User talk:David Finn/1903 America's Cup draft: Difference between revisions

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{| class="infobox" style="width: 23em; font-size: 90%"
<noinclude>
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" |'''12th America's Cup<br>
The '''2013 America's Cup''' will be the 34th [[America's Cup]] competition to be held and will take place from 7-22 September 2013, in [[San Francisco, California]], [[California (U.S. state)|California]], the home of the winners of the [[2010 America's Cup]], the [[Golden Gate Yacht Club]]. The [[challenger of record]] will be chosen during the [[Louis Vuitton Cup]] which will be held from 04 July – 1 September 2013.
|-
|style="text-align: right;|'''Date'''
|August 20 - September 3 1903
|-
|style="text-align: right;|'''Defender'''
|[[New York Yacht Club]]
|-
|'''Challenger'''
|[[Royal Ulster Yacht Club]]
|-
|'''Winner'''
|[[New York Yacht Club]]
|-
|'''Location'''
|[[New York City]]
|}


The '''1903 America's Cup''' was the 12th [[America's Cup]] race to be held, and was won by the American defender, ''[[Reliance (yacht)|Reliance]]'', who won all three races against the Irish challenger, ''[[Shamrock III (yacht)|Shamrock III]]''. It was the fourth Cup win for [[Naval architecture|designer]] [[Nathanael Herreshoff]] and the third for [[Skipper|skipper]] [[Charlie Barr]]. The 12th America's Cup was the last to be raced under the Seawanhaka Rule.
Racing will take place in a new class of yacht designed for the America's Cup, the [[AC72]]. In addition there is an [[America's Cup World Series]] which is intended to promote the America's Cup, attract sponsorship, and give competing teams the opportunity to practice, albeit in a slightly smaller version of the AC72, the [[AC45]].


The Cup was defended by the New York Yacht Club, and all races took place along the [[New Jersey]] coast from [[Sandy Hook]]. In total 8 races were held between August 20 and September 3, but unfavourable weather conditions prevented 5 of the races being completed within the time allowed. It was the last America's Cup race to be held from the [[New York Harbor]].
==Challenger of record==


''Shamrock III'' was entered by Scottish selfmade millionaire [[Thomas Lipton|Sir Thomas Lipton]], founder of the [[Lipton|Lipton tea company]].<ref>[http://www.glasgowguide.co.uk/info-fame_Sir_Thomas_Lipton%20.html Glasgow Guide ''Famous Glaswegians, Sir Thomas Lipton'']</ref> The 12th America's Cup was the third consecutive Cup to be unsuccessfully challenged by Lipton - first in 1899 with ''[[Shamrock]]'', and again in 1901 with ''Shamrock II''. The third ''Shamrock'', as well as the first, was designed by [[William Fife]]. Lipton made two more unsuccessful challenges on the Cup, in 1920 with ''Shamrock IV'', and again in 1930 with ''Shamrock V''
==America's Cup World Series==


''Reliance'' was entered by a syndicate of wealthy New York Yacht Club members, headed by [[C. Oliver Iselin]]. ''Reliance'' won a series of trial races against previous America's Cup winner [[''Columbia'']] and the yacht [[''Constitution'']], both designed by Nathanael Herreshoff.
==Links/teams==


==History==
===Defender===
{{main|America's Cup}}
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/ORACLE-Racing/Latest/ Oracle Racing], [http://www.ggyc.com/ Golden Gate Yacht Club], [[United States of America]]
The America's Cup is named after the yacht ''[[America (yacht)|America]]''


==The Competitors==
===Challengers===
 
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/Aleph-Equipe-De-France/Latest/ Aleph], [http://www.a-y-c.fr/ Aleph Yacht Club], [[France]]
 
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/Artemis-Racing/Latest/ Artemis Racing], [http://www.ksss.se/en/ Royal Swedish Yacht Club], [[Sweden]]
===The Challenge===
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/China-Team/Latest/ China Team], Mei Fan Yacht Club, China
 
