Forty years ago about this date we towed to Newport for the start of the selection trials to defend the America’s Cup.
We had had a small regatta in Marblehead over the Memorial day weekend in which “Courageous” was faster on every point of sail. Reggie Pierce looked up from the grinder handles and quipped: “It’s going to be a long summer”. Those words proved to be prophetic.
“Independence” was supposed to be the anointed defender. The rest is history.
“Intrepid” will celebrate 50 years.
The new Sparkman&Stephens 12 meter, arriving in Newport with Lowell North as skipper, and a great crew.( any of the crews on each boat were capable of defending the cup) Lowell, while exceedingly talented, could not stop tinkering which led to his being replaced as skipper.
Enterprise arrived in Newport with a very short “J” measurement, in order to achieve a more vertical forestay. In sharp contrast, on “Independence” had our headstay as far forward as could be. While the science might have predicted a more vertical headstay as good, there was simply no substitute for the additional sail area.
In the last photo “Enterprise is using a mylar genoa. The use of mylar was revolutionary in 1977. We followed shortly thereafter with one of our own, which the crew dubbed the garbage bag.
“Enterprise” was probably a faster boat than she demonstrated that summer, she was however the first boat excused from the trials.
Once again the color photos here are credited to Marshall Lawson
