Yankee (yacht)

Last updated
Yankee
Yankee 1935.jpg
Yankee in 1935.
Yacht clubBurgee of the New York Yacht Club.svg  New York Yacht Club
Class J-class
Sail noUS–2
Designer(s) Frank Cabot Paine [1] [2]
Builder Lawley & Son’s yard [1]
Neponset (Dorchester), MA, USA
LaunchedMay 10, 1930 [3]
Owner(s)Boston–Marblehead Syndicate, [1] a.k.a. the Eastern Yacht Club Syndicate [1]
FateScrapped in 1941
Racing career
Skippers Charles F. Adams [1]
AC Defender
Selection Series		1930 America's Cup Defender Selections Series
1934 America's Cup Defender Selections Series
1937 America's Cup Defender Selections Series
Specifications
Displacement148 long tons [4] (150 metric tonnes)
Length125 ft (38.1 m) overall; [4] 84 ft (25.6 m) at waterline [4]
Beam22 ft 4 in [4] (6.8 m)
Draft15 ft 3 in [4] (4.64 m)
Sail area7,550 sq.ft [4] (701.4 m2)

Yankee was a 1930 yacht of the J Class built as a contender for the New York Yacht Club's defence of the 1930 America's Cup. She was ordered by a syndicate from the Eastern Yacht Club of Boston, organized by John Silsbee Lawrence, designed by Frank Cabot Paine, [2] and built by Lawley & Son. [2] Whirlwind was unsuccessful in her bid to become the Cup defender, an honor that went to Enterprise . With modifications, she took part in the trials for the 1934 America's Cup. She was eventually taken to the United Kingdom by a new owner in 1935 and was scrapped in 1941.

Contents

Design and development

When the New York Yacht Club accepted Sir Thomas Lipton's challenge for the America's cup, they decided to form two syndicates to build one yacht each for the defense of the cup, and also to welcome other syndicates who might want to offer a defender. [5] The Eastern Yacht Club put forward one such syndicate as the "Boston–Marblehead Syndicate", organized by John Silsbee Lawrence and comprising: [6] [1]

Her construction was of steel frames and deck beams, with wooden decks and a hull was built from very expensive Tobin bronze. [1] [2] Her launch was delayed because she was being built behind and in the same shed as Whirlwind , [3] another contender for the defense of the Cup. Inspectors from Lloyd's required significant structural changes to that boat, which in turn blocked Yankee's completion. [3] She was eventually launched on May 10. [3]

Crew

Under the Racing Rules, yachts were allowed a total crew of 31, including any afterguard. [7] The afterguard comprised: [6]

The syndicate engaged a Mr. Olsen as their sailing master, and a professional crew of Scandinavian origin. [6]

The Long Island Sound series

On June 9, the contenders, together with the J-class yachts Resolute and Vanitie , met at Glen Cove for a series of races planned in Long Island Sound by the local clubs. [8]

Of the series, Weetamoe won three out of four races, with the other going to Enterprise. [9] Yankee arrived too late to compete in any but the fourth and last race. [8]

The Eastern Yacht Club races

The following week, the J-class boats traveled to Newport for three races organized by the Eastern Yacht Club. [10]

Enterprise won all three of these races. [11] Weetamoe recorded the fastest time in the first race, but withdrew after fouling Enterprise. [12]

As winner of the races, Enterprise was awarded the Commodore Charles P. Curtiss cup, [13] and a second prize was awarded to Yankee. [14]

Observation

During the first two weeks of July 1930, the America's Cup Committee staged a series of observation races to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the four contenders to defend the cup. [15] The races were conducted by starting the yachts in pairs, with the second pair starting fifteen minutes after the first. The yachts to race in each pair were determined by lot. [15]

The end results of the observations were that Enterprise, Weetamoe, and Yankee all finished roughly the same, points-wise (14, 13, and 13 respectively), while Whirlwind had won only a single race and finished with only 8 points. [16] Weetamoe won every race that she had finished. [16]

Enterprise and Weetamoe each scored a technical victory over the other when their competitor could not finish a race. [17] Likewise, Yankee scored a technical victory over Whirlwind. [18]

