STORY OF VANITIE

Category: VANITIE

The second boat built for the defense of the America's Cup in 1914 was for Alexander Smith Cochran, formerly the owner of the schooner Westward, which raced so successfully in English waters in 1910.

This boat has been designed by William Gardner, a New York naval architect with long experience both in the designing and construction of racing yachts.

Some of the best known American yachts are from his board, such as the schooner Atlantic, which won the German Emperor's Cup in the ocean race of 1905, establishing a new record for a transAtlantic sailing passage; the Irondequoit, Liris, Medora, and many other boats that have made enviable records for themselves. This yacht is being built at George Lawley & Son's, East Boston, and is expected to be launched early in May. Her name is Vanitie.
May 14, 1914 - The launching of the America's Cup defense fleet of 75-foot sloops was completed to-day when Alexander Smith Cochran's bronze Vanitie was put into the water.

For the selection of the defender, the boats will be raced throughout the summer, about 35 races being already scheduled before trial races that will be held off Newport, between August 15th and 22nd.

The first of the preliminary races was be held on June 2nd with only two of the contenders, Vanitie and Resolute, at the line. On the Sound off Greenwich, Vanitie beats Resolute easily by 16 minutes and 48 seconds.

Results of the trials races for the defender (1914)

Date Race Course First Second by Third by Score
Defiance Resolute Vanitie
June 2nd, 1914 Sound Triangle 30 miles Vanitie Resolute 16' 48" Defiance DNS 1 2 5
June 3rd, 1914 Sound AR 15 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 0' 11" Defiance DNS 2 7 7
June 4rd, 1914 Sound AR 9 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie DNF Defiance DNS 3 12 9
June 6th, 1914 Fletcher Cup Triangle 15 miles x 2 Vanitie Resolute 2' 40" Defiance DNS 4 14 14
June 10th, 1914 Sandy Hook AR 30 miles Resolute Vanitie 7' 29" Defiance DNF 5 19 16
June 11th, 1914 Sandy Hook Triangle 30 miles Resolute Vanitie 1' 16" Defiance DNS 6 24 18
June 12th, 1914 Sandy Hook Triangle 30 miles Resolute Vanitie 6' 02" Defiance DNS 7 29 20
June 23th, 1914 Sound Triangle 15 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 16' 20" Defiance 20' 12" 8 34 22
June 25th, 1914 Sound AR 24,5 miles Resolute Defiance 3' 14" Vanitie 8' 03" 10 39 23
June 26th, 1914 Sound Triangle 30,5 miles Resolute Vanitie 5' 03" Defiance 10' 10" 11 44 25
June 27th, 1914 Sound Triangle 15 miles x 2 Vanitie Defiance 7' 42" Resolute DNS 13 45 30
June 29th, 1914 Fletcher Cup Triangle 15 miles x 2 Vanitie Defiance 15' 44" Resolute DNS 15 46 35
July 9th, 1914 Brenton's Reef AR 30 miles Resolute Vanitie 1' 19" Defiance DNF 16 51 37
July 10th, 1914 Brenton's Reef Triangle 30 miles Resolute Vanitie 33' 07" Defiance DNF 17 56 39
July 11th, 1914 Block Island AR 30 miles Vanitie Defiance 0' 19" Resolute DNF 19 57 44
July 18th, 1914 Brenton's Reef AR 14 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 0' 53" Defiance 1' 56" 20 62 46
July 31th, 1914 Glen Cove 35 miles journey Resolute Vanitie 14' 05" Defiance DNS 21 67 48
August 1st, 1914 -> New London 54 miles journey Resolute Vanitie 5' 35" Defiance DNS 22 72 50
August 3rd, 1914 -> Newport 40 miles journey Resolute Vanitie 2' 11" Defiance DNS 23 77 52
August 4rd, 1914 Vincent Astor Cup Triangle 38 miles Resolute Vanitie 5' 19" Defiance DNS 24 82 54


On August 5, 1914
the New York Yacht Club's Summer cruise was declared off upon receipt of the news that England had declared war on Germany. Sir Thomas Lipton had telephoned the Associated Press that on account of the declaration war by Great Britain, he has withdrawn his yacht from Cup race. Resolute will then be towed to Bristol and hauled out. Vanitie will towed to Lawley's Yard in Neponsit, where she was built, and laid up. The America's Cup was postponed and did not resume until 1920.

