News Release (February 7, 1968)

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/NEWS RELEASE NEw CoLLEGE SARASOTA, FLORIDA 33578 1 108 -2/7/68 813 / 355 7131 Ref.: Furman C. Arthur FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SARASOTA--A movie film depicting the story of America's first challenge racing yacht, "America," will be shown at New College, Monday, February 12 in the teaching auditorium of Hamilton Center at 7:30 p.m. Planning Director Ralph E. Styles, a retired U.S. Navy captain, is bringing the film to the college for the special showing which is open to the public as well as the college community. Attendance in the auditorium will be limited to 120, its capacity. Begun in 1850 the original America Has backed by a syndicate of six members of the newly-formed New York Yacht Club, designed by a successful modeler of yachts and pilot schooBers, and built in a shipyard on New York's East River. Launched in the spring of 1851 she was sailed that summer to LeHavre, France, refitted and put into trim before invading Britain. Hhen she set out for Cowes, on the Isle of Hight, the America was met by a British cutter, Laverock, and challeng ed to a short race. Although the Laverock was one of the fastest of Britain's cutters, the America beat it easily. This victory dampened British enthusiasm for racing for several weeks but finally the America was pitted against a fleet of British racing n:.ore

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NEW COLLEGE Page 2 boats in an open race. Reward for victory t.;ras a trophy put up by the Royal Yacht Squadron. Sailing against a fleet of 14 British cutters and schooners, the America won the race, finishing eight minutes ahead of its nearest competitor. She was sailed in one further match race which she won by 52 minutes and then sold to a British yachtsman. Later the America turned up as a Confederate blockade runner, then as a traininr, ship for midshipmen at the u.s. Naval Academy, and in 1873, had a 20 year career as a racer and cruiser for General Benjamin F. Butler. She suffered in neglect for many years until the rotten hulk was broken up in 1945. More than 115 years after the original America came off the ways in Nelv York, a breHing company executive had a duplicate created at a Maine shipyard from plans found in the archives of the British Admiralty. The reproduction of the historic ship t11as launched in Hay 1967 and was present for the America's Cup Races off Newport, R.L A film was made, using the reproduction,to tell the story of that original racing ship. It is this film that will be shown at New College on Monday. 30 -