New York Yacht Club annual cruise

From August 2–9, the 1930 annual cruise of the New York Yacht Club offered a final opportunity for the contenders for the defense of the America's Cup to compete with each other prior to the selection trials. The cruise consisted of several port-to=-port legs, interspersed with races over set courses. [19]

Enterprise and Weetamoe each won three races, and Yankee won one. [19] As part of this cruise, Enterprise won the Astor Cup [20] and Weetamoe won the City of Newport Cup. [21]

1930 America's Cup trials

Formal trials between the four contenders commenced on August 20. [22] The contenders were to race in pairs, the second division starting 15 minutes after the first division, as in the observation races. [23]

Due to poor winds, only two trial races were held, [24] both won by Enterprise against Weetamoe. [25] Whirlwind was disabled in one of her races against Yankee. [26]

On the evening of August 27, the America's Cup Committee informed the afterguard of Enterprise that their yacht had been selected to defend the cup. [27]

1934 America's Cup trials

For the 1934 America's Cup trials, Yankee's rig was modified to carry more sail, and her bow was lengthened and given more of a V-shape. [2]

Fate

Following her racing career, Yankee was purchased in 1935 by Gerald Lambert and taken across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom. [28] [2]

Yankee was scrapped in 1941. [29] [30] [2]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America's Cup</span> Sailing race trophy

The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one from the yacht club that currently holds the trophy and the other from the yacht club that is challenging for the cup. Matches are held several years apart on dates agreed between the defender and the challenger. There is no fixed schedule, but the races have generally been held every three to four years. The most recent America's Cup match took place in March 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marblehead, Massachusetts</span> Town in Massachusetts, United States

Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, along the North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 census. The town lies on a small peninsula that extends into the northern part of Massachusetts Bay. Attached to the town is a near island, known as Marblehead Neck, connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Marblehead Harbor, protected by shallow shoals and rocks from the open sea, lies between the mainland and the Neck. Beside the Marblehead town center, two other villages lie within the town: the Old Town, which was the original town center, and Clifton, which lies along the border with the neighboring town of Swampscott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Stirling Vanderbilt</span>

Harold Stirling Vanderbilt CBE was an American railroad executive, a champion yachtsman, an innovator and champion player of contract bridge, and a member of the Vanderbilt family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race</span>

The Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race (MHOR) is a biennial sailing race which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005. It runs between Marblehead, Massachusetts and Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is believed to be the longest running offshore ocean race in the world and is considered one of the pre-eminent ocean races of the North Atlantic.

<i>Ranger</i> (yacht)

Ranger was a J-class racing yacht that successfully defended the 1937 America's Cup, defeating the British challenger Endeavour II 4-0 at Newport, Rhode Island. It was the last time J-class yachts would race for the America's Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J-class yacht</span>

A J-Class yacht is a single-masted racing yacht built to the specifications of Nathanael Herreshoff's Universal Rule. The J-Class are considered the peak racers of the era when the Universal Rule determined eligibility in the America's Cup.

<i>Reliance</i> (yacht)

Reliance was the 1903 America's Cup defender designed by Nat Herreshoff.

<i>Galatea</i> (yacht)

Galatea was the unsuccessful Scottish challenger of the sixth America's Cup race in 1886 against American defender Mayflower.

HMY <i>Britannia</i> (Royal Cutter Yacht)

His Majesty's Yacht Britannia was a gaff-rigged cutter built in 1893 for RYS Commodore Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. She served both himself and his son King George V with a long racing career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Starling Burgess</span> American naval architect and aviation pioneer (1878–1947)

William Starling Burgess was an American yacht designer, aviation pioneer, and naval architect. He was awarded the highest prize in aviation, the Collier Trophy in 1915, just two years after Orville Wright won it. In 1933 he partnered with Buckminster Fuller to design and build the radical Dymaxion Car. Between 1930 and 1937 he created three America's Cup winning J-Class yachts, Enterprise, Rainbow and Ranger.

USS <i>Pilgrim</i> (SP-1204) Patrol vessel of the United States Navy

The third USS Pilgrim (SP-1204) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919.

