Boat Name: May Be

Sail: US 38, ex. S 2

Year Built: 1927

Designer: Gustav Estlander

Builder: Abrahamsson & Son

Owner: Time and memory

History: Sven Salen brought S 2 May Be to Long Island Sound for the 1927 series of races in September organized by the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club. Herman Whiton had won the Scandinavian Gold at Hanko, Norway the previous year in Indian Scout and 7 nations came to the USA to challenge for the Cup. Cornelius Shields won the right to defend in US 12 Lea. The origins of the sail type are certainly in Italy, but for the first time before a broader international audience, Sven Salen debuted the "Genoa" jib in this regatta (see below), and was the first to fly this type of sail in North America. The series was hard fought and went out to the maximum of 7 races before Mr. Salen and S2 May Be won it all and in doing so, changed the sport of sailing and our collective concept of an efficient headsail. The boat was sold the following year to Arthur Rousseau of San Francisco, who successfully sailed her on San Francisco Bay and off the coast of Los Angeles in Southern California in many regattas in the late 20's, 30's. May Be met her fate on New Years Day, January 1, 1948 when she got caught in the swell off of Huntington Beach, California and washed ashore. The waves and surf of the Pacific Ocean destroyed her.