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Category: RAINBOW
Fifteenth victorious defender of the America's Cup Rainbow was built in 1934 and commissioned by Harold Vanderbilt at the Nat Herreshoff yard in Bristol (New England). The yacht was designed by William Starling Burgess. Vanderbilt named her Rainbow, hoping for a better future in times of great depression.
1933
November 1st.— Vanderblit and Morgan head America's Cup syndicates. Harold S. Vanderbilt, who sailed Enterprise to victory in four straight races over Sir Thomas Lipton’s Shamrock V in 1930, will head one, probably with Winthrop W. Aldrich as an associate. 
Commodore Junius Spencer Morgan of the New York Yacht Club is organizing the other group.
Vanderbilt’s plans have progressed to such a point, it was learned yesterday, that he has had two models designed by W. Starling Burgess, who drew the plans for the Enterprise. Both have proved faster than the model of the 1930 defender in test races against each other.
December 24.— WORK ON CUP YACHT TO START TUESDAY; Frames of New Defense Boat Will Be Bent This Week at Herreshoff Yard. LEAD FOR KEEL ARRIVES.
Work of constructing the big racer will be started this week at the Herreshoff yard in Bristol, R.I., where all the cup defenders since 1893 have been built.
1934
January 19.— Rainbow is to be the name of the new America's Cup yacht being built for defense of the historic trophy against T.O.M. Sopwith's English challenger Endeavour.
April 16.— Work on the Vanderbilt syndicate's America's Cup sloop Rainbow is up to schedule. Plating in Place - Plan Launching Early Next Month.
April 21.— HULL IS FINISHED ON THE RAINBOW. The last plank in the pine deck of the Harold S. Vanderbilt syndicate's America's Cup yacht Rainbow was made fast today and the hull was all but finished.
May 4.— RAINBOW'S MAST PASSES ALL TESTS; Huge Duralumin Spar Found to Meet Specifications in Inspection at Baltimore. WEIGHT IS 5,685 POUND.
May 15.— RAINBOW LAUNCHED AT BRISTOL YARD. Mrs. Harold S. Vanderbilt Christens America’s Cup Defense Candidate. HUGE MAST IS STEPPED. Yacht ready for her first trial under canvas.
May 19.— RAINBOW IS TESTED IN FIRST SAIL SPIN. Work of America's Cup Sloop Impresses Vanderbilt and Spectators at Bristol. SHOWS SPEED IN BREEZE. Boat Runs 11 3/4 Miles an Hour During Puffs - New Rig Stands Strain Well.
May 23.— Members of the syndicate formed to pay for the cost of the new America's Cup yacht Rainbow were announced yesterday. They include two automobile manufacturers, Walter P. Chrysler and Alfred P. Sloan Jr., president of General Motors, and Joseph P. Day. real estate operator and auctioneer.
There are four members of the Vanderbilt family in the syndicate: Frederick W. Vanderbilt, Harold S. Vanderbilt, Alfred G. Vanderbilt and William K. Vanderbilt.
The others in the syndicate are J. P, Morgan, Gerard B. Lambert, Edward S. Harkness, George F. Baker, Charles Hayden, George E. Roosevelt, W. G. McCullough, Henry H. Rogers, Ogden L. Mills and Marshall Field.
May 20 - JuneXX.—First experimental tests with the veteran Vanitie: Rainbow win on May 20, May 22, May 27, June 2, but lose on May 21
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 31.— RAINBOW TO DEFEND THE AMERICA'S CUP; Vanderbilt Yacht Is Selected After She Defeats Yankee for Fourth Time in Row.
NEWPORT, R.I., Sept. 12.— CREWS ARE LISTED FOR THE CUP BOATS; Fourteen Amateurs and Twelve Professionals Will Sail on the Endeavour.
The crews of the America's Cup challenger Endeavour and the defender Rainbow were named today. A few changes were made at the last minute and the rosters ?nally adjusted to thirty-one on each racer, the number allowed under the rules.
The afterguard on Rainbow will be composed of Harold S. Vanderbilt, skipper; C. Sherman Hoyt, John Parkinson, W. Starling Burgess and Professor Zenas R. Bliss. Hoyt will look after the trim of the head sails and light canvas. 