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/Emirates-Team-New-Zealand/Latest/ Emirates Team New Zealand], [http://www.rnzys.org.nz/ Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron], [[New Zealand]] ([http://www.emiratesteamnz.com/ official blog])
text - when was the challenge issued?
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/Energy-Team/Latest/ Energy Team], [http://www.ycf-club.fr/ Yacht Club de France], [[France]]
 
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/Green-Comm-Racing/Latest/ Green Comm Racing], [http://www.rcnv.es/ Real Club Nautico de Valencia], [[Spain]]
===Race Regulations===
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/Luna-Rossa-Challenge-2013/About/ Luna Rossa Challenge 2013], [http://www.circolodellavela.it/ Circolo della Vela Sicilia], [[Italy]]
 
*[http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/Team-Korea/Latest/ Team Korea], Sail Korea Yacht Club, [[South Korea]]
The Cup was to be decided over multiple races, each beginning from a line between the race committee boat and the Sandy Hook lightship. Each race was be held over 30 miles, beginning as soon as possible after 11am and not later than 1pm. For each race the time allowed was 5.5 hours, and in the event that neither boat could complete the course within that time "no race" would be declared. The races would continue until one of the yachts had won three. Boats from the [[United States Revenue Cutter Service]] would ensure clear passage for the entrants.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uL8hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p5wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4513,3065122&dq=reliance+shamrock&hl=en Reading Eagle Aug 16 1903 ''Great Yacht Event Of This Week'']</ref>
 
The boats were to be rated under the [[Seawanhaka rule]], with a maximum waterline length of 90 feet. The rating, or sailing length, would determine if either boat would receive a time penalty.
 
<math>Rating=\frac{Load\ Waterline\ Length+\sqrt{Sail\ Area}}2</math>
 
The rating system was based on the waterline length and the sailplan. The beam was not accounted for, nor the overall length, and this allowed designers to exploit the rule to create narrow boats with long overhangs at both ends.<ref>[http://www.universalrule.com/index.php?page=3 universalrule.com ''History of the Universal Rule of Measurement'']</ref>
 
===Trials===
 
Both ''Reliance'' and ''Shamrock III'' were chosen to participate in the Cup after trial races with other potential challengers confirmed them as the most suitable boats.
 
''Reliance'' competed in trials against ''Constitution'' and ''[[Columbia (1899 yacht)|Columbia]]''. All three yachts were Herreshoff designed. ''Columbia'' had successfully defended the Cup in 1899 and 1901, both times with Captain Barr at the helm. ''Constitution'' was intended by Herreshoff to replace ''Columbia'' for the 1901 race and was thought to have been the better boat, but during trials for that race Barr secured victory for ''Columbia'' and the right to defend the Cup for a second time.<ref>[http://33rd.americascup.com/en/contexte/que-sont-ils-devenus/1899-columbia-ii-25-661 Website of the 33rd America's Cup, ''Where are they now? 1901 Columbia'']</ref> There were 20 trials held to establish which boat would defend the 12th America's Cup,<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-20/ed-1/seq-1/ The Saint Paul globe. August 20, 1903 ''Big Sloops Are Ready'']</ref> with ''Reliance'' crossing the finishing line first in all races. ''Reliance'' was chosen as defender by the New York Yacht Club on July 28, 1903.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19030728&id=NSIuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xn4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6809,1857746 The Montreal Gazette - Jul 28, 1903, ''Reliance Chosen'']</ref>
 
===''Reliance''===
{{main|Reliance (yacht)}}
 
''Reliance'' was owned by a syndicate of 8 members of the New York Yacht Club, including [[William Rockefeller]], [[Cornelius Vanderbilt III|Cornelius Vanderbilt]], [[Elbert Henry Gary|Elbert Gary]], [[Clement Griscom]], [[Peter Arrell Brown Widener|Peter Widener]] and [[James Jerome Hill|James Hill]].<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-20/ed-1/seq-1/ The Saint Paul globe. August 20, 1903 ''Big Sloops Are Ready'']</ref> The syndicate was managed by [[C. Oliver Iselin]], who had previously managed Cup defenders in 1893, 1895 and 1899.<ref>[http://www.herreshoff.org/achof/c_oliver_iselin.html America's Cup Hall Of Fame]</ref>
 
