Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Sappho (yacht)

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Yacht club
  
New York Yacht Club

Fate
  
Scrapped at Cowes 1887

Launched
  
1867

Beam
  
8.22 m

Nation
  
United States

Skippers
  
Samuel Greenwood

Length
  
42 m

Builder
  
Cornelius & Richard Poillon Bros

Owner(s)
  
William Proctor Douglas

Sappho was one of two defender yachts at the second America's Cup challenge, stepping in when defender Columbia was damaged in the third race.

Contents

Design

Sappho was built by Cornelius & Richard Poillon Bros on speculation for Richard Poillon to a design by William Townsend based on the lines of America.

Career

In 1868, Sappho sailed across the Atlantic to England. There she entered the Round the Isle of Wight Race. Competing against the yachts Aline, Cambria, Condor, and Oimara, Sappho finished last. Her poor showing encouraged Cambria's owner, James Lloyd Ashbury, to be the first to challenge the New York Yacht Club for the America's Cup.

Following her defeat, Sappho returned to the US where she was sold to New York Yacht Club member William Proctor Douglas. Douglas turned her over to Captain Bob Fish who altered her hull, improved her ballast, and modified her rigging. The changes made her faster. In 1869 Sappho returned to England setting a record for the crossing of 12 days 9 hours 36 minutes.

In May 1870, Sappho won all of her races against Ashbury's Cambria. Despite losing to Sappho, Ashbury took Cambria to America to challenge for the America's Cup. He lost to Magic.

Unsuccessful in his attempt to wrest the Cup from the New York Yacht Club in 1870, Ashbury tried again in 1871, this time with his yacht Livonia. The selected defender was Columbia. Columbia raced the first three races winning the first two and losing the third. Sappho raced the newt two races winning both and retaining the America's Cup for the New York Yacht Club.

Sappho was sold in 1876 to Prince Sciarra de Colonia who raced her in the French Riviera. Upon the prince's death, Sappho was acquired by George Marvin who sailed her until she was scrapped at Cowes in 1887.

References

Sappho (yacht) Wikipedia