LINES OF AMERICA |
G.D. Dunlap - Americas Cup Defenders -- America - 1851 Winning the Cup |
America 1851 |
CROSS-SECTIONS OF AMERICA |
SAIL PLAN OF AMERICA |
Lines of America |
PLANOS Goleta de la Copa America |
1851: America LOA=101 ft - LWL=90 ft |
The Rolly Tasker Collection: America (1851) |
THE AMERICA |
Lines of the America as taken off while the yacht was docked in England |
Yacht America Pl. 30 Sec. 2 |
Bow section of the yacht America Pl 30 Sec. 1 |
AMERICA: SAILPLAN |
America Built on her lines Mary Taylor (Plan) |
SCHOONER AMERICA - DESIGN 1897 - General Arrangement |
SCHOONER AMERICA - DESIGN 1897 - Sail Plan |
Alerts in effect, ship model of the schooner yacht america.
, designed by naval architect George Steers, won first place in the original 1851 race, a 53-mile-long circumnavigation, around the Isle of Wight, England. The owner took home the first place silver pitcher for winning the competition that would later be known as the America's Cup race. Presently in the collection of the San Francisco Maritime NHP is a model of the schooner . This model was given to Mr. Le Marchant, owner of the yacht , that placed second in the 1851 race. In 1959, the model was loaned to the San Francisco Maritime Museum (SFMM) and later became a gift. (The SFMM eventually became part of the park.) Unlike the America's Cup races of recent memory, no yachting syndicates from California had formed to support the design and building of the vessel for the original race. California had only become a state in 1850. Viewing the model, you are struck by the perfect likeness to the original vessel. It is purported that a model of the was given to each of the 15 finishers of the original race on August 22, 1851. We are fortunate to have this model in the collection as it links San Francisco Maritime to the great America's Cup tradition and especially the "World Series" races being held on SF Bay August 23-26, 2012-161 years since that first August race in 1851. The model will be on display in the Maritime Museum in the near future. See www.americascup.com/en/San-Francisco for more about the 2012 races and the 34th America's Cup race on the San Francisco Bay in 2013. |
Last updated: March 1, 2015
Contact info, mailing address:.
2 Marina Boulevard, Building E, 2nd Floor San Francisco, CA 94123
415 561-7000 The public information office is open from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. PST.
The start of the third, and final, Preliminary Regatta of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup begins on the August 22 – an historic date for the formation of the America’s Cup - as it was on that day, back in 1851, 173 years ago, when the oldest competition in international sport truly began.
When ‘Old’ Dick Brown guided the schooner ‘America’ deftly across the finishing line at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes in dying breeze and light, against the tide, and with the cutter ‘Aurora’ closing up fast, little could he imagine what the resultant racing some 173 years later would look like.
The prize back in 1851, like today, was an elaborate Victorian silver ewer, incapable of holdings liquids that had been purchased in 1848 by the Marquess of Anglesey, on spec from the Royal warranted jewellers, R&S Garrard of Panton Street, just off Piccadilly in London.
Having been gifted by the Marquess to the Squadron, it was originally named the ‘RYS £100 Cup,’ and a trial of speed around the Isle of Wight was suggested when the ‘America,’ an east coast Pilot Boat design of George Steers, came to England to take on the best of the British fleet in a happy coincidence with Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition taking place, that year, in Hyde Park in 1851.
At the time, the Royal Yacht Squadron was keen to test its fleet against the best and had rather hoped that the aged Russian Tsar, Nicholas I, would send over representatives of the newly-formed Imperial Yacht Club of St. Petersburg to trial.
That failed to materialise as the Russians, one of the great flax exporters and manufacturers of the time, entered the Thames for the Great Exhibition and never came further south, so it was the syndicate-owned ‘America’ of the New York Yacht Club with its first Commodore, John Cox Stevens, who arrived amidst a flurry of publicity in both the mainstream and satirical news outlets of the day.
An air of invincibility was almost immediately created around the speed of the ‘America’ after an opening encounter a few miles down the coast when the newly-built cutter ‘Laverock’ courteously escorted the Americans up the Solent on their first morning in British waters from Ryde to her mooring off Cowes. A good deal of bluff was in place too, as the swashbuckling, stylish American syndicate owners were keen to wager outrageous sums of money on speed trials which were declined or simply ignored by the cautious and stilted owners of the British fleet.
Eventually on August 22, a race around the Isle of Wight was arranged and the legend of ‘America’s Cup’ began. Now, 173 years later to the day, we are at the start of the Louis Vuitton 37 th America’s Cup that still at its very core has the guiding ‘Deed of Gift’ that accompanied the original donation of the trophy to the New York Yacht Club by George L. Schuyler in 1857. Updated in parts, the Deed of Gift remains true to its central tenet of: “a friendly competition between foreign countries.”
Technology today has brought us to carbon fibre vessels capable of flying above the water on foils and hitting speeds – unimaginable back in 1851 – in excess of 50 knots. The crews today are elite, cross-discipline athletes, many with Olympic and endurance sport backgrounds whilst the helms and trimmers are Olympic medallists and World Champions.
Back in 1851, a government shipyard in Cherbourg was used to fit-out the ‘America’ into racing trim after her voyage from across the Atlantic before she crossed the English Channel to Cowes. Today, the boats are designed on super-computers, using the latest in Artificial Intelligence and simulation technology to create the fastest vessels on the planet.
Rumour and myth, just like in 1851, swirls around the Port Vell on a daily basis. What nobody knows for certain is just how fast all the competitors really are – and we may not know the true answer to that question until the Louis Vuitton Cup starts on the August 29 when everything gets ultra serious and every point, every race, matters.
In 1851 the schooner ‘America’ seemed invincible. Today the competition is simply too close to call with every team expected to be extremely similar in performance with only small differences across a wide range of conditions.
