Presented is a scale model of the late 1800’s American Racing Yacht, refurbished as a commercial sailing yacht. The original owner [purchaser of the scale model] had abandoned assembling it and retreaded to donating the basic hull with its components to a drift shop. The basic hull design [shown below-IMG_0548] was certified to be that of the late 1800s’ Columbia sailing yacht by an acknowledged sailboat modeling designers and builders’ group. The basic hull, as rescued from the drift ship – March 2024, has not been modified following the refurbishing of the boat to that of a commercial hauling/salvage vessel – finalized July 2024.
The refurbished Columbia [image IMG_0759], complete with a new boom & spritbow plus numerous commercial equipment including lifting cranes, a dinghy, full complement of bow, stern and mid-ship search lights, a gangway, dual-sided bow anchors, a spare anchor plus other needed deck equipment.
Historic records show the original Columbia with a Main sail, a trio of Jib sales and a Gaff sail as illustrated in the 1901 race photo below. It is unclear how or why [the scale modeler] made the transition to the scale model transforming the Main sail and Gaff sail to a single large Main sail.
Columbia Historical Perspective: The Columbia was the defender of the tenth America's Cup race in 1899 against British challenger Shamrock as well as the defender of the eleventh America’s Cup race in 1901 against British challenger, Shamrock II. It was the first vessel to win the trophy twice in a row. Columbia had a nickel steel frame, a Tobin bronze hull (Aka: Naval Brass or Naval Bronze), and a steel mast which broke during her 1st trials due to electrolysis. It was replaced by another in Oregon pine for the rest of the trials.
Columbia was designed and built in 1898 by Nathanael Herreshoff and his brothers for owners J. P. Morgan and Edwin Dennison Morgan of the New York Yacht Club. It was the third winning defender built by Herreshoff. As ever, the boat had been built in an utmost secrecy, forbidding the access to the yard to every journalist and photographer.
Columbia had no difficulty in beating Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock, designed by Fife Jr III. Before his promise to come back to the following America’s Cup, Sir Thomas Lipton paid tribute to his rival: "Mister Herreshoff has shown that he is the greatest yacht designer in the world"
The 1901 Race:
Two new boats were built with the specific purpose of defending the Cup for the New York Yacht Club – the Constitution and the Independence – but neither was selected, and it was in acrimonious circumstances that the trials of 1901 concluded.
The Constitution, built and fitted out entirely at the Herreshoff yard, and owned by a syndicate of prominent New York Yacht Club members was the great hope whilst the Independence, built for Thomas W. Lawson was supposed to bring pride back to the shipyards of Boston and Massachusetts Bay.
The fact that both yachts were out-sailed and out-classed by the 1899 defender, Columbia, spoke more to their mismanagement than their inherent performance characteristics. And the competition between the highly proficient and professional Charles Barr, steering Columbia and the inconsistent Uria Rhodes on Constitution intensified through the summer whilst Captain Hank Haff, commanding Independence had a torrid time.
Without wishing to take a chance on the destiny of the Cup, the New York Yacht Club committee selected the 1899 defender Columbia, but the ramifications were long.
Thank you for reading this post.
The refurbished Columbia [image IMG_0759], complete with a new boom & spritbow plus numerous commercial equipment including lifting cranes, a dinghy, full complement of bow, stern and mid-ship search lights, a gangway, dual-sided bow anchors, a spare anchor plus other needed deck equipment.
Historic records show the original Columbia with a Main sail, a trio of Jib sales and a Gaff sail as illustrated in the 1901 race photo below. It is unclear how or why [the scale modeler] made the transition to the scale model transforming the Main sail and Gaff sail to a single large Main sail.
Columbia Historical Perspective: The Columbia was the defender of the tenth America's Cup race in 1899 against British challenger Shamrock as well as the defender of the eleventh America’s Cup race in 1901 against British challenger, Shamrock II. It was the first vessel to win the trophy twice in a row. Columbia had a nickel steel frame, a Tobin bronze hull (Aka: Naval Brass or Naval Bronze), and a steel mast which broke during her 1st trials due to electrolysis. It was replaced by another in Oregon pine for the rest of the trials.
Columbia was designed and built in 1898 by Nathanael Herreshoff and his brothers for owners J. P. Morgan and Edwin Dennison Morgan of the New York Yacht Club. It was the third winning defender built by Herreshoff. As ever, the boat had been built in an utmost secrecy, forbidding the access to the yard to every journalist and photographer.
Columbia had no difficulty in beating Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock, designed by Fife Jr III. Before his promise to come back to the following America’s Cup, Sir Thomas Lipton paid tribute to his rival: "Mister Herreshoff has shown that he is the greatest yacht designer in the world"
The 1901 Race:
Two new boats were built with the specific purpose of defending the Cup for the New York Yacht Club – the Constitution and the Independence – but neither was selected, and it was in acrimonious circumstances that the trials of 1901 concluded.
The Constitution, built and fitted out entirely at the Herreshoff yard, and owned by a syndicate of prominent New York Yacht Club members was the great hope whilst the Independence, built for Thomas W. Lawson was supposed to bring pride back to the shipyards of Boston and Massachusetts Bay.
The fact that both yachts were out-sailed and out-classed by the 1899 defender, Columbia, spoke more to their mismanagement than their inherent performance characteristics. And the competition between the highly proficient and professional Charles Barr, steering Columbia and the inconsistent Uria Rhodes on Constitution intensified through the summer whilst Captain Hank Haff, commanding Independence had a torrid time.
Without wishing to take a chance on the destiny of the Cup, the New York Yacht Club committee selected the 1899 defender Columbia, but the ramifications were long.
Thank you for reading this post.
