1903 America’s Cup

The Challenge

After two unsuccessful challenges for the Americas Cup in 1899 and 1901 Sir Thomas Lipton challenged for a third time in the autumn of 1902. He had come close in 1901 with Shamrock ii and felt confident Shamrock iii would lift the Cup.

The Defender “Reliance”

To meet this new challenge and put pay to any more repeated challenges from Sir Thomas Lipton the New York Yacht Club prevailed on The “Wizard of Bristol” Nat Herrehoff  to design a new defender. Herreshoff had designed three of the last Cup challengers, Vigilant 1893, Defender 1895 and Columbia 1899 and 1901. However, his last design, Constitution built to defend the Cup in 1901, had not been a success losing the right to defend the cup to the older Columbia which had been supremely handled all season by Charlie Barr. At first Herreshoff refused the commission but at length  the New York Yacht Club prevailed upon him to design the new boat with a promise of a free hand in the design and the services of Charlie Barr to race her.

Reliance as the new defender was named was the largest and most radicle yacht ever to race for the Americas Cup. Extreme in every way she carried so much sail she would heel down to her rail in 6 knots of breeze, and she was fitted with a double wheel so Barr could have assistance steering her in a stiff breeze.

 Throughout May, June and July in races sailed on Long Island Sound, Off Sandy Hook and Newport Reliance repeatedly defeated the older Columbia and Constitution in a series of preliminary and observation race’s  and was selected after only one official Trial race to defend the Cup against Shamrock iii.

The Challenger “Shamrock iii”

When Sir Thomas Lipton made his third challenge for the americas Cup in the Autumn of 1902 he had at his disposal the two greatest Yacht designers of their generation, William Fife and George Watson, both had designed one of the previous challengers, Fife Shamrock I in 1899 and Watson Shamrock ii in 1901. For the new boat, Shamrock iii he decided to engage the services of both. Fife was the man with the chief responsibility for the design of the new boat but Watson was to be a very close advisor. To skipper her he engaged Capt Bob Wringe the best skipper in Great Britain, and a man with a great deal of racing experience in America having raced August Belmont’s crack NY70 Mineola. Between them they produced a very beautiful and hopefully fast yacht, one indeed Lipton believed was a “Cup Lifter”

 After Shamrock iii launch on March 17th 1903 she had a series of races against  Liptons older Shamrock i. Over 7 races off the South Coast of England Shamrock iii proved her superiority over the older boat. Her tuning up period was shortened after only a month when she was dismasted off Weymouth in a squall. She was then towed back to Scotland for her new mast and preperations for her voyage to America. It was planned that Shamrock iii would complete her tuning up in America with the help of Shamrock I which was also to make the crossing.

Specifications

Reliance                                   Shamrock iii

Designer ; Nat Herreshoff                              William Fife

Launched; 12th April 1903                              March 17th 1903

LOA; 143ft 8 1/4 inch.                                    134ft 5 ¼ inch

LWL ; 89ft 8inch.                                             89 ft 10inch

Beam 25ft 10 inch.                                         24ft 103/4 inch

Draft 19ft 7 inch.                                           19ft 101/2inch

Sail area.   15,567.3 sqft                               14,154 sq ft

Fate. scrapped July 1914.                        scrapped 1909

The Races

Aug 20th First incompleted race

The two yachts met for the first time on Aug 20th off Sandy Hook, In a light 4 knot breeze the yachts started just after 11pm, Shamrock 3 crossing at 11.01.14  ahead and to windward of Reliance which crossed at 11.01.41, In the light conditions it was difficult to see which yacht was doing the best but after a half an hour it could be seen Reliance had worked out to a 100 yards windward of Shamrock. Shamrock was seen to be rolling more than Reliance in the heavy ground swell despite her lesser sail area. For the next hour Reliance increased her lead in the failing wind. At around 1.23 the wind fell flat, and it wasn’t until 3.37.20 that Reliance rounded the mark. At 3.44.47 she passed Shamrock still working her way out. On being passed Shamrock iii retired as did Reliance shortly after as the race could not be completed in the stipulated five and a half hour time limit.

Aug 23rd first completed race

With a clear sky and a 12-knot breeze Reliance defeated Shamrock iii by over 7 min over a 30 mile windward/Leeward course off Sandy Hook.

Shamrock had crossed the start line first 4 sec ahead of Reliance which was on her windward quarter. In freshening breeze both yachts raced on rails down sending clouds of spray from their bows, Shamrock was seen to be heeling more than Reliance though the later carried more sail. After a great battle to windward Reliance rounded at 1.55.17 and Shamrock 1.58.34. On the run home Reliance increased her lead to cross the line the victor at 3.17.38 followed by Shamrock at 3.26.34

Aug 25th. Race 2

Reliance administers a second defeat on Shamrock over a 30-mile triangle course.

Without the ground swell of the 23rd conditions were more favourable for Shamrock. The wind was light at the start about 5mph but increased to 12 mph before the first mark before lightening again before the finish.

Reliance got the better start with Shamrock giving chase, but she held close to Reliance and a close battle ensued. With the breeze increasing the sea became choppy strewn with white caps, the yachts sending clouds of spray over the bows and leaving long trails of foam in their wakes Reliance rounded the first mark with a lead of 2 min 32 sec. It was a broad reach to the second mark. A wind shift enabled both yachts to carry spinnakers, it was expected that Reliance would run away from Shamrock but the later held on Shamrock rounding only 3 min 55 sec behind Reliance.

On the final leg a close reach Shamrock iii continued to give chase benefiting from her crew’s superior sail changing speed. Reliance crossed the line the victor at 2.15.30; Shamrock iii at 2.20.10

Sept 3rd  Race 3

After a couple of incomplete races both of which saw Reliance ahead and postponements Reliance’s wins the third and final race to retain the Americas Cup.

The breeze was light when both yachts crossed the line on Starboard tack, Shamrock to windward. Reliance crossed at 1.01.56, Shamrock 1.02.03. The wind soon freshened and on the beat out to the windward mark Reliance demonstrated her superiority rounding at 3.30.39 with Shamrock trailing over 11 min astern at 3.51.46.

On the run home the wind backed to the southeast and with it came a thick bank of fog which quickly enveloped the racers. After some time, Reliance loomed out of the fog to finish and retain the cup at 5.30.02. It was some 30 mins before Shamrock iii could be made out under shortened sail and to the northward having retired.

for a more detailed description of the 1903 Americas Cup visit America Scoop.