The skill of sailing, however, remains very much the same. ‘Old’ Dick Brown and the crew of ‘America’ (including a certain 15-year-old Henry Steers) had in their employ a skilled British navigator, Robert Underwood, who guided the schooner to victory around the tricky waters of the Isle of Wight. In Barcelona in 2024, the sailor’s skills will be tested to the extreme with the venue able to throw up a huge variety of wind and sea-states on any given day. Mother Nature will, just like in 1851, have a big part to play in the outcome and destiny of the Louis Vuitton 37 th America’s Cup.
August 22 is a legendary day for America’s Cup fans and aficionados. From 1851 to 2024, a lot has changed but an awful lot stays very much the same. It is the pinnacle of international yacht racing and 2024 promises to be the truest test of speed, seamanship and skill before the winner is crowned and the America's Cup awarded.
(Magnus Wheatley - Author of 'There is no Second' - the definitive account of the first race in 1851 for what would become 'America's Cup.' Available to buy here: There is no Second )
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On July 30, 1844, nine men sat aboard a schooner floating near Manhattan Island’s Battery. John Cox Stevens had invited eight of his friends to join him on his yacht, the Gimcrack. Stevens was an outdoorsman, a steamship and railroad promoter, and a descendant of one of New York’s most prominent families. The Stevens family had risen to prominence by their efforts and sacrifices during the American Revolution. John Cox Stevens would rise to prominence from the proposal he made on that Tuesday.
Stevens grew up on the water, sailing and steaming across the Hudson River and along the coastline of the eastern seaboard. His father, after serving as a colonel in the Continental Army, turned his attention to steamboats. He was one of the early inventors of this new method of water transportation, competing with the likes of Robert Fulton. Stevens continued his father’s business of building boats and steamships. His steamboat ferry was the world’s first to cross the Hudson to and from Hoboken. In addition to his maritime acumen, he was a successful businessman in a booming industry.
New York City was full of men like Stevens—wealthy, industrious, and seeking camaraderie with like-minded people. It is what brought the nine together. New York City had been the nation’s largest city for half a century. It was three times larger than Boston and about 30 times larger than Detroit, yet both of those cities had something New York City didn’t: a yacht club. When Stevens broached the subject of founding the New York Yacht Club (NYYC), all eight fellow yachtsmen readily agreed. They also voted Stevens as the new club’s commodore.
In 1846, Henry Cole, a member of the Society of Arts, was introduced to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the husband of Queen Victoria. The two men became fast friends, and both wished to promote the arts and industry within Britain. Shortly after their introduction, the Society of Arts was granted a royal charter, changing its name to Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce (or more briefly, the Royal Society of Arts). In 1843, Garrard, a London-based jewelry maker, was appointed as Britain’s first official Crown Jeweller. In 1848, Garrard made three silver cups in the shape of ewers. As the 1840s moved into the 1850s, these two entities—the RSA and Garrard’s—incidentally brought the NYYC and the RYS together.
Brown had built a reputation on building beautiful, durable, and fast boats. His success was contingent upon having the right people working with and for him. Lucky for him, and probably the reason he felt confident enough to make such a bet, he had recently hired George Steers.
Steers was born in 1819 to a maritime family. His father David Steers was a native of the Isle of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, and had been a captain in the Royal Navy and had later joined the U.S. Navy. In 1841, 21-year-old George Steers designed his first pilot boat. Before the decade was up, Steers was revolutionizing boat design. In 1848, his design and build of the schooner Mary Taylor proved unconventional with its narrow bow and stern, and widest section near the middle. The end result, however, vastly improved the speed and handling of the traditional pilot boat. The following year, Steers was hired by Brown.
America arrived in Le Havre, France, on July 9. After the long voyage, it was refitted, its topsides painted black, and its racing sails tied to the spars. Stevens and his brother, Edwin, who took over the yacht once it had reached Le Havre, had orchestrated to keep it out of sight from the British until sailing to the Isle of Wight. When it sailed to the island on July 31, it did not disappoint.
On the morning of the race, 15 of the 18 teams arrived in time, their boats ranging in size from the 393-ton Brilliant, the largest of the seven schooners, to the 47-ton Aurora, the smallest of the cutters. All 15 sat at anchor awaiting the start. At 10 a.m. a cannon was fired by the Royal Yacht Squadron and the counterclockwise race around the Isle of Wight began. Throughout the first hour and half, position for first changed intermittently, primarily between America and the cutters. By the halfway mark, near St. Catherine’s Point, America had increased its lead by about a mile. The only concern remained the cutters. As Volante neared St. Catherine’s Point, it sprung her bowsprit, causing it to drop out. The closest boat to America now was the cutter Aurora.
St. Catherine’s Point was apparently a relatively hazardous spot. Not only had the Volante suffered damage there, but America had as well. Its jibboom had snapped. Luckily, the jibboom was a mere innovation and an unnecessary one at that. Once the team cleared the boat of the debris, America actually increased its speed. Now it was about coming down the final stretch where thousands of spectators waited in Cowes to see who would win the coveted prize. One of those spectators was Queen Victoria.
There is a famous story about the queen awaiting the finishers. As the boats came around the final turn, Queen Victoria asked the signal master, “Are the yachts in sight?”
“Yes, may it please Your Majesty,” he responded. “Which is first?” “The America.” “Which is second?” “Ah, Your Majesty, there is no second.”
It was during this week in history, on Aug. 22, 1851, that the American-made yacht America won what was the very first America’s Cup race, beating her next rival, Aurora, by 8 minutes. After receiving the Garrard silver ewer, the “£100 Cup/Hundred Guinea Cup/Cup of One Hundred Sovereign Cup/Queen’s Cup” was renamed America’s Cup after the yacht.
America’s Cup quickly became the most prestigious and famous sailing race in the world, with more and more countries competing for the coveted prize. The Americans held onto the cup from 1851 to 1983, making 24 defenses against various international challengers. It is considered the longest winning streak in sports history. Oddly, the British, who created the race, have never won.
