When shipped to North America in 1925 by her Norwegian builders Anker & Jensen, LEONORE’s design and build provenance added Scandinavian finesse to the American Universal Rule of Measurement – the same rule the larger J-Class yachts were and kind of still are built to. Along with build sister SALLY XIII, LEONORE and her commissioning owner, Robert Amory of Boston, joined a Marblehead Q-Class fleet that would peak at 14 boats by 1929; 14 thoroughbred 50-footers coming to the start line would have been quite something. They weren't the only Universal Rule boats designed in Europe for sailing in US waters; around the same time, for example, Scotland's William Fife and England's Charles Nicholson joined Anker in having R-Class designs racing successfully on the West and East Coasts, some built by American yards. LEONORE was born into a fascinating period of truly international yacht design intrigue set around very sporty boats.

In 1931 she moved to the other side of Cape Cod and the perfect, breezy sailing waters of Buzzards Bay where, as PALOMA, she became Champion boat and won the Block Island Race during James Jackson's short period of ownership. She then became the second of Walter Wheeler's famous COTTON BLOSSOMS, winning the Astor Cup in 1938 (a later COTTON BLOSSOM would be the 75ft William Fife designed 1926 Fastnet Race winner HALLOWE'EN). Once a thoroughbred, always a thoroughbred: by 1940 she had moved inland to Chicago as SCIMITAR with continued handicap racing success in the hands of William Faurot and Charles Deere Wiman, in particular coming 3rd in the 1941 Mackinac Race, and 2nd in 1942 and 1943.

By 1949 she found herself on the US west coast in the ownership (as a gift) of Deere Wiman's daughter Mary Jane Wiman Brinton and regained the name COTTON BLOSSOM II, which she would retain through a succession of west coast owners for over 60 years. These included: Ted Halton, winning line-honours in the 1959 Swiftsure; Ed Turner, who retrieved the prestigious San Diego Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup for the owning club in 1965; the Cole family (Doug Cole meticulously recorded and once shared her history online), and, from 2003, America's Cup legend Dennis Conner who gave her a new lease of life through an outstanding restoration. We deal with that elsewhere here, but shouldn't leave California without mentioning that Dennis Conner's link with COTTON BLOSSOM II went back much further than 2003: he was one of her 1965 Lipton Cup-winning crew.

COTTON BLOSSOM II's re-christening took place at San Diego YC on 14 October 2004; a remarkable gathering of past owners. Conner shipped her to the Mediterranean in 2006 to join its thriving circuit of classic regattas, where she has enjoyed outstanding success under his and subsequent ownership, racing among more Universal Rule and other American designs than would be possible in their original home waters.

In 2007, the taller rig installed by Conner was cut back by Cantiere Navale dell'Argentario to a more authentic length, resulting in the improved stronger winds performance that has helped her recent enviable winning ways, continued under present ownership since 2013 - including:

• 2011
  • Cannes Régates Royales - 1st in Class
  • Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - 1st in Class
• 2012
  • Les Voiles d'Antibes - 1st in Class
  • Argentario Sailing Week - 2nd in Class
  • Cannes Régates Royales - 1st in Class
  • Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge - Overall Winner - Vintage Class
  • Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - 1st in Class
• 2013
  • Les Voiles d'Antibes - 1st in Class
  • Argentario Sailing Week - 2nd in Class
  • Cannes Régates Royales - 1st in Class
  • Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge - Overall Winner - Vintage Class
  • Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - 1st in Class
• 2014 - Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - 1st in Class
• 2015
  • Les Voiles d'Antibes - 1st in Class
  • Vela Clásica Menorca - 2nd in Class
  • Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge - 3rd Overall - Vintage Class
  • Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - 1st in Class
• 2016
  • Les Voiles d'Antibes - 2nd in Class
  • Argentario Sailing Week - 1st in Class
  • Vele d'Epoca di Imperia - 1st in Class
  • Cannes Régates Royales - 2nd in Class
  • Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge - 2nd Overall - Vintage Class
  • Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - 1st in Class
• 2017 - Cannes Régates Royales - 3rd in Class