46' Rhodes Ketch (1937) - ARABELLA

Arabella is a 1937 custom Rhodes ketch, built in City Island by Robert Jacob. She is 46’3″ on deck, 51’3″ overall, 11’9″ beam, 6′ draft, double planked, Honduras mahogany over cedar, on oak frames, with teak deck, houses and bulwarks.

Arabella was commission by Elihu Root (the son of Teddy Roosevelt’s Secretary of War). Her design is attributed to Phillip Rhodes in its entirety, however in Llewellyn Howland III’s book, No Ordinary Being, he outlines how Elihu Root also engaged Starling Burgess in Arabella’s design below the waterline, as Root was endeavoring to support these great yacht designers during the economic hardships of the times.

Arabella was designed for cruising, but proved to be a capable racer. She was sailed trans-Atlantic several times, and was raced both in the US and Scandinavia.

She competed in multiple Bermuda races, her last being in honor of her 50th birthday.

Arabella is lovingly owned by her fifth owners, who lived aboard and cruised on her full time for much of the past 10 years, and is currently having her original teak decks refastened and re-caulked. She will celebrate her 86th birthday in April of 2023.