The America was a 19th century racing yacht which gave its name to the international sailing trophy it first won - the America's Cup. The schooner was designed by George Steers for Commodore John Cox Stevens and a syndicate from the New York Yacht Club. On August 22, 1851, the America won by over 20 minutes the Royal Yacht Squadron's 53 mile regatta around the Isle of Wight, capturing the "One Hundred Sovereign Cup."
The America was designed by George Steers, a revolutionary designer who began the practice of giving ships a knife-like bow widening aft, as opposed to the previous practice of giving ships a rather blunt bow and a sharp stern. His ships repeatedly set records and won races as a result.
America was captained by Richard Brown, a skilled member of the Sandy Hook Pilots, a group of harbor pilots renowned worldwide for their skill in maneuvering the shoals around New York City. They were all extremely skilled racers as a result of impromptu races between pilots to ships in need of a pilot. Brown had sailed aboard a pilot boat designed by George Steers. He was also a personal friend of Steers. He chose as first mate Nelson Comstock, a newcomer to yacht racing. Mini-Kits by Mamoli offer well detailed, high quality kits that are fun and easy to build. Solid wood hulls are pre-carved and perfectly shaped. Fine grained wooden dowels are provided for the masts and spars, and individual planking strips cover the deck. Authentically scaled fittings include metal parts, cotton rigging and silk-screened flags. One-to-one plans and simple instructions assure a model you'll be proud to display. Average assembly time is 15-20 hours. |