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Category: OWNERS
Chandler Hovey was a competitor and Corinthian yachtsman in the truest sense. He not only was involved in several defenses of the America's Cup — spanning a period of 34 years — he possessed unequaled enthusiasm as an ambassador for the sport of sailing.
His first involvement in the America's Cup was in 1930 as manager and afterguard member of the Yankee syndicate.
However, Enterprise, under the guidance of Harold Vanderbilt, emerged that year with the honor of defending the Cup.
In 1934, