A Colorful History

This boat has gone by a few different names over her 112 years. In fact, the record is a little murky on exactly which boat this is in the Alden design archives. We know that she was originally designed as part of a small fleet of One-Design race boats for the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts, either in 1912 or 1913. According to a 1993 letter from Donald G. Parrot of the Alden design firm, the boat was originally designed with a gaff rig conferring the benefits of less heel, more comfortable sailing, better balance and more reefing options. This was apparently design #20, unnamed.

However, sometime later, she was converted to a Bermuda or Marconi rig, and then given a different design number - #31. This design was completed in 1913 and named Ding Bat. Incidentally a ding bat is apparently some sort of old logging tool.

The fleet of Corinthian One Designs was eventually acquired by General Electric for use at a corporate retreat. Again, the record is a little murky as to where this retreat was, with varying reports of Association Island on Lake Ontario as well as Lake Champlain. Some of these boats, perhaps all but this one, were eventually sunk or lost to history. This necessitated the fabrication of copper flotation tanks which exist to this day.

The trail gets hot again when the boat is discovered by a Dr. James Ross at a farm near Lake Champlain. He undertook an extensive restoration, including replacing rotted boards, chinking, decking, sails, and paint.

The boat was sold in 1998 to Allan Brouillet and relocated to Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, where it was further restored with an Awlgrip hull coating, navigation lights, a radio, seats, and a very sharp tiller handle. These new owners christened her Cori I.

The boat last changed hands in 2024 and has been rechristened Parliament, which happens to be the English word for a group of owls (so called because the Ancient Greeks believed them to be wise birds). She currently resides in Northport, Michigan and is sailed every summer.