American yachts continue trial races during the War

May 28, 1915 - Sir Thomas Lipton, whose yacht Shamrock IV. is laid up in Brooklyn, does not regard with favor the proposed renewal of the trials this Summer between the cup defending candidates, Resolute and Vanitie, according to letters recently received by friends in this city.

Date Race Course First Second by Score
Resolute Vanitie
July 3rd, 1915 Sound 19.25 miles Resolute Vanitie 1' 08" 1 0
July 5th, 1915 Larchmont Y.C. Regatta 28 miles Vanitie Resolute 3' 05" 1 1
July 7th, 1915 Sound Triangle 30 miles Resolute Vanitie 2' 17" 2 1
July 9th, 1915 Seawanhaka Y.C. 15¼ miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie DNF 3 1
July 11th, 1915 N.Y.Y.C. Race 25½ miles Resolute Vanitie 4' 48" 4 1
July 13th, 1915 Sandy Hook 15 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 5' 27" 5 1
July 14th, 1915 Sandy Hook 10 miles x 3 Resolute Vanitie 0' 52" 6 1
July 15th, 1915 Sandy Hook 15 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 1' 30" 7 1
July 17th, 1915 Larchmont Regatta 28 miles Resolute Vanitie 27' 18" 8 1
July 26th, 1915 Newport 14 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 5' 04" 9 1
August 3rd, 1915 N.Y.Y.C. Cruise 40 miles Vanitie Resolute DNF" 9 2
August 5th, 1915 Astor Cup 37½ miles Resolute Vanitie 1' 08" 10 2
August 6th, 1915 Newport Race 33 miles Vanitie Resolute 9' 31" 10 3
August 7th, 1915 Marblehead Race 32 miles Resolute Vanitie 20' 18" 11 3
August 10th, 1915 N.Y.Y.C. Cruise 24 miles Resolute Vanitie 5' 16" 12 3
August 11th, 1915 King Cup 36 miles Resolute Vanitie 5' 31" 13 3

For the 1915 series of defender trials, the Resolute wins 13 races and the Vanitie only 3, with 1 DNF for each yacht.

April 30, 1916 - The America's Cup defenders Resolute and Vanitie definitely out of commission for the season 1916 and the challenger, Shamrock IV, boxed up in a dock at Brooklyn, awaiting the end of the European war.

 

TRIAL RACES FOR THE DEFENDER 1920

February 1st, 1920 - Rear Commodore George Nichols, New York Yacht Club, is to sail the sloop Vanitie in the trial races against Resolute this Spring for the right to defend the America's Cup. Rear Commodore Nichols did not seek the honor of sailing Vanitie. It was forced upon him. In 1914 he was a member of the after-deck war council of Resolute. When Alexander Smith Cochran gave his sloop to the club, it was imperative that someone should have command of the craft, and the Cup Committee of the club asked Rear Commodore Nichols to race the boat. Believing that Vanitie had an excellent chance of being chosen, Commodore Nichols consented to take charge of the yacht.
Commodore Nichols will have full charge of Vanitie. Already he has picked his sailing master and has invited several prominent yachtsmen to serve as the after-deck crew. Sherman Hoyt, another well-known racing member of the New York Yacht Club, will help Rear Commodore Nichols sail Vanitie.

Date Race Course First Second by Score
Resolute Vanitie
June 3rd, 1920 Newport 14 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 5' 39" 1 0
June 7th, 1920 Newport 30 miles triangle Vanitie Resolute 1' 34" 1 1
June 8th, 1920 Newport 15 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 33' 07" 2 1
June 9th, 1920 Newport 30 miles triangle Resolute Vanitie 1' 00" 3 1
June 10th, 1920 Newport 14 miles x 2 Vanitie Resolute 0' 54" 3 2
June 11th, 1920 Newport 15 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 0' 57" 4 2
June 12th, 1920 Newport 30 miles triangle Vanitie Resolute 4' 02" 4 3
June 15th, 1920 Newport 14 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 3' 06" 5 3
June 20th, 1920 Newport 15 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 1' 56" 6 3
June 23rd, 1920 Newport 10 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 1' 07" 7 3
June 24th, 1920 Newport 10 miles x 2 Resolute Vanitie 0' 42" 7 4


NEWPORT, R.I., June 26.-- RESOLUTE CHOSEN TO DEFEND TROPHY - Resolute, the Herreshoff built sloop, owned by a syndicate of New York yachtsmen, was this afternoon selected by the Cup Defense Committee to defend America's Cup against Sir Thomas Lipton's challenger, Shamrock IV.

