1964 America's Cup

none August 2023 19th America's Cup United States Burgee of the New York Yacht Club.svg New York Yacht Club Constellation United Kingdom Burgee of royal thames yc.svg Royal Thames Yacht Club Sovereign Newport, Rhode Island, United States September 1964 12-metre New York Yacht Club 4–0 1967 1962 The 19th America's Cup was held in September 1964, in the Block Island Sound off Newport, Rhode Island. It would be the third race following the 20 year pause for World War 2, and the switch from the J Class to the 12 Metre rule.Enersen Dick Memories of a Corinthian Summer https://issuu.com/questmag/docs/qt1214_issuu/130 Quest Magazine December 2014Constellation of Starts https://www.americascup.com/history/35_CONSTELLATION-OF-STARS americascup.com 12 June 2025 Following Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's unsuccessful challenge in 1962, Lord Mountbatten, then Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club (RTYC), quickly submitted a challenge for the following year. As only a month had lapsed since their defense, NYYC respectfully declined, claiming the need of a full year to recover prior to entertaining another challenge. NYYC accepted RTYC's challenge in 1963, establishing the next race series to be a first to four out of seven races between 16-27 September 1964.Phinizy Coles The Methodical Mr. Boyden https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/03/16/meet-the-mad-livingstons https://web.archive.org/web/20250615080103/https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/03/16/meet-the-mad-livingstons dead June 15, 2025 Sports Illustrated 16 March 1964 British industrialist J. Anthony Boyden headed RTYC's challenge, with the David Boyd designed Sovereign. Sovereign had beaten her sister ship Kurrewa V to become the challenger. Eric Ridder headed NYYC's defense with the Olin Stephens designed Constellation. Constellation had beaten American Eagle, Easterner, Nefertiti, and the 1958 defender Columbia to become the defender.Sovereign and Retinue Arrive for Cup Trials https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/07/archives/sovereign-and-retinue-arrive-for-cup-trials-british-12meter-and.html New York Times 7 July 1964Sailing: They're Here https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,876055-1,00.html Time Magazine 21 August 1964Constellation Picked to Defend America's Cup After 6th Victory Over Eagle https://www.nytimes.com/1964/09/03/archives/constellation-picked-to-defend-americas-cup-after-6th-victory-over.html New York Times 3 September 1964 1964 would signal the growing shift away from a friendly race between gentleman sailors to the introduction of increasingly professional syndicates spending significant sums developing crews and training for years in advance of the race. Both Constellation, backed by Walter Gubelmann and Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, and American Eagle, backed by Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont IV, reportedly spent 600,000 1964 -2 each on their campaigns, while Boyden spent in excess of 300,000 1964 -2 on Sovereign's challenge.The End of Amateurism https://www.americascup.com/history/64_THE-END-OF-AMATEURISM 15 June 2025 americascup.com Sovereign's failed challenge would end up being Royal Thames Yacht Club's final attempt as an America's Cup challenger of record, and it would take the United Kingdom 60 years until Royal Yacht Squadron would become a challenger again in 2024.The Cup That Changed Everything https://www.americascup.com/history/61_THE-CUP-THAT-CHANGED-EVERYTHING americascup.com AC 37 13 June 2025Brewin John Britain end 60-year wait to compete for America's Cup by beating Italy https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/oct/04/britain-end-60-year-wait-to-compete-for-americas-cup-after-beating-italy-sailing The Guardian 4 October 2024 Races The 1964 course changed from the previous races at the mouth of Narragansett Bay off Newport to a single six leg Olympic course rather than two alternating courses of the two-leg windward-leeward, twice-around, or a three-leg triangular course from past years, determined to place a greater emphasis on boat and sail handling. The start of the race would be the traditional start at a buoy placed nine miles SSE of the Brenton Reef Light, beat windward 4.5 miles, complete an isosceles triangle of two 3.5 mile legs reaching back to the start, beating back windward 4.5 miles, running back 4.5 miles, then beating back up 4.5 to the finish for a 24.3 mile course with 13.5 miles of beating, 6.3 miles of reaching, and 4.5 miles of running. The time limit would be 6 hours to complete, and sophisticated electronic navigation devices such as LORAN or Decca would be prohibited. Additionally, a yacht with right-of-way will not be required to avoid a collision, preventing the give-way captain from gambling on a crossing situation.Course for America's Cup Races Changed https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/28/archives/course-for-americas-cup-races-changed-olympic-route-puts-heavy.html The New York Times 28 February 1964 The U.S. defender, Constellation, skippered by Bob Bavier, defeated Sovereign, skippered by Peter Scott, in a four-race sweep.Mitchell Carleton Less a race than a ghastly rout https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/09/28/less-a-race-than-a-ghastly-rout https://web.archive.org/web/20201022190525/https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/09/28/less-a-race-than-a-ghastly-rout dead October 22, 2020 Sports Illustrated 28 September 1964 Date New York Yacht Club Time (h/m/s) Royal Thames Yacht Club Time (h/m/s) Score Delta 16 September Constellation 3:30:33 Sovereign 3:36:05 1-0 5:32 17 September Constellation 3:46:27 Sovereign 4:06:49 2-0 20:22 19 September Constellation 3:38:04 Sovereign 3:43:57 3-0 5:53 21 September Constellation 4:12:16 Sovereign 4:28:05 4-0 15:49 References 1964 America's Cup America's Cup Amer