''"Call the boat a freak, anything you like, but we cannot handicap ourselves, even if our boat is only fit for the junk heap the day after the race."'' said Cornelius Vanderbilt.<ref>[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19070930.2.57 Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 79, 30 September 1907 ''Split the Difference'']</ref>
 
Many of the crew of ''Reliance'' were Norwegian.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=6-NPljqhZbkC&pg=PA105&lpg=PA105&dq=reliance+shamrock+lipton&source=bl&ots=fWyR6dPkIF&sig=XuC_JMZub9ZbTfTpU6ZrVUdgc1c&hl=en&ei=svITTJyZDo6gOOjk0JcM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=46&ved=0COYBEOgBMC0#v=onepage&q=reliance%20shamrock%20lipton&f=false ''Norwegian Sailors in American Waters'']</ref>
 
===''Shamrock III''===
Sir Thomas Lipton, in a statement issued on the day of the first race, said "''I am eating, drinking and sleeping with the hope of lifting the America's Cup, and I have put away all business until I either win it or lose it''".<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-21/ed-1/seq-1/ New-York tribune August 21, 1903 ''Reliance Ahead In A Fluke'']</ref>
 
Lipton said that he would not consider commissioning a light framed vessel with a very large sail plan such as ''Reliance'', believing it to be too great a risk to it's sailors to sail across the Atlantic to America where the Cup challenge would be held.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9TQqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yUgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4337,6803079&dq=reliance+freak&hl=en The Pittsburgh Press - Sep 29, 1907 ''No One But Lipton Is Anxious To Lift Cup'']</ref> The necessity of such a voyage was seen as a handicap for the challenger who would have to build a heavier boat to withstand the rough seas.
 
==The Race==
 
===Measurement===
 
On Sunday August 16 1903 onlookers had an opportunity to inspect the competitors side by side as ''Reliance'' and ''Shamrock III'' occupied adjacent [[Drydock|dry docks]] in the [[Lake Erie Basin|Erie Basin]] to prepare for official measurement the following Wednesday.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uL8hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p5wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4513,3065122&dq=reliance+shamrock&hl=en Reading Eagle Aug 16 1903 ''Great Yacht Event Of This Week'']</ref> This was carried out by the New York Yacht Clubs measurer, Charles Mower.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059523/1903-08-19/ed-1/seq-5/;words=Shamrock+Reliance The Saint Paul globe. August 19, 1903 ''Challenger Given Time Allowance Of More Than Minute'']</ref> A large crowd was in attendance to watch the proceedings, and both designers watched from a small boat alongside. Sir Thomas Lipton observed the measuring from the deck of ''Shamrock III''.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-19/ed-1/seq-1/ New-York tribune. August 19, 1903 ''Measurer Watched'']</ref>
 
The official measurements were as follows.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bo0wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=34oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5925,3888262&dq=reliance+shamrock&hl=en The Daily Star Aug 19 1903 ''The Yachts Measured'']</ref> The sailing length is ''text''
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! [[Waterline length|Waterline length]] in feet
! [[Length overall]] in feet
! [[Sail-plan|Sail area]] in square feet
! Sailing length in feet
! [[Crew]]
! [[Handicapping|Handicap]] in seconds
|-
| ''Reliance''
| align="center" |89.66
| align="center" |201.75
| align="center" |16,169.92
| align="center" |108.41
| align="center" |64
| align="center" |105
|-
| ''Shamrock III''
| align="center" |89.81
| align="center" |187.54
| align="center" |14,337.45
| align="center" |104.77
| align="center" |56
|
|-
|}
 
