Glory of "America"

[Norske3]

A good book....history: "The America" The Story of the Worlds Most Famous Yacht.
Author:Charles Boswell ; Pub. David McKay Co, Inc. 1967 LCCCN: 68-10959

Her last days: WW2 started....she was stored in the corner of the yard under a steel roof...the following Spring, Palm Sunday two to three feet of snow sat on the roof.Condition of the wood was brittle....the tons of snow and steel came down...crushed her into a thousand pieces.Year 1942.


1889 photo......Vineyard Sound


Transom Eagle is "America's"

Model by Lloyd McCaffery....length 39.5"...very accurate...valued at 60,000 clams.

[ 09-20-2005, 07:00 AM: Message edited by: Norske3 ]

[ahp]

That certainly is not her original rig. She experianced a number of rig changes that almost doubled her sail area from the time she won America's Cup.

[Norske3]

Right..this is many years ( about 36 years) after she one the big one...this is a time when she was owned by a Civil War General Ben Butler..outta Boston , Massachusetts I believe...Their are photos of her perminent mooring in Boston Harbor while owned privately.

[ 09-17-2005, 09:43 PM: Message edited by: Norske3 ]

[Ric_Bergstrom]

Now she sits at the bottom of the Severn River where it joins the bay. Within in sight of Annapolis.

Her long history!!!

"The first America was a racing schooner designed by George Steers and built at New York City in the shipyard of William H. Brown. The yacht was constructed for a syndicate headed by John Cox Stevens, the commodore of the New York Yacht Club, and including other prominent sportmen who wished to win recognition for American shipbuilding and sailing skill during Crystal Palace exposition—the first of the great international world's fairs. Launched on 3 May 1851, America sailed for Europe.



During that summer, she won distinction in a number of yacht races and proved herself a match for the fastest sailing craft. Sailing a course around the Isle of Wight on 22 August, she won the Royal Yacht Society regatta and was visited by Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII. Her owners now felt that they had achieved their desired demonstration of American shipbuilding and seamanship, and sold her to a British purchaser on 1 September 1851. A subsequent purchaser renamed her Camilla; under British colors she continued to show herself seaworthy as well as fast.In 1860 Henry Edward Decie bought the ship and, after competing in English Channel races, took her to Cape Verde Islands, ostensibly en route to the West Indies. When the secession crisis in the United States threatened to escalate into civil war, Decie departed St. Vincent in Camilla early in 1861 and headed for the Southern coast, apparently hoping to find in the Confederacy some way of turning a profit from his yacht.



The schooner arrived at Savannah, Ga., on 25 April 1861, shortly after the attack on Fort Sumter. Decie journeyed to Montgomery, Ala., where he met Confederate President Jefferson Davis. He is said to have secretly sold Camilla to the Confederate Government, and she was supposedly renamed Memphis. Documents substantiating this have not been found. In any case, the yacht—still commanded by Decie—was next used to carry a Southern purchasing commission to England where she briefly resumed racing before again sailing for the South around 21 August. The schooner ran through the blockade into Jacksonville, Fla., and was inspected there by a Confederate customs agent on 25 October 1861.



Evidence suggests that she ran the blockade more than once during the next few months. Upon the last occasion, Union warships fired upon her, but she made port unscathed.



After Union combined forces began taking control of the Florida coast early in March 1862, the schooner was scuttled in Dunn's Creek—a tributary of the St. Johns River—to avoid capture. She was found there on 18 March 1862 by a Union expedition; raised after a week's labor; and towed to Port Royal, S.C., where she was repaired. Thought was given to sending her to the Naval Academy for use as a practice ship. Flag Officer Samuel F. Du Pont wrote to Washington to learn the Navy Department's intentions in the matter. He never received a reply to this query, and had the former yacht outfitted as a dispatch vessel and blockader.



Acting Master Jonathan Baker began the yacht's service in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron when he sailed her to Florida waters with dispatches for warships operating along the coast. America then took station in the inner line of blockaders off Charleston. From time to time she fired upon ships as they attempted to run into or to escape from that port. Her first success came on the night of 13 October when she captured the schooner David Crockett which was trying to slip out to sea with a cargo of turpentine and rosin to be delivered at Bermuda.



On 26 October, Du Pont ordered America to New York for repairs which lasted until late in the year. The yacht returned to Port Royal on 3 January 1863 and took station in Charleston waters. On 29 January, she was one of the warships that cooperated in forcing the iron screw steamer Princess Royal aground. Boat crews from America assisted in refloating that valuable prize whose cargo included rifled artillery, small arms, ammunition, and steam engines for ironclads being constructed at Charleston.



Near midnight on the night of 18 and 19 March, America fired the first rounds into the large British iron-hulled steamer Georgiana which was endeavoring to run into Charleston with a much-needed military cargo including rifled cannon. Her gunfire and signals to other Union warships were instrumental in forcing the blockade runner aground where she was destroyed.



