1962 America's Cup
Encyclopedia
| 18th America's Cup |
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|---|---|
| Defender |  New York Yacht ClubNew York Yacht Club The New York Yacht Club is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. The organization has over 3,000 members as of 2011. ... |
| Challenger |  Royal Sydney Yacht SquadronRoyal Sydney Yacht Squadron The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron is a yacht club located in North Sydney, Australia in the suburb of Kirribilli.The squadron was originally founded in 1862... |
| Winner | New York Yacht Club New York Yacht Club The New York Yacht Club is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. The organization has over 3,000 members as of 2011. ... |
| Location | Newport, Rhode Island Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
The 1962 America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
was the second to be sailed in 12-meter yachts
12-metre class
The 12 Metre Class is a rating class for racing boats designed to the International rule. It enables fair competition between boats that rate in the class whilst retaining the freedom to experiment with the details of their designs. The first 12 Metres were built in 1907. The 12 Metre Class was...
, marked the first challenge for the Cup from a country other than Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
or Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and was the first challenge from a country in the southern hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. An Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n syndicate headed by Sir Frank Packer, representing the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron is a yacht club located in North Sydney, Australia in the suburb of Kirribilli.The squadron was originally founded in 1862...
, challenged with their yacht Gretel. The New York Yacht Club
New York Yacht Club
The New York Yacht Club is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. The organization has over 3,000 members as of 2011. ...
won the regatta four races to one represented by the yacht Weatherly.
Defender Series
The NYYC ran a regatta to determine the yacht they would name as defender in the match. Competing were Weatherly, with Emil (Bus) Mosbacher, Jr.Emil Mosbacher
Emil "Bus" Mosbacher, Jr. was a two-time America's Cup-winning yachtsman, the founding chairman of Operation Sail, and Chief of Protocol of the United States during the administration of President Richard Nixon.He was the brother of Robert Mosbacher Sr., also a champion yachstman, and U.S...
at the helm, Easterner, Columbia, driven by Paul V. Shields, and Nefertiti, helmed by sailmaker
Sailmaker
A sailmaker makes and repairs sails for sailboats, kites, hang gliders, wind art, architectural sails, or other structures using sails. A sailmaker typically works on shore in a sail loft. The sail loft has other sailmakers. Large ocean-going sailing ships often had sailmakers in the crew. The...
and naval architect Ted Hood
Ted Hood
Frederick E. "Ted" Hood is a distinguished American Yachtsman and Naval Architect. He started the company in Marblehead, Massachusetts which makes sails...
. Weatherly was chosen as the defender.
Weatherly
Weatherly (USA-17) was designed by Philip RhodesPhilip Rhodes
Philip Leonard Rhodes was a prolific naval architect of extraordinary range. He was particularly known for the wholesome good looks and sailing qualities of his yacht designs. He designed vessels from 123' motor-sailors to 7' dinghies, from hydrofoil racers to giant motor yachts. His work also...
, built by Luders Marine Construction Company at Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, USA, and owned by a syndicate
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies or entities formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest or in the case of criminals, to engage in organized crime...
headed by Henry D. Mercer, Cornelius Walsh, and Arnold D. Frese. The boat was built for the trials for the 1958 America's Cup
1958 America's Cup
The 1958 America's Cup marked the first Cup match sailed in 12-metre class yachts. With twenty years having gone by since the last Cup match in 1937 the New York Yacht Club looked for a cheaper alternative to the J-class yachts in order to restart interest in the Cup. In 1956 Henry Sears lead an...
but had performed poorly. For the 1962 trials, Weatherly was extensively modified by shortening the bow
Bow (ship)
The bow is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway. Both of the adjectives fore and forward mean towards the bow...
, reducing the wetted surface area, reducing weight wherever possible and moving the weight saved to increase the weight of the keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
.
Gretel
Gretel (KA-1) was the first Australian 12-meter. She was designed by Alan Payne, built at Halvorsen Brothers, and owned by a syndicateSyndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies or entities formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest or in the case of criminals, to engage in organized crime...
headed by Sir Frank Packer
Frank Packer
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer, KBE , was an Australian media proprietor who controlled Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network.-Biography:...
plus Richard Dickson, William H. Northam, William G. Walkley, and Noel Foley. She was helmed by Jock Sturrock
Jock Sturrock
Alexander Stuart "Jock" Sturrock MBE was a noted Australian yachtsman who won over four hundred national and state championship yachting races....
.
The Races
| Date | Course | Winner | Loser | Winning Time |
Delta | Score | Winner's Velocity on Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15, 1962 | 24 miles, windward leeward | Weatherly | Gretel | 3:13:57 | 3:46 | 1-0 | 7.42 |
| September 18, 1962 | 24 miles, triangular | Gretel | Weatherly | 2:47:45 | 0:57 | 1-1 | 8.58 |
| September 20, 1962 | 24 miles, windward leeward | Weatherly | Gretel | 4:21:16 | 8:40 | 2-1 | 5.51 |
| September 22, 1962 | 24 miles, triangular | Weatherly | Gretel | 3:22:28 | 0:26 | 3-1 | 7.11 |
| September 24, 1962 | 24 miles, windward leeward | Weatherly | Gretel | 3:16:17 | 3:40 | 4-1 | 7.34 |