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AMERICA 1851 ship model

America is a 19th-century 97-tonne racing yacht and first winner of the America's Cup international sailing trophy.

In 1848, Queen Victoria authorized the creation of the "One Hundred Guinea Cup" that was made of solid silver, standing 27" tall and weighing 132oz for a yacht race "open to all nations."

In 1851, a syndicate of six wealthy New Yorkers commissioned a sleek new yacht, named "America", to cross the Atlantic to take on the 16 yacht strong British fleet.

The America yacht was built at William H. Brown’s shipyard in New York City. She was launched on 3 May 1851. On 17 May, she went on a trial run against the sloop Maria, a famous yacht owned by the Stevens brothers. During these trials, the America lost her main gaff and foremast, but her builders were confident that with heavier spars she would live up to expectations. In the meanwhile, time was running out for the season to send her to England to race, so the backers made an offer to the shipyard of $20,000 in cash and a release from further trials. This offer was accepted, and, after the necessary alterations were completed, she was delivered to her owners on 18 June.

The schooner yacht America had a deep keel and a steeply raked bow. The keel was a ballast keel, which meant the boat was at least a foot deeper in the water than other boats. The ballast keel also created a steeper dead-rise. W.H. Brown, the designer of the New York Yacht Club entry was so confident of his design that he refused payment if America did not win.

On the morning of 21 June 1851, the yacht America, under Captain Richard Brown and a crew of 12, took her departure from Sandy Hook and reached Le Havre, France after 20 days. She then sailed for Cowes, England on 31 July.

On 22 August, commodore Stevens was notified by the Royal Yacht Squadron that  there would be an open regatta around the Isle of Wight, without restrictions as to rig or otherwise, and that the America would be welcomed as a competitor. The trophy was the Hundred Guinea Cup.

The invitation was accepted, and on the day appointed, the America was at the line waiting for the starting signal. There were 15 starters: 7 schooners and 8 cutters. At 10:00, the starting gun was fired and the yacht America was in last place. It was customary in those days to start a race from “at anchor” instead of using a sailing start. The America overran her anchor and slewed around; her sails had to be lowered. But having on deck 21 people, the sails were again set with little loss of time. By 11:30, she had the entire squadron behind her.

Noted that America was rigged pilot boat fashion; that is, without fore topmast and jib-boom. Just before the race, however, it was decided that she might do better with a flying jib, so a flying jib and a jib-boom were obtained. Both the sail and the spar were made by Michael Ratsey of Cowes. During the race, this spar carried away, but even with the time it took to clear the wreckage, together with the loss of the flying jib’s area in the light airs that followed, her opponents could not catch her, for when the breeze freshened, she was still in the lead. She held the lead until the finish. Second place went to the 47-ton cutter Aurora. Next was the 80-ton cutter Bacchante, followed by the 50-ton cutter, Eclipse. Fifth place went to the 392-ton, three-masted schooner, Brilliant. These were the only yachts in the regatta which were timed.

The event was so important and aroused so much interest that Queen Victoria witnessed it from the royal yacht Victoria & Albert. The often quoted remark by the Queen was sparked by America's great victory. She asked, "Who is first?" America has won, she was told. "Who was second", asked the Queen? The reply still echoes - "Your Majesty, there is no second."

The America brought home the 100 Guineas Cup across the Atlantic, and the New York Yacht Club renamed it "The America's Cup" after the winning boat.

After this event, the America yacht was offered for sale. She was purchased by Lord John de Blaquiere, who started to fit her out at once for a long cruise across the Mediterranean. In the latter part of November 1851, she sailed from Plymouth, manned by an English crew. While in the Mediterranean, she encountered a violent gale which she rode out undamaged. A letter from the owner from Malta, written on 6 February 1852, has this to say of her performance: She is a vessel of remarkable speed and buoyancy. She will lie within four points of the wind and do her fifteen knots an hour with ease. ...The pretty craft nobly did her duty, doing her fourteen knots, and running with her jib set, and setting all bad weather at defiance.

In late July 1852, the America schooner ran aground at Portsmouth, Hampshire and was damaged. De Blaquiere raced her only a few times before selling her in 1856 to Henry Montagu Upton, 2nd Viscount Templetown, who renamed her Camilla. In 1858, she was sold to Henry Sotheby Pitcher, a shipbuilder in Northfleet, Kent. He rebuilt Camilla and sold her to Henry Edward Decie in 1860, who brought her back to the United States. Decie sold the ship to the Confederate States of America the same year for use as a blockade runner in the American Civil War, though he remained aboard as captain.

In 1862, Camilla was scuttled in Dunns Creek, north of Crescent City, Florida when Union troops took the city of Jacksonville. She was raised, repaired, and renamed America by the Union and served the United States Navy on the blockade until May 1863. She was armed with three smoothbore bronze cannon. America was assigned to the federal blockading squadron off Charleston, South Carolina, and was on patrol the night of March 19, 1863, when she spotted the smoke of a blockade runner near Dewees Inlet, South Carolina. She immediately launched colored signal flares to alert the rest of the fleet. The runner was the CSS Georgiana which was the most powerful Confederate cruiser then afloat. America's action ultimately resulted in the Georgiana's destruction. In 1863, America became a training ship at the United States Naval Academy.

Schooner America remained in the Navy until 1873, when she was sold to Benjamin Butler. Butler hired James H. Reid who was in charge of her for sixteen years. They raced and maintained her well. America was then sold to Charles Foster in 1917, and in 1921 was sold to the America Restoration Fund, which donated her to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

In 1923, yacht America was given the hull designation of IX-41 by the US Navy. She was not maintained at the Naval Academy and became seriously decayed by 1940. The shed which housed America collapsed during a heavy snowstorm on March 29, 1942. The remains of the shed and ship were scrapped and burned in 1945.

America was one of only four ships in service in the U.S. Navy in both the Civil War and World War II, along with the USS Constitution, USS Constellation, and USS Hartford.

The New York Yacht Club acquired several relics from yacht America after her destruction. These include her transom eagle, rudder post and one of her masts. The mast serves as the flag pole for the club's summer station in Newport, Rhode Island.



This America yacht model is 26" long x 25" tall x 6" wide $2,990 Shipping and insurance in the US included. Other countries, $300 flat rate.

Model is built per commission only. We require only a small deposit to start $500   The remaining balance won't be due until the model is completed. Please click here for lead time.

A copy of this America yacht replica has been on displayed since May 2016 in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.