The international boat race continues to this day, with the 37th America’s Cup scheduled to take place on the 173rd anniversary. The signal master’s response to Queen Victoria, whether fictitious or not, has remained the race’s slogan: “There is no second.”
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Here we have a project to design the frames for the famous schooner America, the famous ship that started one of the longest-running athletic competitions in the world, the chase for America’s Cup.
America was originally built as a yacht to showcase American yacht-building skill and to make a little money by winning yacht-racing competitions. She was a real racer/cruiser.
There is an excellent description of the history and career of America on the Wikipedia page for the schooner: Wikipedia – Schooner America
Here are a few details or the original yacht:
Scale model dimensions, at 1:20 scale:
Next is to establish the actual design criteria:
Standard Equipment:
Here we have a look at the starting point of the design. These pictures are from the book of America’s Cup yacht design and are missing a lot of detail. This is an interesting project in particular because there is so little accurate information about the original construction. Much has to be inferred from pictures and old paintings. | |
The drawings were then chopped up so the area below the waterline could be tweaked for R/C modelling. The drawings are inserted into Solidworks on separate planes so they can be stretched separately. As noted in the builder’s requests the keel was lowered by about 1.75″. When the frames are sketched, the discontinuity will be smoothed with a long spline. Have a look at our page on the design and fabrication of Malabar, by clicking . The adjustment of the shape of the hull and the insertion of the sketches into Solidworks is done in a similar manner in most models. |
The drawings are inserted in the software and stretched to fit the requested dimensions. For these projects, where all parts are intimately connected, we use Multi-Body parts in Solidworks. | |||
Here the main dimension outline and station positions have been prepared and the keel has been drawn and extruded. | |||
America has an interesting arrangement for the sheer plank. It was a challenge to figure out how this would have been created on the original ship, especially around the stern, where the cap rail wraps around quite pleasantly. | |||
I was expecting the sheer plank and the deck to line up but I haven’t found information that shows this, one way or the other. I opted for one line for the sheer and another for the level of the deck. | |||
Once the various 3D curves are created, using the Projection tool in Solidworks, the bulkhead shapes are attached to those so that everything can be tweaked if needed. | |||
Next, the tops of the bulkheads are added. These are used so the model can be built easily on a table. This is quite useful for large models. | |||
Next, the T-rail parts are added and the 3D Multi-Body is ready to be disassembled and inserted in the 2D for cutting. | |||
Finally, For this model, a simple 2D exploded view is created and inserted in a 2D drawing. Making the assembly drawings is my favorite part of Solidworks projects. |
The builder has been gracious enough to send me pictures of the model from the moment he started assembling the frames. I find Solidworks is the right software for doing these frame sets. This sets was designed in Solidworks, cut, and shipped direct to the client. The parts were tested in the software. There was no prototype. Sure, there are some areas that need to be addressed but we knew about them even before cutting. | |
The various drawings and photographs show conflicting designs for the transom. After some fiddling and decision-making, the builder himself created this lovely transom. This is one of the great parts of working directly with a builder on a project; each detail can become unique right from the start. | |
I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite such a lovely planking and finishing job on a model! And yet, the Italian builder, like so many most excellent Italian artists, was not happy with the finish and then painted the model to even higher standards. I am really happy to have had the pleasure to participate in the construction of such a great model. | |
A picture really is worth a thousand words. Several things can be seen in this picture. You can see the nice deck camber that was designed into the frames. You can see the step from the stern deck to the main deck. You can see the nice gently reduction of the bulwark from bow to stern, and you can see the extra bracing the builder has incorporated for the various lines and controls. A masterful job. | |
©Copyright 2012 modellers-workshop
O ne hundred and seventy-three years ago, on the Isle of Wight, a race began that would become a legend in the sailing world —a race that continues to be discussed today. The competition was for a silver trophy that captured the imaginations and fortunes of some of the wealthiest people in the world, sparking bitter rivalries, intense controversies, and costly legal battles.
What’s more remarkable is that the boat that would become the center of attention by winning the race, the yacht America , started the race facing the wrong way.
The Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes is one of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world because this is where the America’s Cup began. Despite the poor start, America surprised its British hosts by winning the race, and the trophy soon made its way to New York. However, after the victory, the owners and crew were uncertain about what to do with their prize—until someone had an idea. This idea would transform the trophy into the most prestigious sailing award, and it has since become the oldest international sporting trophy in the world.
The trophy was renamed the America’s Cup after the yacht that won the first race , though it is informally known as the Auld Mug
Interesting trivia about the winning boat of the first event was a 100-foot schooner, and after winning the cup, the vessel was sold for a sum of $25,000, $5000 more than it was paid for.
For some, the America’s Cup has grown into an obsession. The quest for this trophy has led some of the wealthiest people to pour vast sums of money into their campaigns, only to come up short. Yet, despite the immense costs, many have returned to challenge for the Cup again and again. The New York Yacht Club, in particular, holds the record for the longest winning streak in history, fueled by these relentless East Coast competitors.
One such competitor was Thomas Lipton , who, despite five unsuccessful challenges with his Shamrock yachts, used the publicity to build his tea empire. His repeated failures earned him the respect and affection of the public, even as they cost him a fortune to defend his campaigns. In contrast, others, like Lord Dunraven , were entangled in bitter disputes , illustrating the passion and intensity that have always surrounded the America’s Cup.
The early days of the America’s Cup are as captivating as today’s high-tech, carbon-fiber racing machines.
The America’s Cup is the oldest international sailing competition. Races are held between a defending and challenging yacht club, with the winner awarded the America’s Cup trophy, known as the Auld Mug .
Any yacht club meeting the specified requirements can challenge the current holder. If successful, the challenging club gains stewardship of the Cup. In 1970, a Challenger Selection Series was held to decide the official challenger .
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron club is the current holder of the America’s Cup . They successfully defended the 36th America’s Cup in March 2021 using an AC75 foiling monohull called Te Rehutai, owned and sailed by the Team New Zealand syndicate and heavily sponsored by Emirates airline company.