Although ''Shamrock III'' had a slightly longer waterline length, ''Reliance'' had almost 2,000 square feet more sail. According to the rating system this gave ''Reliance'' a time penalty of 1 minute 45 seconds over a 30 mile course. According to the racing rules the distance from the mast to the end of the spinnaker boom could not exceed the distance from the mast to the tip of the bowsprit, and as a result of the official measuring ''Shamrocks'' boom was found to be eight inches too long. At Mowers direction the excess was sawed off to comply with the regulations.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059523/1903-08-19/ed-1/seq-5/;words=Shamrock+Reliance The Saint Paul globe. August 19, 1903 ''Challenger Given Time Allowance Of More Than Minute'']</ref>
 
Following a last minute change of sailplan, Sir Thomas Lipton asked that ''Shamrock'' be remeasured, the result of which was another 12 seconds advantage gained over ''Reliance'', making the total handicap over 30 miles of 1 minute 57 seconds in favour of ''Shamrock''.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-20/ed-1/seq-1/ The Saint Paul globe. August 20, 1903 ''Big Sloops Are Ready'']</ref>
 
==="No Race"===
 
The first meeting took place on August 20 and consisted of a 15 mile race south west along the Jersey coast from Sandy Hook and back. The race commenced shortly after 11am in 5 knots of wind and heavy sea swells, but within 30 minutes a storm broke with torrential rain and winds rising to 12 knots. Despite conditions that had been thought favourable to the challenger,<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-21/ed-1/seq-1/ New-York tribune August 21, 1903 ''Reliance Ahead In A Fluke'']</ref> ''Reliance'' maintained a lead throughout the race, excepting 2 minutes at the start<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19030821&id=gvwaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nkgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4014,1590673 The Pittsburgh Press - Aug 21, 1903, ''Reliance Outsailed her Rival'']</ref>. By afternoon winds had dropped to as little as 2 knots and progress slowed. Reliance rounded the 15 mile mark first, at 1537. 8 minutes later ''Reliance'' and ''Shamrock III'' passed going in opposite directions. The regatta committee made the decision that the race could not be finished in the 5.5 hours allowed, and as the two boats passed each other the race was declared "no race" and postponed until August 22.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1903-08-21/ed-1/seq-3/;words=resolutions+resolution+Reliance The San Francisco call - August 21, 1903 ''Shamrock Outfooted In Wind To Her Liking'']</ref> During the race ''Reliance'' sailed about 20 miles, with ''Shamrock III'' sailing about 17.5 miles.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-21/ed-1/seq-1/ New-York tribune August 21, 1903 ''Reliance Ahead In A Fluke'']</ref>
 
===The First Race===
 
===The Second Race===
 
In total five attempts were made to hold the third race, but light winds and fog prevented the first four attempts from being completed during the allowed time.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9P8HAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9zUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4242,5127413&dq=reliance+shamrock&hl=en St. John Daily Sun Sep 4, 1903 ''Reliance Won!'']</ref>
 
Although low winds affected many of the races, on August 29, for the first time in America's Cup history, the race was postponed due to high winds, with gales blowing up to 50mph.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2kYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mSAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3176,4652383&dq=reliance+shamrock&hl=en The Milwaukee Journal Aug 29 1903 ''Can't Race In Gale'']</ref>
 
===The Third Race===
 
The third and final race took place on September 3 in light winds and heavy fog.<ref>[http://33rd.americascup.com/en/contexte/que-sont-ils-devenus/index.php?idIndex=25&idContent=682 Website of the 33nd Americas Cup ''Where are they now? 1903 Reliance'']</ref><ref>[http://32nd.americascup.com/en/acmag/features/tech_design/index.php?idIndex=0&idContent=5826 Website of the 32nd America's Cup ''When The Fog Muddles Up The America's Cup...'']</ref>
 
===''Reliance'' Wins===
 
After the failure of his challenger, Sir Thomas Lipton said "''They tell me I have a beautiful boat. I don't want a beautiful boat. What I want is a boat to lift the Cup – a Reliance. Give me a homely boat, the homeliest boat that was ever designed, if she is as fast as Reliance, I want a Reliance.''".<ref>[http://33rd.americascup.com/en/contexte/que-sont-ils-devenus/index.php?idIndex=25&idContent=682 Website of the 33nd Americas Cup ''Where are they now? 1903 Reliance'']</ref>
 
