October 20, 2021

This Month in Herreshoff History: “How the Races Were Sailed” & “The 15th Match for the America’s Cup”

A "Park Avenue" boom and a jib nicknamed the "Greta Garbo" make an appearance in a contest otherwise summarized as tense, acrimonious and filled with protests...

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RAINBOW (HMCo. #1233) under sail. The double clewed jib was nicknamed the "Greta Garbo"; HMM archive

"During the series it can truthfully be said that every one made mistakes but Charles E. Nicholson - and he designed Endeavour, the best yacht that has ever come in quest of the America's Cup..."

Last month we heard from C. Sherman Hoyt about his experiences as an official observer during the 1920 bid for the America's Cup. This month we hear a bit about his involvement in the 15th competition for the Cup from the October 1934 issue of Yachting magazine.

We have digitized two articles and a photo spread this month for the America's Cup fans and history buffs out there: "How the Races Were Sailed" by Alfred F. Loomis, and an overview of the 15th match by Herbert L. Stone. The match that year took place in HMM's own backyard off Newport, RI between the N.Y.Y.C. defender RAINBOW (HMCo. #1233) and T.O.M. Sopwith's Royal Yacht Squadron challenger, ENDEAVOUR. (You can learn more about T.O.M. and Lady Sopwith here). The defender RAINBOW was designed by W. Starling Burgess but built at HMCo. The challenger ENDEAVOUR was designed by Charles E. Nicholson of Camper & Nicholson. Both vessels were almost 130' long overall, more than 80' on the waterline and drew almost 15'. Click here to watch contemporary news clips from the Sopwith challenge years.


Click here to read both articles from 1934...

October 1934 Yachting cover featuring an illustration by painter Tore Asplund; HMM archive