The next America’s Cup will be held between the defending Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and a challenging yacht club from 12 October 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.
Year | Location | Defender | Challenger |
1851 | Isle of Wight | United Kingdom Royal Yacht Squadron | |
1870 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Thames Yacht Club | |
1871 | New York City | Royal Harwich Yacht Club | |
1876 | New York City | Canada Royal Canadian Yacht Club | |
1881 | New York City | Canada Bay of Quinte Yacht Club | |
1885 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Yacht Squadron | |
1886 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Northern Yacht Club | |
1887 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Clyde Yacht Club | |
1893 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Yacht Squadron | |
1895 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Yacht Squadron | |
1899 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Ulster Yacht Club | |
1901 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Ulster Yacht Club | |
1903 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Ulster Yacht Club | |
1920 | New York City | United Kingdom Royal Ulster Yacht Club | |
1930 | Newport | United Kingdom Royal Ulster Yacht Club | |
1934 | Newport | United Kingdom Royal Yacht Squadron | |
1937 | Newport | United Kingdom Royal Yacht Squadron | |
1958 | Newport | United Kingdom Royal Yacht Squadron | |
1962 | Newport | Australia Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron | |
1964 | Newport | United Kingdom Royal Thames Yacht Club | |
1967 | Newport | Australia Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron | |
1970 | Newport | Australia Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron | |
1974 | Newport | Australia Royal Perth Yacht Club | |
1977 | Newport | Australia Sun City Yacht Club | |
1980 | Newport | Australia Royal Perth Yacht Club | |
1983 | Newport | United States New York Yacht Club | |
1987 | Freemantle | Australia Royal Perth Yacht Club | |
1988 | San Diego | New Zealand Mercury Bay Boating Club | |
1992 | San Diego | Italy Compagnia della Vela | |
1995 | San Diego | United States San Diego Yacht Club | |
2000 | Auckland | Italy Yacht Club Punta Ala | |
2003 | Auckland | New Zealand Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | |
2007 | Valencia | New Zealand Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | |
2010 | Valencia | Switzerland Société Nautique de Genève | |
2013 | San Francisco | New Zealand Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | |
2017 | Bermuda | United States Golden Gate Yacht Club | |
2021 | Auckland | Italy Circolo della Vela Sicilia |
From 1851 to 1983, the USA won the America’s Cup, holding onto the title for 132 years until Australia and the Royal Perth Yacht Club won in 1983. The New York Yacht Club had successfully defended the Cup 25 times in a row , making it the longest defense of a title in sports history .
Additionally, the America’s Cup r ace winner has the right to decide the rules for the next contest , including the types of boats to be used, the location of the race course, and when the race will take place.
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1851 — The United States wins the first international yacht race. The schooner named “America” beats 14 British yachts.
1885 — Richard Sears beats Godfrey M. Brinley, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 to win the U.S. men’s national tennis championship held at the Newport (R.I.) Casino.
1898 — Malcolm Whitman beats Dwight F. Davis, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 to win the U.S. men’s national tennis championship held at the Newport (R.I.) Casino.
1948 — The Chicago Cardinals beat the College All-Stars 28-0 in front 101,220 fans at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
1949 — The Philadelphia Eagles beat the College All-Stars 38-0 at Chicago’s Soldier Field. It’s the largest shutout in the series, later matched by Green Bay in 1966.
1950 — Althea Gibson becomes the first black tennis player to be accepted in competition for the national championship.
1957 — Floyd Patterson knocks out Pete Rademacher in the sixth round to retain his world heavyweight title at Sicks Stadium in Seattle.
1965 — In the third inning of a game against Los Angeles, pitcher Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants hits catcher John Roseboro of the Dodgers in the head with his bat. A 14-minute brawl ensues and Roseboro suffers cuts on the head. Marichal thought Roseboro threw too close to his head when returning the ball to Sandy Koufax.
1984 — Evelyn Ashford sets the world record in the 100-meter dash with a clocking of 10.76 seconds in a meet at Zurich, Switzerland.
1987 — Brazil snaps the 34-game winning streak of the U.S. men’s basketball team with a 120-115 victory in the Pan Am Games. Oscar Schmidt scores 46 points to lead Brazil. Cuba wins a record 10 of 12 gold medals in boxing and beats the U.S. 13-9 in the baseball final.
1989 — Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers becomes the first pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters in a 2-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Ryan fans Rickey Henderson swinging on a 3-2, 96 mph fastball for No. 5,000.
1994 — DNA testing links O.J. Simpson to murder of Nicole Simpson & Ron Goldman.
1999 — Jenny Thompson breaks Mary T. Meagher’s 18-year-old 100-meter butterfly record at the Pan Pacific swim championships. Thompson with a time of 57.88 seconds lowers the mark of 57.93 set by Meagher.
2004 — American sprinter Justin Gatlin wins the coveted Olympic 100m gold medal in Athens in 9.85 ahead of Francis Obikwelu of Portugal & American Maurice Greene.
2007 — The Texas Rangers becomes the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader.
2008 — Usain Bolt helps Jamaica win the 400-meter relay final in 37.10 seconds for his third gold medal and third world record of the Beijing Games. Bolt becomes only the fourth man, and the first since Carl Lewis in 1984, to win all three Olympic sprint events. Bryan Clay wins the decathlon, the first American to win the 10-discipline event at the Olympics since Dan O’Brien at Atlanta in 1996.
2018 — Ohio State suspends football coach Urban Meyer three games for mishandling repeated professional and behavioral problems of an assistant coach, with investigators finding Meyer protected his protege for years through domestic violence allegations, a drug problem and poor job performance.
2018 — The NCAA ditches the RPI for its own evaluation tool to select teams for the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Evaluation Tool will rely on game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency and quality of wins and losses. NET will be used for the 2018-19 season by the committee that selects schools and seeds the tournament.
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
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The America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, returns this year for its 37th edition.
First contested in 1851, the a 183-year-old sporting challenge has become one of the most highly-anticipated sailing events on the calendar, with fast-paced racing and engineering at the fore of its appeal.
After winning the previous America’s Cup in 2021, Emirates Team New Zealand dictated the location and sections of the rules of engagement for this year’s competition, which will be held in Barcelona.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 2024 America’s Cup ahead what promises to be a thrilling preliminary regatta, starting Thursday night (AEST).
Watch the 37th America’s Cup LIVE on Fox Sports, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
The America’s Cup and the Challenger Selection Series, this year called the Louis Vuitton Cup, is comprised of head-to-head match races where two boats sail against each other.
Emirates Team New Zealand, known as the Defender having won the previous competition, earned immediate qualification for the America’s Cup match, while their opponent will be determined in the Louis Vuitton Cup, which runs from August 29 to October 7.
The Louis Vuitton Cup winner will be decided after a series of round robins, semi-finals and finals, with five boats competing this year.
The America’s Cup match, contested between the Defender and a challenging vessel, is a best-of-13 series with one point awarded for each victory. The first team to win seven points is declared champions, becoming the Defender of the 38th America’s Cup.
Each competing vessel must be designed and built solely in the country that it represents, while this year marks the first time a New Zealand team has chosen to defend an America’s Cup win overseas.
PRELIMINARY REGATTA
Before the Louis Vuitton Cup gets underway, the six boats will compete in their new AC75s at the third and final Preliminary Regatta in Barcelona.
Points won at the Preliminary Regatta do not count towards progression or elimination, but it gives the teams an opportunity to get a glimpse at the competition before the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The Preliminary Regatta gets underway in Barcelona on Thursday, running through to Sunday.
August 21: Preliminary Regatta Practice day
August 22-25: Barcelona Preliminary Regatta
August 29 – September 8: Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins 1 & 2
September 14-19: Louis Vuitton Cup Semifinals
September 26 – October 7: Louis Vuitton Cup Finals
October 12-27: The America’s Cup
HOW TO WATCH
Every race in the Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup will be shown live on Fox Sports and streaming platform Kayo Sports.
Coverage gets underway this Thursday at 10pm AEST.
The AC75s, an innovative 75-foot foiling monohull first introduced at the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland in 2021, will return this year for their second outing albeit with considerable tweaks and improvement.s.
“When you look at the boat now, the boat that we’re going to be launching soon (compared) to what we had last time, to us, is a big step on,” Emirates Team New Zealand’s chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge said.
“There’s a lot of stuff from the outside that you’ll never see – the control systems and everything, the technique and how you sail the boat – a lot of that stuff you won’t see, but to us there’s been some big steps forward.
“I would expect all the boats are going to be a big step forward, and who knows? What typically happens with these rules is when you go from one iteration to the next, slowly they all start to merge together. So, they may look similar.”
Emirates Team New Zealand (The Defender)
Yacht: Taihoro
Country: New Zealand
CEO: Grant Dalton
Helmsman: Peter Burling
INEOS Britannia
Yacht: Britannia
Country: Britain
CEO: Sir Ben Ainslie
Helmsman: Sir Ben Ainslie
American Magic
Yacht: Patriot
Country: America
CEO: Mike Cazer
President: Terry Hutchinson
Helmsman: Terry Hutchinson
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team
Yacht: Tifosi
Country: Italy
Chairman: Patrizio Bertelli
Helmsmen: Max Sirena, Francesco Bruni, Jimmy Spithill
Alinghi Red Bull Racing
Yacht: BoatOne
Country: Switzerland
Team Principal: Ernesto Bertarelli
Helmsmen: Arnaud Psarofaghis, Maxime Bachelin, Nicolas Charbonnier
Orient Express Racing Team
Yacht: Orient Express
Country: France
CEOs: Bruno Dubois, Stephan Kandler
Helmsmen: Quentin Delapierre, Kevin Peponnet
RULE CHANGES
There are slight changes to the boat regulations this year, with crew numbers reduced from 11 to eight on the foiling monohulls.
To reduce costs, teams will only be permitted to build one AC75 for the America’s Cup, while national rules have become more strict — 100 per cent of the race crew for each competitor has to be a passport holder of the country of the team’s yacht club, or have been physically present in that country for 18 months between March 2018 and March 2021.
That’s the case for Australian sailing great Tom Slingsby, who will feature as part of the American Magic team having previously hlelped Oracle Team USA to America’s Cup glory.
PAST WINNERS
2021 — Team New Zealand
2017 — Team New Zealand
2013 — Oracle Team USA
2010 — BMW Oracle Racing (United States)
2007 — Alinghi
2003 — Alinghi
2000 — Team New Zealand
1995 — Team New Zealand
1992 — America3 (United States)
1988 — Stars & Stripes ‘89 (United States)
1987 — Stars & Stripes ‘87 (United States)
1983 — Australia II (Australia)
1980 — Freedom (United States)
1977 — Courageous (United States)
1974 — Courageous (United States)
1970 — Intrepid (United States)
1967 — Intrepid (United States)
1964 — Constellation (United States)
1962 — Weatherly (United States)
1958 — Columbia (United States)
1937 — Ranger (United States)
1934 — Rainbow (United States)
1930 — Enterprise (United States)
1920 — Resolute (United States)
1903 — Reliance (United States)
1901 — Columbia (United States)
1899 — Columbia (United States)
1895 — Defender (United States)
1893 — Vigilant (United States)
1887 — Volunteer (United States)
1886 — Mayflower (United States)
1885 — Puritan (United States)
1881 — Mischief (United States)
1876 — Madeleine (United States)
1871 — Columbia/Sappho (United States)
1870 — Magic (United States)
1851 — America (United States)
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More than 170 years since the trophy was first contested, sailing’s most glamorous event is about to hit the water off barcelona. christian broughton joins the preparations, with olympic gold-winning sailors, boats that almost fly, and some of the most powerful athletes in world sport, article bookmarked.
