Aubrey Crocker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Provincetown, Massachusetts |
| Died | June 23, 1906 Cohasset, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Yachtsman |
Aubrey Crocker was a yachting skipper in the United States during the 19th century. He captained the Puritan in 1885 [1] , winner of the America's Cup, the world's oldest international sporting competition. [2]
Crocker was born in Provincetown. [3] [4] He learned about the sea from his father starting at the age of ten. He demonstrated his proficiency in sailing yachts after commanding a boat called the Shadow, the only American boat to defeat a famous British cutter named Madge.
Based on his experience and successful record, Crocker was selected to skipper the Puritan first in August 1885 [5] in the Goelet Cup trials which pitted his boat against the Priscilla. [6] After his victory, he went on in September 1885 to sail Puritan against the British entry Genesta. He was assisted by Captain Joe Ellsworth. [7]
Following that triumph, he was also invited to sail on two other America's Cup competitors, the Volunteer and Mayflower in the capacity of an advisor. [8]
In 1897, Crocker steered the Navahoe to victory in the prestigious Goelet Cup over the yacht Vigilant, the defender of the 1893 America's Cup. [9] Both yachts were designed by the Herreshoff brothers, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff and John Brown Herreshoff.
Crocker died at 68 years old of Bright's disease. [10]