America 1851 20"

America 1851 20"

America is a 19th century racing yacht that won eight times on August 22, 1851 over the Royal Yacht Squadron's 53 mile regatta around the Isle of Wright.

On May 3, 1851, the scheduled launching of America, John Cox Stevens, a syndicate from the New York Yacht Club, owned the Yacht after it won the regatta that made it famous. On September 1, 1851, the yacht was sold to John de Blaquiere, 2nd Baron de Blaquiere and after racing it a few times, sold the America again in 1856 to Henry Montagu Upton, 2nd Viscount Templetown and renamed the yacht to Camilla. But he failed to use the yacht and maintain it. Later in 1858, the yacht was sold to Henry Sotheby Pitcher. Pitcher rebuilt Camilla and resold America in 1860 to Edward Decie, bring the yacht back to the United States. During that time, the yacht was renamed Memphis, but details are unclear. The yacht was later raised, repaired and renamed to America once again by the Union served as blockade fro the remainder of the war. After the war, America was used as a training ship at the U.S. Naval Academy. America entered the America's Cup race at New York Harbor and won fourth place.