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I t’s impossible not to feel the adrenaline rush as the 75ft yacht races by, like a surreal reimagining of Formula 1, with shades of Star Wars, set on the high seas. The speed is breathtaking, but it’s the silence that gives this scene its sci-fi twist.
We’re a few hundred metres off Barcelona’s packed beaches, and Patriot, the New York Yacht Club’s entry into this year’s America’s Cup , is out on the water for a training day. The teams in this year’s competition are hoping to break 50 knots (92kph), yet this boat leaves barely any wake, makes not a sound, and as the sails twitch tight and the hull rises from the sea, it leaves our powerboat for dead. Scarcely touching the water, with only two hydrofoils beneath the surface, this thing really flies.
Is there anything in international sport that’s bigger than the Olympics? In sailing , there’s the America’s Cup. While the Games are the proving ground where sailors do battle in dinghies, this competition, dating back to 1851 and the oldest international competition in sport, will be contested in 75ft yachts with costs rumoured to run into eight figures. The latest edition of the race starts this month and will be run over several races until late October.
There’s something eerie about seeing so much power and control up close, and it’s not just the spectators who feel this way.
“You can’t be scared of these boats,” says Paul Goodison, one of the two helms in charge of Patriot. “You have to keep pushing. As soon as you start backing off is probably when you’re going to get bitten, so you always have to keep your foot down, and keep pushing, pushing, pushing.”
Goodison won gold for Team GB in Beijing in 2008 in the Laser class, while Ben Ainsley , his compatriot and the most decorated Olympic sailor in history, was winning gold in the Finn. Now they compete against each other, Ainsley in the British boat, INEOS Britannia.
For months the America’s Cup teams have been in testing around the port of Barcelona, finding the angles and sail set-up that gives maximum speed in different conditions on the local waters. There is a huge team supporting the sailing crew, forming a portside pitlane of assembled talents, from data scientists to naval architects. But when they finally line up against each other, it’s the skippers’ old rivalries that will be the focus of attention. Maybe even within the same team.
Each boat has two helms, or skippers, one on each side of the same boat, handing control to each other as the boat turns and the sail sweeps across, restricting visibility.
Goodison’s fellow helm is the Australian Tom Slingsby, last year’s Rolex World Sailor of the Year. The personal histories and rivalries have run for decades. Slingsby was on the crew of the US boat in the 2013 America’s Cup, alongside Ben Ainsley, as they scored one of the most famous and tight come-back victories in the competition’s history. And Slingsby won his Laser gold medal, at the London Olympics in 2012. All sports have their elite competitor dynamics, but in the America’s Cup, these are off the charts.
“We’ve competed against each other in the Olympic classes for the best part of 10 years,” says Goodison of his teammate. “We were archrivals for a long time. And we’ve been through cycles of being best mates, and then very abrasive, and then mates, and then abrasive. And it all comes from when you’re competing against somebody. You can’t really like them. You’ve got to crush them. You’ve got to beat them. And that was a big part of the Olympic cycle. But also with that, you gain a huge amount of respect. If you were to choose another guy to be beside you racing one of these, he’d be top of your list.”
The stakes are high. Though the US had the longest winning streak in sport, taking the first competition and then holding the America’s Cup for 132 years, it is Emirates Team New Zealand that currently holds the trophy. Last time around, in 2021 off the shores of Auckland, the American Magic team were thought to have the fastest boat in the fleet. They were clear of their Italian rivals, Prada, in the semi-final. But as they turned the mark, the boat overpowered, tipped, soared into the air and crashed back down, capsizing and very nearly sinking. The final was so close. Human error – though, it must be said, not Goodison’s.
But there is more to an America’s Cup crew than the skippers who make those high-pressure decisions. To see the boats glide by does not do justice to the muscle power on board. While the two lifting hydrofoils are controlled by electrical power, the huge, powerful sails are adjusted by the “meat batteries” (is there a more brutal description for a professional in all of sport?).
It’s a long time since America’s Cup boats used simple winches. Legs are far more powerful than arms, so these boats have ‘cyclors’ on board, with bike frames hidden within the hull, as the crew pedal furiously to power each turn.
For the American Magic team, this role is made all the more brutal by the demands of aerodynamics. Patriot is designed to be much sleeker and much more low-profile than her rivals – especially Ainsley’s muscle-car-looking INEOS Britannia. And that means the Patriot’s cyclors are pedalling for all their worth on recumbent cycles, facing backwards. “I hope they’re paying those guys well,” a rival team’s cyclor quipped later that day.
These “meat batteries” are serious units, chosen from backgrounds ranging from cycling to rowing – sports that demonstrate an ability to churn out power that’s beyond almost anyone else.
If the boats are space-age machines steeped in sporting heritage, so too is the gear the crew wears. American Magic have been working closely with Helly Hansen – the outdoor gear label that traces its own roots back almost as far as the competition, to Norway in 1877. Their technology team have been working with the sailors throughout, redesigning fabrics to be lighter and more flexible, changing the cut of the spray tops to allow ideal movement, and even rethinking the design of the buoyancy aids.
But even the Helly Hansen performance team were not prepared for the cylcors. As they worked with the boat’s big beasts, they discovered they had to cut the legs of their kit much wider to accommodate all that power and make the fabrics capable of dumping huge amounts of body heat.
If you want to write your own name into America’s Cup history, and you don’t have an Olympic sailing gold to hand, you might consider becoming a cyclor. To apply for this most gruelling physical test in sport, you’ll only get the attention of American Magic’s head of performance, Ben Day, if you can already send huge power through your training bike . This is not about being light yet powerful – it’s not the Tour de France, you’re not cycling up a mountain. This is all about “absolute watts”.
