America (yacht)
The yacht America
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| Class and type: | gaff schooner |
| Tonnage: | 100; 208 Thames Measurement |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 22 ft 10 in (6.96 m) |
| Draught: | 10 ft 11 in (3.33 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sail |
| Sail plan: | 5,296 sq ft (492.0 m2) upwind sail area |
| Armament: | two 24-pounder & one 12-pounder |
| Notes: | Hull material: Wood (white oak, locust, cedar and chestnut) |
| History | |
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 United States
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| Owner: |
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| Builder: | William H. Brown |
| Laid down: | late November 1850 |
| Launched: | May 3rd, 1851 |
| Christened: | America |
| Renamed: | Camilla (1856), America (1862) |
| Honors and awards: |
R.Y.S. £100 Cup, 1851 |
| Fate: | Scrapped, 1945 |
 Confederate States of America
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| Renamed: | Memphis (1860) |
| Fate: | scuttled (Jacksonville, 1862) |
America was a 19th-century racing yacht and first winner of the America's Cup international sailing trophy. The Royal Yacht Squadron's "One Hundred Sovereign Cup" or "£100 Cup," mistakenly known in America as the "One Hundred Guinea Cup," the trophy was later renamed after the original winning yacht. On August 22, 1851, America won the Royal Yacht Squadron's 53-mile (85 km) regatta around the Isle of Wight by eighteen minutes.
A syndicate of New York Yacht Club members, headed by NYYC charter member Commodore John Cox Stevens, with members Edwin A. Stevens, George Schuyler, Hamilton Wilkes, and J. Beekman Finley, would build a yacht to sail to England. The purpose of this visit was twofold: to show off U.S. shipbuilding skill and make money through competing in yachting regattas. Stevens employed the services of the shipyard of William Brown and his chief designer, George Steers.
America was designed by James Rich Steers and George Steers (1820–1856) (See George Steers and Co). Traditional "cod-head-and-mackerel-tail" design gave boats a blunt bow and a sharp stern with the widest point (the beam) placed one-third of the length aft of the bow. George Steers' pilot boat designs, however, had a concave clipper-bow with the beam of the vessel at midships. As a result, his schooner-rigged pilot boats were among the fastest and most seaworthy of their day. They had to be seaworthy, for they had to meet inbound and outbound vessels in any kind of weather. These vessels also had to be fast, for harbor pilots competed with each other for business. In addition to pilot boats, Steers designed and built 17 yachts, some which were favourites with the New York Yacht Club.
America was captained by Richard Brown who was also a skilled member of the Sandy Hook Pilots group renowned worldwide for their expertise in manoeuvering the shoals around New York Harbor. They were all extremely skilled racers as a result of impromptu races between pilots to ships in need of pilot services. Brown had sailed aboard a pilot boat designed by George Steers, of whom he was a personal friend. He chose as first mate Nelson Comstock, a newcomer to yacht racing.
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Wikipedia