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Near daily on San Diego Bay, charter yacht America will ply the waters in which the America’s Cup was defended in 1988, 1992, and 1995. Of the yachts that sought this iconic trophy, little then and now resemble this near-perfect replica built in 1995 that reminds us of what transpired in 1851.
Author and researcher David Gendell explores the dark final days of the original yacht that launched sailing’s legendary regatta:
The schooner yacht America was a child star and a technological marvel. Arguably the most famous yacht ever built, she won the silver cup in August 1851, and now she represents the pinnacle of yacht racing.
The story of America’s design, build, and her first 16 weeks afloat are the stuff of legend, and for good reason: The schooner’s origin story is irresistible and watertight. The yacht was funded by New York’s wealthiest sportsmen and created specifically for international competition; an invitation to compete had been extended to the Americans from British yachtsmen based at Cowes, on England’s southern coast.
The resultant design brief was ambitious: The new yacht must possess the ability to safely and swiftly cross the ocean but also to win nearshore races against yachts specifically built for that purpose. Her given name reflected the aspirations of her owners: America. About 100 feet long on deck, America was constructed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the winter of 1850 and into 1851. – Full report
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