On 25 March 1863, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles finally ordered America to sail in May for Newport, R.I., the wartime site of the Naval Academy. Before going north, the yacht scored one last time on the morning of 31 March when she sighted Antelope and brought that salt-laden British topsail schooner to with a shot across the blockade runner's bow, enabling boat parties from Memphis to seize her.



America got underway on the afternoon of 4 May, headed for Newport, and reached the Academy in time to participate in that summer's training cruise. Manned by midshipmen and commanded by Lt. Theodore F. Kane, she sailed to New York with the Academy's other practice ships which that year were sailing for the first time as a squadron. They headed south along the New England coast and maneuvered off the entrance to Long Island Sound before proceeding to Gardener's Bay where they conducted various evolutions including the stripping of the sloop of war Marion.



While America was at the New York Navy Yard, Kane received orders to put to sea in search of CSS Tacony, a bark recently captured by the brig Clarence which had, in turn, been taken and manned by the Confederate commerce raider CSS Florida. Deeming Tacony a superior ship to Clarence, the commander of her Southern prize crew transferred his men to the bark, put the torch to Clarence, and headed north in Tacony on a 12-day rampage in which he captured 15 Northern merchant ships.



America put to sea on the afternoon of 15 June seeking the already notorious Tacony. As she searched to the southward during the ensuing 10 days, the yacht encountered extremely rough weather before, somewhat the worse for wear, she returned to New York without having had even a glimpse of her elusive quarry.



After landing her midshipmen at Norfolk late in the summer, America proceeded to the Portsmouth (N.H.) Navy Yard for repairs. While she was there, the commandant of the yard sent her to sea on 30 August 1863 to search for the lumber-laden merchant schooner Medford whose mate had run away from the port with her ". . . probably with the intention of going South." Reinforced by 10 men from Fernandia, America stood out to sea and hunted for the runaway. After returning to port empty-handed, she departed Portsmouth and sailed back to Newport.



The yacht served at the Academy through the end of the Civil War and participated in the summer cruise of 1864. When the midshipmen returned to Annapolis following the collapse of the Confederacy, the schooner accompanied Constitution on the voyage back to the mouth of the Severn. After the midshipman training cruise of 1866, America was laid up at Annapolis and remained there, inactive, until sent to the Washington Navy Yard in the autumn of 1869 for a complete overhaul. The following spring, she moved to the New York Navy Yard to prepare to resume international racing. On 8 August 1870, she competed for the cup which she had won in the famous race around the Isle of Wight, 19 years before, in a race which bore its name. Although past her prime, America finished fourth out of the fleet of 19 entries in the first America's Cup race.



In 1873, the Navy sold the yacht to Maj. Gen. Benjamin F.Butler who used her both for racing and for cruising. She remained in his hands and those of his family until put up for sale for commercial use in 1917.



Thinking that such a fate was unworthy of a ship with her distinguished record, Charles Foster purchased America and had her overhauled. In 1921 she was towed to Annapolis and presented to the Naval Academy. In 1941, soon after the start of another major overhaul of the schooner, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, plunging the United States into World War II. The Navy immediately halted work on all construction and repair projects not directly related to the war effort, and the yacht was left under a shed in the Annapolis Yacht Yard across the Severn from the Naval Academy. This makeshift structure collapsed under the weight of deep snow during the surprise blizzard that hit Annapolis on 29 March 1942, crushing America's hull. Her name was stricken from the Navy list on 11 October 1945 and the remains of the yacht were scrapped."

[Lucky Luke]

Thank you for that piece of history of the most famous schooner of all times [img]smile.gif[/img]

[THX712517]

Looks much nicer to me this way.

[Art Read]

Is it just me, or does the photo above seem somewhat "suspect". Besides the rig, that long, overhanging stern looks all wrong... That "clipper" bow isn't quite right either. That's not the hull shape I associate with what is, after all, a fairly well documented vessel.





Wouldn't be the first time someone "misrepresented" the subject matter in order to sell a piece of art work!

[ 09-17-2005, 02:40 AM: Message edited by: Art Read ]

[THX712517]

If I recall correctly, America was 'modernized' at one point and had her stern redesigned, as well as the re-rig. The long counter stern would have given her a good handicap rating, and then given her a much longer waterline length when heeled over. Of course, since the original yacht was designed to cross the Atlantic ocean before racing, they designed her from the start with a far more seaworthy stern.

[John E Hardiman]

Art,
AMERICA was extensively rebuilt over her life, first by the british who re-rigged her, then after being scuttled as a blockship and razed before raising to clear the harbor, then again in Navy fashion after her war service. Her last rebuild was designed to return her to her original (Steers) profile as much as possible given the structural alterations.

Edit: THX beat me to it.

[ 09-17-2005, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: John E Hardiman ]

[John B]

I seem to recall reading that Burgess was responsible for one of the re rigs. That photo has that kind of stamp about it ..the super long bowsprit and the sheer amount of canvas,but I'm not sure about the timing.

Just went and looked.. Introduction to yachting LFH, Theres a photo of america with the caption confirming a reconfiguration by Edward Burgess.