<i>Shamrock V</i>

Shamrock V was the first British yacht to be built to the new J-Class rule. She was commissioned by Sir Thomas Lipton for his fifth America's Cup challenge. Although refitted several times, Shamrock is the only original J-class never to have fallen into dereliction.

<i>Montgomery</i>-class cruiser Class of American naval ships

The Montgomery-class cruisers were three unprotected cruisers built for the United States Navy in the early 1890s. They had a thin water-tight protective deck, and also relied for protection upon their coal bunkers, cellulose packing, and numerous compartments. Roomy accommodations were provided for officers and crew, these cruisers being mainly intended for long cruises on distant stations.

Enterprise was a 1930 yacht of the J Class and successful defender of the 1930 America's Cup for the New York Yacht Club. It was ordered by a syndicate headed by Vice-Commodore Winthrop Aldrich, designed by Starling Burgess, and built by Herreshoff Manufacturing Company.

Whirlwind was a 1930 yacht of the J Class built as a contender for the New York Yacht Club's defence of the 1930 America's Cup. She was ordered by a syndicate headed by Landon Ketchum Thorne, designed by Lewis Francis Herreshoff, and built by Lawley & Son. Whirlwind was unsuccessful in her bid to become the Cup defender, an honor that went to Enterprise. She never sailed again after the Cup races, and was scrapped in 1935.

Weetamoe was a 1930 yacht of the J Class built as a contender for the New York Yacht Club's defence of the 1930 America's Cup. She was ordered by a syndicate headed by Junius Morgan, designed by Clinton Hoadley Crane, and built by Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Weetamoe was unsuccessful in her bid to become the Cup defender, an honor that went to Enterprise. She continued to sail for a few years afterwards, before being scrapped in 1937.

<i>Constellation</i> (schooner) American sailing ship

Constellation was the largest steel schooner when completed, having been designed by the yacht designer Edward Burgess and launched in 1889. She was built at the Piepgras Shipyard on City Island in the Town of Pelham on Long Island, New York. It was built for yachtsman Edwin D. Morgan III, who was a commodore of the New York Yacht Club, and grandson of New York Governor and state senator Edwin D. Morgan. The vessel remained in service on the United States East Coast at Marblehead, Massachusetts, until 1941 when the schooner was taken out of service and scrapped for its metal to aid the war effort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Yacht Club</span> Yacht club in Massachusetts

The Eastern Yacht Club is located in Marblehead, Massachusetts and founded in 1870. It is one of the oldest yacht clubs on the east coast with significant involvement in the history of American yachting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert M. Sears</span>

Herbert Mason Sears was a noted yachtsman and businessman in Boston, Massachusetts. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre for his contributions during World War I.

The 1930 America's Cup was the 14th challenge for the Cup. It took place in Newport and consisted of a series of races between the defender Enterprise, entered by a syndicate of New York Yacht Club members headed by Winthrop Aldrich, and Shamrock V, the fifth in Sir Thomas Lipton's line of Cup challengers. Harold S. Vanderbilt was the skipper of Enterprise in this race.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Garland 1989, p.185
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum (n.d.)
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dear 2004, p.50
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vanderbilt 1931, p.88
  5. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.4
  6. 1 2 3 Dear 2004, p.49
  7. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.31
  8. 1 2 Vanderbilt 1931, p.89
  9. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, pp.90–97
  10. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.102
  11. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, pp.104–07
  12. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.103
  13. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.107
  14. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.108
  15. 1 2 Vanderbilt 1931, p.113
  16. 1 2 Vanderbilt 1931, p.135
  17. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, pp.123,130
  18. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.130
  19. 1 2 Vanderbilt 1931, pp.142–59
  20. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.155
  21. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, p.159
  22. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, 161
  23. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, 169
  24. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, 183–84
  25. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, pp.172–81
  26. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, 172
  27. ↑ Vanderbilt 1931, 184–85
  28. ↑ Dear 2004, p.46
  29. ↑ 1929 - 1937 : THE GOLDEN YEARS www.jclassyachts.com, accessed 4 October 2020
  30. ↑ Photograph of Yankee (US J2) www.digitalcommonwealth.org, accessed 4 October 2020
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.