==Reception==
 
The 1903 America's Cup drew much interest in America and Britain. In [[Belfast]] and [[Glasgow]] there was such interest that streets were blocked by crowds looking at race bulletins. In many places systems were set up to inform the surrounding country of the results, including a coloured searchlight service,<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1903-08-21/ed-1/seq-3/;words=resolutions+resolution+Reliance The San Francisco call - August 21, 1903 ''Shamrock Outfooted In Wind To Her Liking'']</ref> bombs, rockets and balloons.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gPwaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nkgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3940,1314835&dq=reliance+shamrock&hl=en The Pittsburgh Press Aug 19 1903 ''The Yachts Out For The Trial Spin'']</ref>
 
An estimated 20,000 people turned up to watch the first of the races in New York City, many paying to travel aboard passenger boats that had been temporarily withdrawn from their regular work of servicing Coney Island. Hotels in New York were overflowing, some having to set up cots to accomodate all those wishing to stay.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-21/ed-1/seq-1/ New-York tribune August 21, 1903 ''Reliance Ahead In A Fluke'']</ref> To ensure the safety of the spectators seven members of the [[Steamboat Inspection Service|Steamboat Inspection Squad]], which eventually became the [[United States Coast Guard]], were present. They were responsible for general safety and regulating the number of passengers aboard each vessel.<ref>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1903-08-20/ed-1/seq-1/ The Saint Paul globe. August 20, 1903 ''To Stop Overcrowding'']</ref>
 
However the boats used to contend the 1903 America's Cup were described by some as "freaks".<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19030728&id=NSIuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xn4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6809,1857746 The Montreal Gazette - Jul 28, 1903, ''Reliance Chosen'']</ref><ref>[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TH19040517.2.33 Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12556, 17 May 1904, Page 5 ''The America Cup'']</ref><ref>Yachting World, January 2010 ''A Cup Boat Like No Other''</ref>
 
There was much speculation as to whether ''Reliances'' victory was due to the design of the yacht or the skill of Charlie Barr in sailing her. Lipton himself proposed to allow the two boats to swap crew after the race to decide the matter, but the offer was refused by the owners of ''Reliance''.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2048&dat=19030904&id=M1cjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-CgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6254,2119292 The Dawson Record - Sep 4, 1903 ''Reliance Wins The Cup'']</ref> Barr was considered to be the most skilled seaman of the day, and is now thought of as one of the best yachtsmen in history.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}
 
</noinclude>
==Sources==
 
[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19030902&id=3jYzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iyAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5685,191270] The Milwaukee Journal - Sep 3, 1903, ''Reliance has Long Lead''
 
[http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/1996/reliance-0522.html] MIT, model of ''Reliance'' on display at MIT
 
[http://www.universalrule.com/index.php?page=3] Universal Rule, enacted after 1903 AC
 
[http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2000/1/2000_1_68.shtml] American Heritage history of AC
 
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/sailing/americas_cup/history/2218925.stm] BBC guide to AC
 
==See Also==
 
 
==External Links==
 
[http://www.jsjohnston.org/index.html] The Yacht Photography of J.S.Johnston, including pictures from the 1903 America's Cup
 
[http://loc.gov/pictures/search?q=america%27s%20cup%201903] list of materials held by Library of Congress regarding 1903 America's Cup

Latest revision as of 09:11, 28 February 2024

The 2013 America's Cup will be the 34th America's Cup competition to be held and will take place from 7-22 September 2013, in San Francisco, California, California, the home of the winners of the 2010 America's Cup, the Golden Gate Yacht Club. The challenger of record will be chosen during the Louis Vuitton Cup which will be held from 04 July – 1 September 2013.

Racing will take place in a new class of yacht designed for the America's Cup, the AC72. In addition there is an America's Cup World Series which is intended to promote the America's Cup, attract sponsorship, and give competing teams the opportunity to practice, albeit in a slightly smaller version of the AC72, the AC45.

Challenger of record

America's Cup World Series

Links/teams

Defender

Challengers

References
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