In 1932, then Rear Commodore Frank Vining Smith, a famous and accomplished marine artist, donated his painting "The Charles W. Morgan on the Grounds" as a trophy for an annual race to be known as the Whalers' Race and to be raced "by boats of a wholesome cruising type."
The race, a 100-mile course around Block Island and back, has been sailed every year since its inception, except during World War II. The name of the boat, owner, and club of the overall PHRF winner of the Whalers' Race is engraved on a plague on the frame of the beautiful painting.
1932 INVERNESS, John MacDonald, NBYC
1933 CHANTY, George B. Hollistere, NBYC
1934 POLE STAR, G. Lincoln Dow, Jr., NBYC
1935 BELISARIUS, Charles B. Rockwell, Bristol Yacht Club
1936 BELISARIUS, Charles B. Rockwell, Bristol Yacht Club
1937 RAGAMUFFIN, J. Gordon Gibbs, Beverly Yacht Club
1938 SPOOKIE, Harold T. White, Nantucket Yacht Club
1939 AMARANTH, John W. Stedman, NBYC
1940 AMARANTH, John W. Stedman, NBYC
1941 RAMPAGE II, Arthur W. Page, Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club
1942 Not awarded
1943 Not awarded
1944 Not awarded
1945 Not awarded
1946 Not awarded
1947 Not awarded
1948 DEPARTURE, Edmund S. Kelley, Jr., Duxbury
1949 DEPARTURE, Edmund S. Kelley, Jr., Duxbury
1950 SKYLARK, Charles S. Kelley III, NBYC
1951 MORNING STAR, Edmund Rigby, NBYC
1952 TROPIC BIRD, Otis C. Stanton, NBYC
1953 MALAY, Daniel D. Strohmeier, NBYC
1954 MINOT'S LIGHT, Clarence A. Warden, Jr., NBYC
1955 RENOVA, C.M. Dobson, NBYC
1956 MALAY, Daniel D. Strohmeier, NBYC
1957 DEPARTURE, Edmund S. Kelley, Jr., Duxbury
1958 MEMORY, C.C. Glovers, NBYC
1959 SWAMP YANKEE, W. van Alan Clark, Jr., NBYC
1960 RENOVA, C.M. Dobson, NBYC
1961 SWAMP YANKEE, W. van Alan Clark, Jr., Beverly Yacht Club
1962 DAME OF SARK, Bruce Barnard, NBYC
1963 WAINSCOTT WIND, Alexander O. Victor, Edgartown Yacht Club
1964 DAME OF SARK, Bruce Barnard, NBYC
1965 DAME OF SARK, Bruce Barnard, NBYC
1966 WINNE OF BOURNE, John Parkinson, Cruising Club of America
1967 HAVEN, Dr. John C. Bullard, NBYC
1968 SAYONARA, Thayer Francis, Jr., Beverly Yacht Club
1969 SHEARWATER, Dr. George Clowes, Jr., Quisset Yacht Club
1970 SAYONARA, Robert G. Stone, Jr., Beverly Yacht Club
1971 ETIOLE, Eugene Sydnor, Jr., NBYC
1972 ADELE, Richard Burnes, Wianno Yacht Club
1973 SARA ANNE III, Charles F. Street, East Greenwich
1974 LIVELY, George Lewis, NBYC
1975 LIVELY, George Lewis, NBYC
1976 LIVELY, George Lewis, NBYC
1977 BELLATRIX, John L. Merrill, Jr., NBYC
1978 FORTUNE HUNTER, Massachusetts Maritime Academy
1979 BELLATRIX, John Merrill, Jr., NBYC
1980 ARIETO, A. Schofield, Boston
1981 LYRIC, P & D Ferrel, Quissett
1982 LYRIC, P & D Ferrel, Quissett
1983 LEDA, W. Apthorp, NBYC
1984 MORPHEUS, R. Kitz, Beverly Yacht Club
1985 DRUMBEAT, Brown & Renshaw, NBYC
1986 TAXI, Dennis Medeiros, NBYC
1987 FAIAL, John Pinheiro, Low Tide Yacht Club
1988 GUT FEELING, Edward Herlihy, NBYC
1989 GUT FEELING, Edward Herlihy, NBYC
1990 ELECTRA, R. Thornton, Quissett
1991 WILDGOOSE, W. Wakeman, Casco Bay Sailing
1992 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
1993 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
1994 Not awarded
1995 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
1996 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
1997 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
1998 CRAZY HORSE, Massachusetts Maritime Academy
1999 Not awarded
2000 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2001 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2002 DREAMCATCHER, Stephen Kylander
2003 SPICE, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2004 DREAMCATCHER, Stephen Kylander
2005 SHINDIG, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2006 Not awarded
2007 KINSHIP, J. Thomas Selldorff, NBYC
2008 Not awarded
2009 KINSHIP, J. Thomas Selldorff, NBYC
2010 SHINDIG, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2011 SHINDIG, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2012 KINSHIP, J. Thomas Selldorff, NBYC
2013 SHINDIG, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2014 CRAZY HORSE, Kevin McLaughlin, NBYC
2015 GENTIAN, Benjamin Sperry, NBYC
2016 GENTIAN, Benjamin Sperry, NBYC
2017 SHINDIG, Arthur Burke, NBYC
2018 CILISTA, Jeffrey Eberle, NBYC
2019 GENTIAN, Benjamin Sperry, NBYC
2020 Not awarded
2021 WINGS, Richard Egan, Hyannis Yacht Club
2022 CRAZY HORSE, Sean McLaughlin