In answer to Sir Thomas Lipton's America's Cup Challenge of 1929 the Americans designed and built four J-Class yachts as possible defenders. Enterprise, Whirlwind, Yankee, and Weetamoe were launched within a month of each other; Whirlwind from Lawley & Son's yard in Bristol, Rhode Island.

Whirlwind, was the most revolutionary of the four. Francis L Herreshoff designed a boat which took the new rule to its extremes. Herreshoff experimented with hull shape and rig... Whirlwind was the longest of the early Js at 86' (26m) on the waterline until Ranger and Endeavour II were built in 1937.

She was built of semi-composite construction (the other three American Js were built out of the highly expensive tobin bronze), was double-ended and had a permanent backstay. Uffa Fox described her profile as: "Very pleasing to the eye, the stem sweeping down to the keel in a very sweet line, and to a man who, like myself, believes that a pointed stern is a logical ending for all vessels, her stern is a joy to behold." He predicted "If the Yacht Racing Rules govern well and wisely, we shall see Whirlwind racing 50 years hence. If they do not she will probably be cruising then."

Whirlwind met an early demise. Her building was delayed as she didn't meet Lloyd's A1 scantling rules and she wasn't chosen to be the 1930s defender. She was often out-performed when close hauled, her steering gear making her difficult to steer. She was eventually scrapped along with Enterprise in 1935. However, her unusual double headsail rig was later adopted by the rest of the Js.