Parkinson will relieve Vanderbilt at the wheel while Rainbow is running free. Burgess, the designer, will look after the rigging and Professor Bliss of Brown University will be navigator.
Rainbow will have twenty-?ve professionals and one amateur in her regular crew. The professionals will be Captain George H. Monsell of Greenport, L.I.; First Mate Harry K. Lifve of Greenport, Valentine Koppel, Ben Bruntwith, Willie Carstens, Harry K. Lifve Jr., Emil Sorensen, Lowell Wright, Leon Ruediger, Charles Lunde, Herman Wegge, Uno Johnson, John Swanson, Louie Syre, Oscar Petersen, Stanley Nelson, Knute Edwards, Barney Amesen, Tom Thompsen, Chris Anker, Hans Pedersen, Stanley Supicich, Canute A. Nelsen, Chris Olsen and Sam Hansen. Koppel and Carstens are the masthead men who were on the defender Enterprise four years ago. The one amateur is Henry Grueber, a partner of Burgess in the designing of Rainbow. He will be on the mainsheet and also will watch the rigging.
- From 15 to 25 september 1934, at Newport.
- the first yacht to capture four races will be the winner.
- starting signals to be given at 11:40 and delayed only in event of changing the starting-point, fog, or agreed postponement.
- Time limit: 5 hours 30.
- the first, third and fifth races to be to windward and leeward, the second and fourth over a triangle, all courses to be thirty miles, and laid to windward when possible.
Endeavour, the challenger of Royal Yacht Squadron, is confronted to Rainbow.
Seven races disputed.
One race canceled : time limit.
Rainbowbeat Endeavour four Height races disputed.
Three races canceled : time limit..
- 15 september, race off, time limit.
- 17 september, 1st race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Endeavourbeat Rainbow by 2 mn 09 s.
- 18 september, 2nd race, 30 miles, triangle : Endeavourbeat Rainbow de 51 s.
- 20 september, 3rd race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 3 mn 26 s. Endeavour leads by 6 mm 39 s at the buoy.
- 22 september, 4th race, 30 miles, triangle : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 1 mn 15 s.
- 24 september, 5th race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 4 mn 01 s.
- 25 september, 6th race, 30 miles, triangle : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 55 s.
1936 : A NEW SET OF SAILS AND GOOD RESULTSApril 12, 1936 -- NEW SET OF SAILS MADE FOR RAINBOW; Double-Clewed Jib and Loose-Footed Mainsail to Adorn Cup Craft in June.
MATTAPOISETT, Mass., July 8, 1936. -- Lambert Sails Yankee to Victory Over Vanderbilt's Rainbow on Buzzards Bay; YANKEE ANNEXES THE PURITAN CUP Defeats Rainbow, America's Cup Defender, in Historic Eastern Y.C. Event. FLEET OF 22 COMPETES Hovey's Weetamoe Finishes Third Among Big Sloops Over 27-Mile Course.
VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass., July 9, 1936. -- RAINBOW turned the tables on Yankee today and won all the way in the Eastern Yacht Club's squadron run here from Mattapoisett, over on the north side of Buzzards Bay. At the end of the twenty-five miles Rainbow had a margin of 3 minutes 30 seconds.
NEWPORT, R.I., July 10, 1936. -- RAINBOW CAPTURES 2D STRAIGHT RACE - Victories in Eastern Yacht Club Cruise Repeated by Rainbow.
MONTAUK, L.I., July 13, 1936. -- RAINBOW IS FIRST AT FORT POND BAY; In a combination of a light northerly air, a calm and a southwest breeze, the America's Cup defender Rainbow set a pace today for the Eastern Yacht Club fleet on the run to Fort Pond Bay from Block Island.
NEWPORT, R.I., July 18,1936. -- Vanderbilt's Rainbow Conquers Yankee in Contest Off Newport; America's Cup Defender Triumphs Over Lambert's Yacht by More Than Three Minutes in 32 1/2-Mile Sail -- Hovey's Weetamoe Loses Lead and Finishes Third.
NEWPORT, R.I., July 23, 1936. -- WEETAMOE VICTOR BY ONLY A SECOND; Hovey Brings His Yacht Home Ahead of Yankee in Close Finish at Newport. RAINBOW TRAILS RIVAL Loses 3:45 After Getting Off Before Gun -- Injury Keeps Vanderbilt Ashore.
