The 1958 America's Cup marked the first Cup match sailed in 12-metre class yachts. Twenty years had passed since the last Cup match, held between immense Universal Rule J-class yachts in 1937 besides World War II, and the New York Yacht Club sought a more affordable alternative to restart interest in the Cup. In 1956 Henry Sears led an effort advancing class yachts. The Royal Yacht Squadron of Great Britain agreed to challenge with a new 12-metre, Sceptre. The New York Yacht Club defended with theirs, Columbia, winning the Cup in a four-race sweep.
Defender Series Four yachts competed in a summer long regatta to determine which the NYYC would name as defender, Columbia (US-16), a new Olin Stephens boat, Weatherly (US-17), Easterner (US-18), and the Olin Stephens designed Vim (US-15) from 1939. Columbia was chosen after a very close set of races resulted in only beating the 19-year-old Vim by 12 seconds in the final competition.
The Races
Date Course Winner Loser WinningTime Delta Score Winner's Velocityon Course September 20, 1958 , windward leeward Columbia Sceptre5:13:567:451-04.59 September 24, 1958 , triangular Columbia Sceptre3:17:4211:422-07.28 September 25, 1958 24 nmi, windward leeward Columbia Sceptre3:09:078:203-07.61 September 26, 1958 24 nmi, triangular Columbia Sceptre3:04:227:054-07.81
References
External links Columbia article at AC-Cyclopaedia Sceptre article at AC-Cyclopaedia Current owner of Columbia in Newport, RI Sceptre Preservation Society
America's Cup Competitions