even re-converted from power back to sail. All this activity caught the attention of Easton resident and sailing enthusiast, John D. Williams. Mr. Williams decided to have a new canoe built and in 1932 went to John B. Harrison of Tilgman, Maryland to discuss plans.

"Capt. John B.", as he was known, was unquestionably one of the best and brightest boatbuilders the Chesapeake ever produced. He also was the son-in-law of Capt. Sidney Covington, builder of "Island Bird" and "Island Blossom". A man of immense energy and strength, John B. completed his first bugeye at age 16 and went on to construct scores of schooners, bugeyes, canoes, and "gasoline boats" up until his death in 1947. A great original thinker and innovator (one of his earliest canoes "Albetross" had two centerboards), John B. suggested that Mr. Williams' new canoe be built 35 feet on deck, the maximum length allowed for the Governor's Cup, and be constructed of five logs with a transom or "wineglass" stern. And, to gild the lily still further, the design included vanished strip-planked mahogany decks and bronze fittings. The masts were something special, too, built of "spar pine". (Douglas Fir) brought specially from the West by railroad).

Mr. Williams was undecided on the name for his new "gold plater" and decided to run a contest in the Easton Star Democrat. The $10 first prize was awarded, not surprisingly, to the entry suggesting Mr. Williams' first two initials, "Jay Dee".

As might be expected, the new super canoe, with its polished bottom, lighter spars, new sails, and Capt. Buck Richardson and his crackerjack crew of 12, was virtually unbeatable. Owners of the older canoes were understandably perturbed at the success of the new high-priced vessel - after all, she did cost $1,200!

There was one consolation, however, and that was that "Jay Dee" was declared ineligible for the Governor's Cup because of her transom or "square" stern. Mr. Williams argued that because his canoe's stern was sharp at the waterline, she complied with the rule requiring all competing canoes to be sharp sterned. The arbiters of the rule disagreed, and there was no appeal from their determination.

The follow year, 1933, Mr. A. Johnson Grimes of Oxford decided to give "Jay Dee" some competition and commissioned Capt. John B. to build "Flying Cloud" along the same lines as "Jay Dee". "Cloud" was also built with a square stern and also ruled ineligible for the Governor's Cup. Determined to win the big prize, Mr. Grimes directed John B. to "sharpen" "Cloud's" stern, which was done, and "Cloud" proceeded to win the Governor's Cup but felt that "Jay Dee's" lines were to handsome to change. And so in 1934, he had a second canoe, "Mystery", built along more commercial lines.

Shortly after World War II, Mr. Williams decided to part with "Jay Dee" and advertised her for sale in the Wall Street Journal. The ad caught the eye of Robert Dowling, a New Yorker of many parts. He was a boating enthusiast, a record-setting swimmer, and the owner of some of Manhattan's choicest real estate, including the Hotel Carlisle. Mr. Dowling flew down from New York in his seaplane, landed near Oxford, went for a twenty minute sail, gave Mr. Williams his check and flew back to New York, never to return.

"Jay Dee" was left in the care of Rev. Richard Hubbard and Capt. Jim Richardson, both of Cambridge. For the next 25 years, Mr. Dowling paid for the upkeep and maintenance of the canoe in the Richardson Boatyard, but never saw her again. In 1972 after considerable correspondence, "Jay Dee" was acquired by the North family and brought back into competition. She is now owned and skippered by Dan North, the great-great nephew of the builder. She is the largest canoe in the fleet.

 

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