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Puritan (yacht)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The yacht Puritan, photographed by John S. Johnston.
Yacht club New York Yacht Club
Nation United States
BuilderGeorge Lawley & Son
LaunchedMay 26, 1885
Owner(s)John Malcolm Forbes
Racing career
SkippersJohn Malcolm Forbes
Notable victories1885 America's Cup
America's Cup1885
Specifications
Displacement105-tons Thames Measurement
Length94 ft 0 in (28.65 m) (LOA)
81 ft 1.5 in (24.727 m) (LWL)
Beam22 ft 7 in (6.88 m)
Draft8 ft 8 in (2.64 m)
Sail area7,982 sq ft (741.6 m2)

The Puritan was a 19th-century racing yacht and the 1885 America's Cup defender of the international sailing trophy.

Construction and service

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Designed by Edward Burgess, she was built at the George Lawley & Son yard in South Boston, Massachusetts and launched May 26, 1885. For sails, Burgess chose the Irish-born sailmaker John H. McManus of McManus & Son, of Boston. The sails were of Plymouth duck.[1]: p121 [2]

Puritan as photographed by John S. Johnston.

The Puritan was an early combination of American and English designs with some of the depth of a cutter but beam and power of a sloop. It was built and skippered by John Malcolm Forbes.[1]

She defeated the New York Yacht Club's Priscilla then went on to defend the America's Cup against the British yacht Genesta, a traditional cutter. Immediately following the contest, they began work on an improved version which would be called the Mayflower.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Dunne, W. M. P.; Patrick, William Matthew (1934). Thomas F. McManus and the American fishing schooners: an Irish-American success story. Mystic, Conn., Mystic Seaport Museum.
  2. ^ a b Lawson, Thomas W. (1902). "Chapter VII". The Lawson History of the America's Cup. Winfield M. Thompson Press. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-907069-40-9.
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