THUNDERHEAD, designed and built in 1961, was an evolution of HOTHER, designed in 1937.  HOTHER was enormously successful as a cruiser and racer, and was a hard act to follow, but THUNDERHEAD succeeded.  She was tremendously comfortable and highly competitive in Long Island Sound racing in the 1960's, winning most of the races at one time or another.  We raced our Rhodes Reliant in those races, and caught glimpses of THUNDERHEAD from far behind.

THUNDERHEAD had an unusual interior layout, with a aft stateroom that included a dining table.  The companionway came down from the cabin top into the midships galley and head to port, On the starboard side were a navigation table and navigator's berth.  The forward cabin had two berths and extensive locker space (hanging lockers, bureau, other lockers and shelves).

A sistership to THUNDERHEAD was also built, originally named KAHILI.

Rhodes designed a keel version of Thunderhead the next year, design number 748 (1962), named ROWENA.   ROWENA'S length and beam are identical to THUNDERHEAD'S  but her draft was increased to 7' 8" (from 5'6").  ROWENA'S ballast was 13,000 lbs of lead.  (The photo below shows her floating high; she probably had less ballast than THUNDERHEAD.)  Every other floor is bronze, as is her mast step.   In the interior layout, Rhodes moved the galley to the starboard side under the sliding hatch, and the nav station is on the port side.  Also, there is nice access to the cockpit through the doghouse.  ROWENA was built by the Stone Shipyard in Alemada in 1963. 

ROWENA certainly looks very much like THUNDERHEAD, but her doghouse is a little bigger and has two windows on each side.  She has sailed extensively in the Pacific Ocean, and gone through hurricanes with grace and security.
 
 

Rowena's deck house is a little different.	One can go below directly from the cockpit, but there is also a companionway into the main cabin from the truck top.
Contrary to Thunderbird's layout, Rowena has her chart table to port, just aft of the head (with the open door in this photo),	Rowena's galley is to starboard, behind her unusual curving companionway.
	Rowena's forward cabin seems to have a double bed, even if Rhodes drew it as two singles.