Yacht club Chicago Yacht Club Sail no US–51 Skippers Buddy Melges Class 12-metre class | Nation United States Builder Merrifield-Roberts Launched 1986 | |
Designer(s) Gretzky, Graham, MacLane, Schlageter | ||
Heart of America is a 12-metre class yacht that competed in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup. The boat was helmed by Buddy Melges and represented the Chicago Yacht Club. The boat finished 8 of 13 in Louis Vuitton Cup, which decides the challenger to the Cup holder.
Contents
Crew
The crew included these members, as well as others.
Support
The CEOs of the Heart of America Cup effort included Alan Johnston and William Bentsen.
Corporate sponsorship of the drive started with MCI providing $1M US dollars to the campaign.
Controversies
The challenge by a Great Lakes yacht club resulted in the Australian Royal Perth Yacht club challenging whether Lake Michigan was an "arm of the sea" as required by the Deed of Gift of the America's Cup. The court decided that Lake Michigan did constitute an "arm of the sea" and that the Club could challenge for the America's Cup.