12 meter racing before 1958

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=1079

 Leading up to the 12 meter era reunion, this should amuse those who sailed competitively on 12 meters

1962 America's Cup

1962 saw "Easterner" designed by Ray Hunt return, "Neferitti" designed and sailed by Ted Hood and a re-designed "Weatherly"(Phil Rhodes) back in Newport vying for the right to defend the America's Cup.

12 METER ERA RE-UNION

If anyone asked my advice I would tell them that the New York Yacht Club should have Bruno Trouble, Louis Vuitton organize the parties for the re-union in September.
    If you attended the party in Cowes during the Jubilee, you would understand why. The best sailing event party I have ever attended.

The 12 meter era of the America's cup is announced

Go to the New York Yacht Club site or click on the link to read about the reunion. I would very much like to hear from anyone who sailed and may have stories and/or photos they might be willing to share.

POURING LEAD

I intended to make orderly posts starting in 1958 finishing in 1987, the 12 meter era.  I knew I had pictures of this event, I did not remember exactly what, and certainly had not found them until yesterday. 

This may qualify as one of the more foolish things I have done in my life.  I have written about having lofted and built "Courageous". we literally did it all; we built everything. 

The boat was well underway; it is the early spring of 1974, We started early in the morning, everything was prepared. We started heating and loading 50,000 pounds of lead in the cauldron we had crudely built. After all it was a one time use. As you can see from the photos this lasted all day and well into the night. Keeping the lead flowing and the slew free and running proved to be a challenge. If you notice how we are dressed, it may be a clue to how foolhardy this was. The hot lead was spattering everywhere.

We are pouring the lead into a cement mould also weighing nearly 50,000 pounds; which we had let cure for a period of time. With all this molten lead pouring into the mold the steam coming out of the cement was impressive. The heat was coming right through the soles of my shoes. 

Obviously we succeeded. "Courageous" became the last two time defender of the America's Cup

America's Cup 1958

Columbia the first 12 meter built after world war II and the first 12 meter to defend the America's Cup.

The "J" boat era was brief 1930-1937 and few boats were built. Prior to the J's the boats were built to the universal rule with fundamentally a waterline length as the only restriction. and in earlier events time allowances were part of the game.

Back to 12 meters, City Island,NY was the home of the greatest boat building yards in the East,rivaling those in Europe. Certainly during the 12 meter years, any syndicate wanted to have their boat built by a City Island boatyard. There was without question a community of skilled craftsman that were attracted there. Additionally, The major naval architects were based in New York, as were the men with the money. It made sense to have easy access to a construction project. If you lived in Greenwich or White Plains, City Island was on the way home.

Sparkman&Stephens dominated the 12 meter years having 5 designs defend between 1958 and 1980. Two of them being two time defenders.(in the history of the America's cup there have been 3 two time defenders)

Olin and Rod Stephens lived briefly in City Island, Rod working at Nevins Yard, learning the practical aspects of boatbuilding. and Olin's early designs were built there.

The Sears family committed to build the first 12 meter, once the class was determined for the America's Cup competition, the first after world war II.

I had the pleasure to sail "Columbia" US 16 her sail number, in the America's Cup Jubilee in 2001. Henry Sears, the grandson of the original syndicate head, brought his scrap books, a true joy to listen and read a first hand story.

I will continue this thread along with photographs for the entire span of the 12 meter years.

For those of you interested I have a number of books related to these years for sale.

more wire tails

The entry about wire sheets reminded me of an incident while sailing on Intrepid in 1979. If you read far enough back in my blog there is an entry about my two seasons aboard Intrepid with Gerry Driscoll. It was an attempt by Gerry to come back in 1980 with Intrepid. It was contingent on finding financial backing. We were sailing against France 3 everyday, as Intrepid belonged to Baron Bic at the time.

We had no budget to speak of, so I would try to get an extra day or two out of the runner tails. They were 1/4 inch galvanized wire and took a great deal of abuse, particularly upwind tacking. Typically a set of runner tails would last 4 days, before they broke down.

Racing upwind on the fifth day of a set of runner tails; the windward tails exploded. Gerry,without a word, calmly tacked the boat. My arm was filled with small "splinters" of rusted wire, it stung. When we sorted out I looked at Gerry, who was still steering, not only was his arm covered with the same spikes, but one side of his face as well.

It was the last time I economized on runner tails.

1974

1974 was both a Bermuda race year and an America's cup year. I lofted and built "Courageous" US 26, designed by S&S, the last two time defender of the America's Cup at Minneford's Yacht Yard, in City Island,NY.The story really started in 1973.

Sailed the spring races in Long Island Sound on "Weald" a Swan 48 also designed by S&S, followed by the Bermuda Race with a crew, many of whom I still sail with today.(I believe we finished 3rd in class) Of note, our navigator for this race was Chick Larkin, a legend long before he came aboard. Not only a man of tremendous charm, but with a wonderful intuitive sense of where to place the boat on the race course. Remember this is long before GPS or Grib files.

From there I raced my first Chicago-Mackinac Race aboard "Country Woman" a Doug Peterson one tonner.

The reader will start to see a number of threads starting to appear. As many of the people I sailed with re-appear at various times in my history.