If you can sustain around 450 watts for 20 minutes, and peak at 1,000 for 30 seconds, “then, I say, let’s have a chat,” says Day. But look down at the wattage at the peak of your spin class or Peloton session and you might see a humbling comparison. I know from experience. After some gruff encouragement from Day, I gave it my all. Did I hit 450 watts? Yes. Did I hold it for 20 minutes? It was a struggle to hold it for one. And this was in the air-conditioned, stable luxury of the American Magic base camp.
It’s all a long way from the competition’s beginnings. Back then, it was the year of the Great Exhibition, and the Royal Yacht Squadron, based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, off England’s south coast, had invited the New York Yacht Club to join them.
The script was clear: the regatta was set to be a showcase of maritime supremacy, a demonstration of just how invincibly Britannia ruled the waves. But what played out on the water was one of the greatest upsets in sporting history.
A radically designed 100ft schooner with concave bows, slick black hull and flat sails, America had proven herself capable of clocking up more than 200 miles in a day as she crossed the Atlantic. Backed by a syndicate, Stevens had commissioned local brothers James and George Steers to build her, negotiating the price down to $20,000 ($814,000 today).
The yacht’s captain was Richard Brown, a renowned Sandy Hook pilot, with skills forged in the sharp-edged competition of the new world, navigating tricky waters at pace to beat the local competition to incoming ships and win the business of guiding them into the booming harbour of New York.
Accounts of exactly what happened upon America’s arrival in British waters are disputed – as can be the case when pride and reputation are at stake, and the sporting action takes place out at sea, away from the gaze of too many witnesses. She may – or may not – have left a renowned local boat in her wake in an initial encounter. Certainly, the locals seemed intimidated after that initial skirmish, with the American crew forced to wait for someone to accept their challenge. “It could not be imagined,” wrote The Times , “that the English would allow an illustrious stranger to boast that he has flung down the gauntlet to England and had been unable to find a taker.’’
Some days later, on 22 August, the now infamous challenge was set. A £100 ewer, from the London silversmith Garrard, was to be the prize. Fifteen yachts – seven schooners and eight smaller cutters – officially started the 53-mile course, running clockwise around the island. One of the favourites ran aground, and another went to help, pulling out of the race. Two others crashed into each other. And so the challenger from across the Atlantic took the spoils.
One of the two yachts that collided off Ventnor that day was named Volante, Italian for “flying”. A glimpse of the future, perhaps, and of the yachts that today hover above the waves.
As American Magic’s training day nears its end, the challenger from Italy, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, bankrolled by the fashion house billionaire Patrizio Bertelli, emerges, shimmering in its mirrored silver finish. The two boats tack near each other, then pull away, honing their skills as they drop their foils into the water, turn through the wind and then speed off with just one foil and the rudder touching the water.
At this stage, it’s a practice only – the rules strictly prohibit them from lining up against each other until the competitive action begins. But with so much money, pride and history at stake, you can tell they’re sparring, seeing where the other boat looks slicker and quicker. Come Thursday (22 August), as the 37th America’s Cup finally takes to the water, the real race – one of the greatest and most glamorous in sport – will be on.
To watch the America’s Cup: americascup.com
The author travelled to Barcelona with Helly Hansen: to see the Helly Hansen American Magic crew clothing, visit hellyhansen.com
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Object summary.
United States , New York , New York
No. 27A white print
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America was a 19th-century racing yacht and first winner of the America's Cup international sailing trophy.. On August 22, 1851, America won the Royal Yacht Squadron's 53-mile (85 km) regatta around the Isle of Wight by 18 minutes. [3] The Squadron's "One Hundred Sovereign Cup" or "£100 Cup", sometimes mistakenly known in America as the "One Hundred Guinea Cup", [4] was later renamed after ...
I. (Schooner: tonnage100; length 111'0"; beam25'0"; draft 12'0"; armament 1 12-pounder rifle, 2 24-pounder smoothbores) The first America was a racing schooner designed by George Steers and built at New York City in the shipyard of William H. Brown. The yacht was constructed for a syndicate headed by John Cox Stevens, the commodore of the New ...
On 22 August 1851, America raced against 15 yachts in the Royal Yacht Squadron's "all nations" race around the Isle of Wight. America won, finishing 8 minutes ahead of the closest rival.
Schooner Yacht America (1851) Schooner Yacht America (1851) Object summary. Title Schooner Yacht America (1851) Object ID CC-E-01-64 Object type Plan ... Schooner Yacht America. Related - CC-E-01C-64. MIT Museum 314 Main Street Gambrill Center Building E-28 Cambridge, MA 02142 (617) 253-5927. Stay in touch. Facebook; Twitter;
VESSEL INFORMATION- VESSEL NAME: AMERICA ALL NAMES OF VESSEL: AMERICA NATIONALITY: American HOME PORT: New York (Originally) VESSEL TYPE: Schooner Yacht VESSEL DIMENSIONS: 94' length on deck x 22'6" beam; 170 tons register SERVICE DATES: 1851-1946 SHIPBUILDER: George Steers SHIPBUILDER LOCATION: New York, New York SHIP OWNERS: John Cox Stevens ...
Label Text The first international yacht exposition was launched in England in 1851, marking the first formal racing competition between British and American vessels. On August 22 of that year, the schooner America became the first winner in the fifty-three mile contest around England's Isle of Wight.
The schooner America, designed by George Steers A replica of the original 1844 clubhouse of the New York Yacht Club at its original location in Hoboken, New Jersey On August 22 1851 the schooner America defeated 14 British yachts in a race around the Isle of Wight. The race became the inaugural edition of the America's Cup, the oldest sporting competition in the world.
The detailed information follows: U. S. Schooner America. Off Charleston, October 14th, 1862. Sir: On Monday night, October 13th, 1862 at 11 p.m., while lying at anchor off the mouth of Dewees Inlet in 4 fathoms of water, wind west, weather cloudy, I discovered a sail trying to run the blockade out from Charleston.
