1958 America's Cup

Last updated
17th America's Cup
Columbia-Aquidneck-2011.jpg
Columbia (right) in 2011
Defender Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Defender club: New York Yacht Club
Yacht: Columbia
Challenger Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Challenger club: Royal Yacht Squadron
Yacht: Sceptre
Competition
Location: Newport, Rhode Island, United States
Dates:20–26 September 1958
Rule: 12-metre
Winner: New York Yacht Club
Score:4–0
  1937
1962  

The 1958 America's Cup marked the first Cup match sailed in 12-metre class yachts. Twenty years had passed since the last Cup match, held between immense Universal Rule J-class yachts in 1937 besides World War II, and the New York Yacht Club sought a more affordable alternative to restart interest in the Cup. In 1956 Henry Sears [1] led an effort advancing class yachts. The Royal Yacht Squadron of Great Britain agreed to challenge with a new 12-metre, Sceptre. The New York Yacht Club defended with theirs, Columbia, winning the Cup in a four-race sweep.

Contents

Defender Series

Four yachts competed in a summer long regatta to determine which the NYYC would name as defender, Columbia (US-16), a new Olin Stephens boat, Weatherly (US-17), Easterner (US-18), and the Olin Stephens designed Vim (US-15) from 1939. Columbia was chosen after a very close set of races resulted in only beating the 19-year-old Vim by 12 seconds in the final competition.

The Races

DateCourseWinnerLoserWinning
Time
DeltaScoreWinner's Velocity
on Course
September 20, 195824 nmi (44 km; 28 mi), windward leeward a ColumbiaSceptre5:13:567:451-04.59
September 24, 195824 nmi (44 km; 28 mi), triangular b ColumbiaSceptre3:17:4211:422-07.28
September 25, 195824 nmi, windward leewardColumbiaSceptre3:09:078:203-07.61
September 26, 195824 nmi, triangularColumbiaSceptre3:04:227:054-07.81
^a Each leg 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi); twice around the course

^b Each leg 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi); first leg upwind.

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References

  1. "America's Cup Hall of Fame : Henry Sears, 1995 Inductee". Archived from the original on 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2012-04-26.

America's Cup Competitions