Lake George, New York, is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

Nestled in the Adirondack Mountains, about 60 miles north of Albany (or about 200 miles north of Long Island Sound's famous yacht clubs such as Larchmont), the lake has been the summer destination for many for over a century. Many of New York's wealthiest financial and industrial leaders built grand "camps" on the lake, as did technical leaders and executives from General Electric's Schenectady, NY corporate laboratory.

Just as the Sound Interclubs (iSc's) were launched and began racing in the late 1920's in Long Island Sound, three men (that would be the center of bringing the iSc's to Lake George a decade later) were hard at work as inventors and entrepreneurs.

Dr. Ernst F. W. Alexanderson :
"Dr Alex" as he was known to be called, was a Swedish electrical engineer working at GE. He is famous for his inventions in the area of radio transmission.
In 1928, he brought sailing to Lake George in the form of a 30 foot Scandinavian sloop named "Nordic". Soon after, in 1930, he joined the Lake George Club, the premiere social and sports club on Lake George.

Harold P. Pitcairn :
Following an early career as an aviator, Pitcairn sold his business in the late 1920's to pursue his interest in helicopter technology. This interest led him, and Agnew Larsen, to invent the "autogiro" (a plane with a helicopter-like rotating wing on top). He had a large family and in 1934 bought a large property on Lake George, a few miles south of the Lake George Club.

Hibbard W. Hall :
"Hibby" Hall was a local entrepreneur and business man who formed "Hall's Boat Company" in 1928. Located at the southeast corner of Lake George, it was the hub of boat sales and working on Lake George. (The exact location where #12, Caprice is being restored today.) Not only was it the premium Gar Wood dealer on Lake George, but it became the focal point for boat repairs, modifications and storage in the area. Many a wealthy Lake George resident took delivery of their Gar Wood's through Hall's in the late 1920's and '30's. (Hibby himself owned a 1928 Gar Wood) and/or serviced and stored their boats Hall's.
Hall was also an avid pilot, and learned the often tricky shifting winds around the lake.

And so, their careers off to great beginnings, these three young men came together to bring sailing to Lake George - in a big way. Their first endeavor was to bring Cape Cod Knockabouts to the Lake in 1934 for one design racing. All being inventors and entrepreneurs, they quickly modified them at Hall's with lead keels for stability. Following this, they moved on to Stars, but by late 1937, they had an appetite for an even bigger, more powerful, one design boat. The timing was perfect, as down on Long Island Sound, Corny Shields was establishing his new International one design fleet, and moving the iSc owners over to them. Records show that numerous iSc's left the Sound area that year and the following. In total, it is believed that nine iSc's made their way to Lake George. We do know that Pitcairn bought two, and Alexanderson and Hall bought one each.

The iSc's became the largest and fastest sailboats on the lake. Racing at the Lake George Club became the favored and most competitive sport. Club records show that Hibby Hall dominated race results in the period 1939 through 1947 (racing may have been suspended during the war years 1943 through 1945),
followed closely by Pitcairn. The last reported racing results were in 1958.

Several iSc's continued on the lake the following years, but the most famous were Hibby Hall's #10, "Teal", and #26, "Night Hawk". These boats were later sold to a local resort, the Canoe Island Lodge, and sailed for guests throughout the 1960's, '70's and early '80's. Other then #19, Susan, the current whereabouts of all these boats is unknown at this time.

iSc's verified (through misc. photo's of sail #'s) to have sailed on Lake George :

#6 "Windy" (originally "Ermar") owned by Dan H. Winchester
#10 " Teal" (originally "Ahab") owned by Hibby Hall
#13 (originally "Bandit")
#19 "Susan" (originally "Lotus")
#21 (originally "Orithyea")
#23 (originally "Triton")
#24 (originally "Pegety"
#26 " Night Hawk" (originally Sister)

Harold Pitcairn is listed as the owner of #27, originally "Daphene", in 1938, and was given the name "Picaroon," but no photo's of #27 have been found.

In addition, Corny Shields states that he sold his beloved #25 "Aileen" to someone on Lake George as he acquired his International. No records of #25 having been on Lake George have been found to date.

" Ref.: " The Lake George Club, "A Family of Friends - The First Hundred Years at the Lake George Club, Diamond Point, NY, 2009 "

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