Four Sloops for one defender

The preparations for the contest involved a departure which marked the birth of the custom of building boats specially to defend the cup, though, as events transpired, the defence that year was made by a boat not built for the purpose.

Trials inconclusive

As agreed in the contract, the shipyard has organized trials for the America. It's against the Maria, Commodore Stevens' fast sloop, which, in smooth water in the neighborhood of Sandy Hook, easily outsailed the new schooner. She is said to have sailed completely around the schooner three times in a short distance.

Victorious defender of America's Cups 1899 and 1901

As soon as the challenge of Sir Thomas Lipton has been accepted, an order was promptly given to Herreshoff by J. Pierpont Morgan and Edwin Dennison Morgan of New York Yacht Club, for a cup-defence vessel, to be known as Columbia. C. Oliver Iselin had a share in her, and was to be her "managing owner."

In the 1890s, with the arrival of Ben Nicholsons three sons to the firm Camper and Nicholson, a final name change was made to Camper and Nicholsons. Middle son, Charles Ernest Nicholson, emerged as the consummate yacht designer, able to combine elegance with speed and seamanship.
Nicholson’s first design of note was the Redwing class, designed for the Bembridge Sailing Club as a single-hander, to replace the expensive half racers...

Although little is known about this artist who adeptly worked in both watercolors and oils, records show that he sailed to the far east in the 1860's. (Traditionally, the majority of sea painters lacked any gallery representation, preferring instead to work directly from commissions by the vessel owners themselves).

Having spent time producing a family, completing his National Service within the British Army, going around the world by sea, living in England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Gozo, Tom has progressed a lifelong talent for painting and sculpture and steadily developed the technical side of his artistic abilities.