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 13, 1936. -- VANDERBILT SAILS RAINBOW INTO LEAD; Rainbow Defeats Weetamoe by Sixteen Seconds in Run to Brenton Lightship.
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 14, 1936. -- Vanderbilt Captures His Seventh Astor Cup by Sailing Rainbow Home First; RAINBOW ANNEXES RACE OFF NEWPORT Off to Fine Start, She Beats Yankee by 2:32 in 27 1/2-Mile N.Y.Y.C. Event.
EDGARTOWN, Mass., Aug. 15, 1936. -- RAINBOW IS LEADER OF N.Y.Y.C. FLEET; Shows Way on Second Cruise Run of 42 Miles From Newport to Edgartown. YANKEE NEXT TO FINISH Trails by 2:20, With Weetamoe Third.
MATTAPOISETT, Mass., Aug. 18, 1936. -- Fleet of 45 Large Craft Competes Over 21 -- Mile Course in N.Y.Y.C. Regatta; YANKEE TRIUMPHS IN BUZZARDS BAY Lambert's Yacht Shows Way to Rainbow and Weetamoe Over 21-Mile Course.
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 19, 1936. -- Final Squadron Run of New York Yacht Club Cruise Won by Hovey's Weetamoe; SLOOP WEETAMOE SETS RACING MARK Sails Over 35-Mile Course in 3:18:45 to Win Final N.Y. Y.C. Squadron Run. BREAKS VANITIE'S RECORD Shows Way to Both Yankee and Rainbow.
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 20, 1936. -- Lambert Repeats His Triumphs of 1929 and 1933 in King's Cup Yacht Race; YANKEE IS WINNER IN KING'S CUP RACE. Lambert Captures Prize for Third Time in the Handicap Event, Scoring by 1:32. ISTALENA 2D, RAINBOW 3D.
February 17, 1937 -- America's Cup Boat Rainbow Sold To Chandler Hovey by Vanderbilt; Boston Sportsman Will Sail 1937 Defender in Trials Against New Ranger.
February 19, 1937 -- Vanderbilt Will Strip Rainbow To Provide Rigging for New Boat - Hovey, Purchaser of Cup Defender, Gets Little More Than Bare Hull.
When Chandler Hovey of Boston purchased the America's Cup defender Rainbow from Harold S. Vanderbilt on Tuesday, he virtually purchased only her bones. Mr. Vanderbilt reserved the privilege to strip the defender of 1934-of all her rigging and usable sails, her winches and even her chain plates.
He decided to keep her rig for his new Ranger, some parts to be used on her and the rest held in reserve. About all Mr. Hovey obtained was Rainbow's bare steel and bronze hull, an old mainsail, a jib and a fore staysail. Mr. Hovey has ample replacements from Weetamoe, which he owns. Rainbow and Weetamoe have practically identical rigs.
| Aug. 28, 1940 --RAINBOW TO BE SCRAPPED; Metal From America's Cup Yacht Likely to Go Into Munitions BOSTON, The yacht Rainbow, built at a cost of nearly half a million dollars, headed for the scrap heap today. She was stripped of all fittings preparatory to being reduced to scrap metal at the Lawley shipyard. It was reported the yacht brought around $12,000. Her steel and bronze hull and lead keel probably will feed munitions mills and her powerful windlasses and winches may find places on other craft. |
February 23, 2012 - Rainbow, Newest J-Class Sailing Yacht, Launched at Holland Jachtbouw.
The replica of the famed 1934 America’s Cup winner Rainbow gently touched salt water for the first time last Friday, christened by the owner’s daughter.
Holland Jachtbouw has been building the 131-foot (40-meter) Rainbow for the past two years. It’s quite a difference compared to the 100-day build schedule for the original Rainbow, scrapped in 1940. Why such a variation in construction time? This Rainbow is quite a different competitor. Though she’s engineered and designed to the original William Starling Burgess specifications, Rainbow has a hybrid propulsion system and a superyacht-style interior. The yacht that inspired her was a pure racer, without an interior, an engine room, or the attendant equipment of modern comforts like air conditioning.
2012 – competed at J Class Falmouth Regatta
2012 – competed at J Class Solent Regatta and 100 Guinea Cup Round the Island Race, UK
