BIRTH OF A LEGEND.....................THE AMERICA'S CUP
A Brief History of the Yacht America 1851:
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The "Great Exhibition" of 1851was intended to celebrate Britain's world supremacy, particularly British Naval power--- "Rulers of the Waves", as it were. As a result, a challenge to race the best that England could offer, was issued to enter a "regatta open to all nations," the first international regatta in history.
THE CHALLENGE IS ACCEPTED
John Stevens, Commodore of the new York Yacht Club assembled a syndicate of five members to commission American marine designer George Steers and builder William H. Brown to produce "a yacht that would be the fastest afloat."
"You are certain to Lose" Horace Greely predicted. " And if you go and are beaten, don't come back."
THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON ISSUES A FORMAL INVITATION
TO COMMODORE STEVENS OF THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB
The five members of the New York syndicate were astute businessmen, intending to make a large sum of money on bets when they reached England. To insure their success, the construction contract for the yacht to be christened America, stipulated that it was to be "the fastest yacht in the world" and if not, the builder agreed to take it back without cost to the syndicate.
Unfortunately, as the sleekly designed yacht America with her rakish design and powerful flat sails crossed the English Channel on the way to Cowes from her birth in France, she was observed by the British cutter Laverock, one of the newest and touted as one of the fastest in British Waters.
America passed Laverock with ease, under the watchful and astonished eyes of Britain's yachting elite. This episode dashed any hopes for the New York syndicate of making any money from bets on the upcoming race around the Isle of Wight.
The race was scheduled for August 22, and 15 of Britain's finest were scheduled to defend.
YACHTING HAD BEEN THE SPORT OF KINGS OF ENGLAND SINCE THE 17th CENTURY
Race day, August 22nd, 1851, found 15 British defender yachts on the starting line determined to uphold the prestige and honor of the Empire by defeating the upstart America, the sole challenger representing the "Colonies."
The race course was charted to circle the Isle of wight, rounding Nab lightship. Approaching the Eastern end of the island, America trailed two yachts and held third place position in the flotilla.
Suddenly, the lead yacht went aground,and the second place boat went to her aid. America then in the lead, continued to extend the distance between them and the trailing yachts, her sleek black hull churning the seas, turning waves to furling foam.
When the fleet began to come into view of the Queen's own yacht positioned at the finish line, she is said to have asked what positron the respective yachts held. When told that America was well in the lead, to which she exclaimed"but who is in second?" The answer has become the avid sailor's mantra--"Madam, there is no second."
Approaching the Queen's yacht, the entire crew of America doffed their hats in a salute to the Queen, indicating the rebel "colonists" did produce gentlemen after all.
The yacht America and her crew achieved much more than winning by more than twenty minutes, the first international regatta ever staged in the world and fifteen of Britain's finest. The infant United States of America was emerging as an innovator and a world power.
The Queen boarded America, admiring the way the yacht was fitted out, and found the boat to be clean as a pin, running her handkerchief along a shelf, finding no dust.
Every aspect of the challenger America was unique and innovative. From her long, sleek low profile, to the concave bow design and powerful complement of sails and sail area. The bowsprit could be raised or lowered to change the angle and shape of her head sails. The rake of the foremast and main mast could be adjusted to change the shape of the main and mizzen sails. All of these innovations were the outcome of the desire of the American yacht syndicate to produced "the fastest boat on the water" and they succeeded.
The syndicate was rewarded when they sold the yacht for a handsome profit to Lord John de Blaquiere, a French Yachtsman.
THE 100 GUINEA CUP FINDS A NEW HOME
With their pockets full of money from the profitable sale of the of the yacht America to Lord John de Balqquiere and having graciously accepted the the magnificent silver trophy, the syndicate returned to New York and their home yacht club.
Subsequently, the cup was renamed the "America's Cup by the new York Yacht Club where it remained for 132 years succeeding in defending 30 challenges...the longest record in sports history.
The yacht America was sold and resold in Europe and America for 12 more years. Then, in 1863, she was returned to Newport, Rhode Island serving as a training ship for the United States Naval Academy.
After completing it's 51st and last race in 1901 America was retired and rested under cover for 15 years in the naval yard in Boston, Massachusetts. The yacht was sent to Annapolis, Maryland in 1921 where it lay decaying. An attempt buy President Theodore Roosevelt in 1940 to convince the U.S. Congress to dedicate $100,000 for a historic restoration and declaration that America was a historic monument to be permanently housed in the Nava Museum was sidetacked by the outbreak of war. The yacht continued to deteriorate until breaking up and collapsing completely into ruin.
A model of America constructed from pieces of the original now rests in the Naval Museum in Annapolis.
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