June 28, 1920 - When Resolute meets Shamrock IV. in defense of America's Cup next month she will present the best combination of crew and equipment, drawn in part from the Vanitie, her rival for defense honors. It was announced today that Rear Commodore George Nichols of the New York Yacht Club, skipper of the Vanitie in the trial races, would join Resolute’s after-deck staff as navigator, in place of Lieutenant Arthur Adams of Boston. Vanitie also will contribute her choicest spars and rigging, some of which are said to have proved to be of better quality than those carried by Resolute in the test races.

July 6, 1920 - Vanitie Entirely Stripped - The once proud Vanitie, contender for the honor of defending the America's Cup against the Shamrock IV., is literally but a shell or her former self. Hauled up at Jacob's Shipyard, City Island, the Gardner creation has been dismasted and stripped of everything, even her bowsprit. Nothing remains but the hull of the once beautiful sloop that contested in the trial races against the Resolute, so recently held off Newport. Little time was lost in putting the prospective cup yacht out of commission.

Vanitie and Resolute stay out of commission until 1926.

Resolute and Vanitie as schooners (1926-1928)

On 1925, VANITIE BOUGHT BY Robert E. TOD - As Resolute, she will also have rigging changed into a schooner.

April 27, 1926- TOD NOT TO RACE SCHOONER VANITIE - Although Mr. Tod has recently spent upward of $100,000 in fitting out the yacht, he causes surprise yesterday by suddenly deciding to sell the former Cup defense sloop.

On May 18, 1926, Resolute was launched as a schooner at the yards of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. The races against her old rival Vanitie, also converted to schooner rig, can resumed.

May 25, 1926- H.P. WHITNEY BUYS SCHOONER VANITIE - He returns to yacht racing and will compete with the New York Y.C. during the coming season.

On June 28, Harry Payne Whitney's Vanitie won the race for schooners on the ocean course off Brenton's Reef today, defeating Resolute and other crack two-masters with ridiculous ease.

On July 2, in a 148-mile race round Cape Cod from Newport, which, because of unusually light airs, was anybody's up to within a few miles of the finish, the schooner Resolute scored her first victory under her new rig by capturing the Vanderbilt Gold Cup.

Year Date Race Winner Gap
1926 June 28 New York Yacht Club regatta Vanitie 15'
June 29 New York Yacht Club regatta Vanitie  
2 juillet Vanderbilt Gold Cup Resolute  
July 3   Vanitie 0' 46"
August 19 Astor Cup Vanitie  
August 20 King's Cup Vanitie  
August 21 U.S.Navy Cup Vanitie  
August 24 Commodore's Cup Resolute  

 

Year Date Race Winner Gap
1928 June 27 New York Yacht Club regatta Vanitie 7' 34"
July 12 Eastern Y.C.'s run Resolute  
July 13 Eastern Y.C.'s run Vanitie  
July 26 Larchmont race Resolute  
July 27 Larchmont race Vanitie 0' 13"
August 11 Astor Cup Vanitie 34' 33'
August 18 U.S.Navy Cup Vanitie 10'


Vanitie (C3 in foreground) and Resolute

Year Date Race Winner Gap
1927 June 16 New York Yacht Club regatta Vanitie  
June 28 New York Yacht Club regatta Vanitie 0' 4"
July 4 Puritan Cup Resolute  
July 7 Eastern Y.C.'s run Vanitie  
July 8 Eastern Y.C.'s run Vanitie  
July 9 Eastern Y.C.'s cruise Vanitie  
July 21 Larchmont race Vanitie

5'

July 23 Larchmont race Vanitie 14'
August 15 New York Yacht Club Cruise Resolute  
August 16 Commodore's Cup Resolute  
August 17 New York Yacht Club Cruise Vanitie  
August 18 Astor Cup Vanitie 13' 29"
August 19 U.S.Navy Cup Vanitie 1' 34"
August 20 New York Yacht Club run Resolute  


Another Cup Defender, "Resolute", re-rigged from gaff sloop to staysail schooner with quite an array of sails set and charging along. Such power!!

The reappearance of the two America’s cup candidates, Herreshoff’s successful Resolute and Gardner’s handsome sloop Vanitie excited popular interest in the 1926 racing. These 75-foot waterline sloops built in 1914, were bought by E. Walter Clark, owner of Irolita, and Robert E. Tod, owner of the Katouras and completely refitted for cruising. Mr Tod sold his yacht to Mr Harry Payne Whitney before he left City Island. Their new schooner rigs were radically different, because the Bristol designer developed a clever but complicated spritsail arrangement, while Gardner reduced the number of sails to a minimum.
The tables above show a clear dominance of the Vanitie.

