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On this day…
3rd May, 1851: America was launched. From the wight boat to the black one
In spite of early hour and a poor health, - he had caught a cold during the 1850-51 winter by following day after day the building of the boat -, Hamilton Wilkes had been anxious to be present in this Saturday, May 3rd, 1851 in William H. Brown's yard, at the foot of the 12th Street, East River, New York. He represented his syndicate friends that under the leadership of John Cox Steven had decided the building of a schooner intended to challenge the Old World yachtsmen at Cowes, Isle of Wight, in Mecca of the Yachting! Today, in spite of the fatigue, Hamilton was happy: he was finally going to watch the launching of America.
156 years ago thus, the schooner yacht America built according to George Steers's model slid in the dark water, stern first. She already raised her distinguishing racked masts amongst the others. With hindsight, only the color of the off-white hull could confuse. Was it still to hide her redoubtable efficiency? It was not until her French stopover at the beginning of the 1851 summer after her Atlantic crossing, that the boat received her black coat. A way of carrying, in anticipation, mourning of her defeated opponents...
America! This name was not an affair of chance. Obviously, it marked the determination which stimulated Steven and his friends, that was their will to represent with pride their country, their sense of excellence, their passion for the challenge and the risk-taking... We know what followed. On May 3rd, 1851, the war machine started and nothing more was going to stop it. The America Cup's legend - America gave her name to the trophy won on 22 August 1851 by her and her captain Dick Brown - had just originated. Although at this moment, nobody knew it...
It was 156 years ago.