The schooner yacht America has been the subject of more paintings than any other pleasure or commercial vessel, perhaps rivaled only by the frigate Constitution. In 1851, the year of her victorious race off Cowes, England, she was portrayed by many of the most noted American and British marine artists of the day, and remains a favorite subject in paintings by many of today's marine artists.
America won that important (and to many observers highly unsatisfactory) race on 22 August 1851 not because she was a revolutionary hull. Instead, she was a very fine design, well resolved and fitted with nice sails. ... Great yacht designs 13 - the schooner America. Great yacht designs 12 - Gipsy Moth IV. Great yacht designs 11 - Oona ...
The Schooner America - An Appreciation. The schooner America some 15 years after her legendary victory in 1851 still with her original rig. The schooner yacht America of 1851 is arguably the most famous yacht in history. I have always wished people would identify and credit published photos, but I can't tell where this picture has been ...
Schooner Yacht America. Related - CC-E-01C-64. Sail Plan of Schooner Yacht America 1851. Related - CC-E-01E-64. MIT Museum 314 Main Street Gambrill Center Building E-28 Cambridge, MA 02142 (617) 253-5927. Stay in touch. Facebook; Twitter; Instagram; YouTube; Subscribe to our newsletter. Accessibility;
Lane's depiction of the schooner yacht "America's" victory at Cowes, England, is a close copy of Thomas Dutton's lithograph, which in turn was based on an on-site drawing of the occasion by Oswald W. Brierly. ... John Rousmaniere, The Low Black Schooner: Yacht America, 1851-1945 (Mystic, CT: Mystic Seaport Museum Stores, Inc., 1986), 27 ...
Adrian Morgan admires the great gamble - and the gambler's luck - that won the £100 Cup - the race that became the first event in the America's Cup. On 28 March, 1942, an unusually heavy ...
History of America's Cup from 1851 to 1937. HOME; 1851. THE £100 CUP; AMERICA; MARIA; ARROW ... Lines of the America as taken off while the yacht was docked in England: George Steers: SAIL PLAN OF AMERICA ... America Built on her lines Mary Taylor (Plan) Olin Stephens: SCHOONER AMERICA - DESIGN 1897 - General Arrangement: Olin Stephens ...
The America's owner took home the first place silver pitcher for winning the competition that would later be known as the America's Cup race. Presently in the collection of the San Francisco Maritime NHP is a model of the schooner America. This model was given to Mr. Le Marchant, owner of the yacht Aurora, that placed second in the 1851 race ...
If you wish to download the plans for YACHT AMERICA 1851, become a sponsor of this channel. Access to download all the plans of this channel is open in the C...
10 Days to Go Until Racing Begins. When 'Old' Dick Brown guided the schooner 'America' deftly across the finishing line at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes in dying breeze and light, against the tide, and with the cutter 'Aurora' closing up fast, little could he imagine what the resultant racing some 173 years later would look like.
On July 30, 1844, nine men sat aboard a schooner floating near Manhattan Island's Battery. John Cox Stevens had invited eight of his friends to join him on his yacht, the Gimcrack.
Schooner Yacht America Object ID CC-E-01C-64 Object type Plan Print Major collection Nautical Named collection Arthur H. Clark Collection ... Schooner Yacht America (1851) Related - CC-E-01-64. Yacht America. Related - CC-E-01A-64. America. Related - CC-E-01B-64. MIT Museum 314 Main Street Gambrill Center Building E-28 Cambridge, MA 02142 (617 ...
Traces the history of the schooner yacht and discusses it achievements in races and its use by the Navy in the Civil War. Read more. Previous page. Print length. 78 pages. Language. English. Publisher. Mystic Seaport Museum Inc. Publication date. January 1, 1986. Dimensions. 1 x 1 x 1 inches. ISBN-10. 0939510049. ISBN-13.
Builder: George Steers and Co. Long Island, New York. Launched: 1851. Scrapped and burned in a shed in 1945, Annapolis, Maryland. Scale model dimensions, at 1:20 scale: LOA: 60.75". Beam: 13.7″. Draft: 8.3" (including 1.75″ allowance for stability) Next is to establish the actual design criteria: Standard Equipment:
Your Price: $199.99. Model Shipways Yacht America Schooner 1851. Part Number: MS2029. Availability: In Stock. Construction Type: Plank on Bulkhead. Choose Options. Get the Recommended Paints With a Discount: Yacht America Acrylic Paint Set 4 1 OZ. Bottles (+$14.99) Model Expo Paint Brushes Set 10 pc (11.99 value) for (+$6.99)
The America's Cup is the oldest international sailing competition. Races are held between a defending and challenging yacht club, with the winner awarded the America's Cup trophy, known as the ...
Aug. 22 1851 — The United States wins the first international yacht race. The schooner named "America" beats 14 British yachts. 1885 — Richard Sears beats Godfrey M. Brinley, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 ...
First contested in 1851, the a 183-year-old sporting challenge has become one of the most highly-anticipated sailing events on the calendar, with fast-paced racing and engineering at the fore of ...
Olympic gold-winning sailors prepare for the biggest sailing competition in 2024 America's Cup - the historic sailing event that sees the world's best compete ... dating back to 1851 and the ...
International yacht racing began in 1851, when a syndicate of members of the New York Yacht Club built a 101-foot schooner named "America". The yacht was sailed to England, where it won a trophy called the Hundred Guineas Cup in a race around the Isle of Wight. The trophy was renamed "The America's Cup" and it remains yachting's most coveted ...
Sail Plan of Schooner Yacht America 1851. Object summary. Title Sail Plan of Schooner Yacht America 1851 Object ID CC-E-01E-64 Date made 1923 Place made. United States, New York, New York. Printmaker Boucher Inc. Object type Plan Print Major collection Nautical Named collection Arthur H. Clark Collection
Sir Ben Ainslie has made a big call on the eve of the 37th America's Cup, bringing in Dylan Fletcher as his co-helm in place of Giles Scott.. The British challenge for sport's oldest ...