 

Resolute and Vanitie, under their new rigs as sloops, resume their duel

Year Date Race Winner Gap
1929 June 13 New York Yacht Club regatta Vanitie 3' 08"
June 14 New York Yacht Club regatta Vanitie  
July 1st Beverly Y. C. regatta Vanitie 2' 36"
July 2nd Beverly Y. C. regatta Vanitie 2' 31"
July 4 Eastern Y. C. regatta Vanitie  
July 7 Eastern Y. C. regatta Vanitie 7' 05"
July 8 Eastern Y. C. regatta Vanitie 1' 41"
July 9 Eastern Y. C. regatta Resolute  
July 10 Run to Portland Vanitie  
July 11 Eastern Y. C. regatta Vanitie 26' 08"
July 12 Marblehead Vanitie 5' 20"
August 9 U.S.Navy Cup Vanitie  
August 12 Vanderbilt Cup Resolute  
August 15 Vice Commodore's Cup Vanitie  
August 17 King's Cup Vanitie  

Nov, 1928.- Vanitie is sold by H.P. Whitney; purchased by Gerard B. Lambert, owner of the Atlantic.
May 1929.- Vanitie and Resolute are back to their original rigs as sloops; the same rig under which Resolute beat Vanitie for the honor of defending the America's Cup in 1920.
April 1930.- Resolute, the last defender, and Vanitie, her rival, are to be made ready for race against new America's Cup defense boats.

Old Rivals - Vanitie & Resolute - America's Cup - by  Burnell Poole
Old Rivals as sloops Marconi
by Burnell Poole

 

Resolute as sloop Marconi

Vanitie as sloop Marconi

In 1930 Vanitie again participated in the America's cup selection races, albeit as a "trial horse" against which the potential defenders could be judged. She was altered to rate as a J but not acceptable for AC as a J-Class yacht (too big: I-Class).

During the Summer 1931, Weetamoe easily beat Resolute and Vanitie. Vanitie has dominated Resolute throughout the season 1931.

On March 1932, Vanitie, Gerard B. Lambert's America's Cup yacht, is to be put overboard at City Island and towed to the Herreshoff yard in Bristol, R.I., where the changes are to be made in her for racing against the Weetamoe during the next Summer. She will have the tallest mast ever stepped in a sailing vessel (173 feet).

Bristol, R.I., June 4, 1932.- Weetamoe, with her owner, Frederick H. Prince, at the helm, beat Gerard B. Lambert's Vanitie today by two minutes in an informal yacht race off Newport. Mr. Lambert, Chandler Hovey and Miss Elizabeth Hovey made up the afterguard on the losing boat.
LARCHMONT, N.Y., June 18,1932. -- For the third time in three days Gerard B. Lambert's America's Cup creation Vanitie today defeated Frederick H. Prince's Weetamoe, the sloop that many times took the measure of the cup defender Enterprise.

The duel between Vanitie and Weetamoe will continue for two seasons, 1932 et 1933. Although dominated, Vanitie won many victories, the last being in the King's Cup:
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 19, 1933 01330S- Despite her nineteen years, Gerard B. Lambert's America's Cup yacht Vanitie won the King's Cup race off here today.Defeats Weetamoe in yachting yest off Newport by 14:21 corrected time.

For the defense of the America's Cup 1934, the new Rainbow will meet Weetamoe, Yankee, and the Vanitie, not eligible for cup defense but a pace setter with her great rig. Gerard B. Lambert owns the Vanitie and is paying the entire cost of her participation in the contests. In addition he is a member of the Rainbow syndicate. From August 25 to September 9, Endeavour has had daily practice with the crack American yacht Vanitie, generously put at Endeavour's disposal by Vanitie's owner, Gerard Lambert.

BRISTOL, September 16, 1939 - VANITIE TO BE SCRAPPED; Vanitie, which once held her owner's hopes as a defender of the America's Cup against Sir Thomas Lipton, is headed for the junk pile.

Vanitie had an exceptional career of 20 years with the participation in three selections for the America's Cup 1920, 1930 and 1934. By itself, it fully justifies the modification of rules intervened after the excesses of Reliance.