She does look a lot different in the hull too though. Certainly looks like the counter is extended and again , I seem to recall reading that there was a re-forming of the bow at some stage.
So that all goes towards the considerably altered appearance of the vessell.

[ 09-17-2005, 03:06 PM: Message edited by: John B ]

[Bruce Keefauver]

From John Rousmaniere's "The Low Black Schooner";
"America" was altered by Donald McKay (yep that D McKay) in 1875 and her rig was altered (again) by Burgess in 1885.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

My family and I sailed on the replica of her out of Newport a few years ago

[John B]

McKay! wow.

Joe,That would be the S and S replica?

[Norske3]

That beautiful boat...the replica as posted by Joe is sitting right now in Key West!.

[Lucky Luke]

Originally posted by Bruce Keefauver:
From John Rousmaniere's "The Low Black Schooner"....

Is that a book just about "America"? (G. Steer's "America", of New York...see the thread "the other pilot schooner "America"...). Can you tell me some about this book? Is it the extensive history of that boat? What's in it? Who publishes it?

[Norske3]

Yes I have the book..about a 90 page booklet actually...will give you info when I find it in my Library. [img]smile.gif[/img] ...I believe its just about the one boat..America .

The book in my first post tells all...you should be able to find one...not rare at all....about 290 pages.

[ 09-20-2005, 06:39 AM: Message edited by: Norske3 ]

[Lucky Luke]

Originally posted by Norske3:
That beautiful boat...the replica as posted by Joe is sitting right now in Key West!.

That's where she belongs !

I saw her (the replica) twice in Cannes. Once was while she was owned by infamous Carlos Perdomo, sitting at anchor in the bay of Cannes (the film festival city). How graceful lines!!! Her bows, with this so pretty concavity at water line, her lovely (so feminine!) "after body", her beautiful sheer.... Its only the superstructures that have been added that were really out of place! I much rather like the alterations as in the pictures at the start of this thread! ....actually, I like very much this long counter...

Comment about THXxxx's post here above: she had a short counter not because she was going to cross the Atlantic, but just that all these pilot schooners were like that...and suffering wuch worse weather from the winter's "black Northeasters" than from a springtime Atlantic crossing.

Then I saw her a second time at the "Regates Royales", in Cannes as well. There were Mariette, Moonbeam, Altair, Llelantina, and many others with glittering brightwork and polished bronze....while America II, being built like the original, i.e. solid like a rock, with quite some brightwork but without fancy trimming and her hull quite of quite rough finish, was a bit dullish in comparison....and you know what I heard people saying? :"look, a fishing boat called "America"..

[ 09-20-2005, 10:26 PM: Message edited by: Lucky Luke ]

[Lucky Luke]

Originally posted by Norske3:
The book in my first post tells all...you should be able to find one...not rare at all....about 290 pages.

Ooooops!
I went straight at the photo...and missed the info in the two first lines..
Thanks!

[Norske3]

NO NO..she doesn't belong in Key West now....hurricane coming right over Key West TODAY!

See "Key West" post for updated satelite weather pic.

[martin schulz]

This one is still without AC (and was built 1868):

[Norske3]

OOOOOOOH...another white swan with sails on her back.Thanks for sharing that one! [img]smile.gif[/img] ...hull about 65 feet?

[ 09-20-2005, 12:31 PM: Message edited by: Norske3 ]

[martin schulz]

Originally posted by Norske3:
OOOOOOOH...another white swan with sails on her back.Thanks for sharing that one! [img]smile.gif[/img] ...hull about 65 feet?

Yes, VANADIS, built 1868 for a swedish liquor-manufacturer. I am quite sure she was built as a little AMERICA copy. after the first 30 years as private yachts she was given to the Swedish Navy. 1920 she was refitted and belonged to the Royal Swedish Yachtclub. 1956 she came to Germany, named VALDIVIA and was 1981 accurately restored by the owner of a Museumboatyard. Now she belongs to a German shipyard owner.

You can even buy a model-kit of her:

Robbe Kit - VALDIVIA

[ 09-20-2005, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: martin schulz ]

[Norske3]

OH BOY...MARTIN...the kit is almost $1000 US!

[Lucky Luke]

Originally posted by martin schulz:
I am quite sure she was built as a little AMERICA copy.

Judging only from that picture, I would not think so, Martin. Her "squarish" counter, the curve of her clipper bow, the outriggers, all that is reminiscent of European schooners of that time...and even a bit earlier. However, not seing much of her lines, I reckon it cannot be told that her design was or not, somehow, influenced by G. Steers' "America". I could not find much on the Internet about her...

Very pretty one, anyway! Do you have more?

[martin schulz]

Originally posted by Lucky Luke:
I could not find much on the Internet about her...

Well, she was sold 2 years ago and before that she had the name VALDIVIA the last 20 years. So, you will probably find more with that name.

I don't want to steal this thread, but here are some more pics:

[Norske3]

POSTING GREAT PICS IS NOT STEALING. [img]smile.gif[/img]