AMERICA'S CUP DEFENDER

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1936, Page 8

AMERICA'S CUP DEFENDER

MR. VANDERBILT TO PAY COST NEW YORK, October 29. Mr. Harold S. Vanderbilt, it was learned this afternoon, has agreed to meet all expenses of building, outfitting and running the American yacht to defend the America’s Cup against Mr. T. O. M. Sopwith’s Endeavour 11. oft. Newport, Rhode Island, next July. This decision was announced by Mr. W. A. W. Stewart, Commodore of the New York Yacht Club. It follows the failure of the club’s members to form a syndicate. The decision will dispel the gloom of American yachtsmen, who were convinced that, none of the boats already in commission is.capable of meeting the Royal Yacht Squadron’s challenge with any hope of success. A contract has already been signed with the Bath Iron Works to build Air. Vanderbilt’s vessel at Bath, Maine, which means that Bristol, Rhode Island, will not build the Cup defender for the time since 1893. The only detail about the new yacht’s design which Mr. Vanderbilt is willing Io disclose is that it will have an 87ft waterline—the limit for the J. class and the same as that of Endeavour 11. Within two weeks, final tests will be made with a 17ft model in the large naval tank available in Washington. Mr. Vanderbilt, who sailed Enterprise and Rainbow to victory in 1930 and 1934, will be the first American to shoulder the entire burden of defending the America’s Cup since Gen Charles Paine, who built the Volunteer in 1887. How much it will cost him is extremely difficult to say, but one conservative estimate is £5O 000 It is hoped that the yacht will be launched early in April. Mr. Stewart stated this afternoon that the negotiations with the Royal Yacht Squadron had been almost completed.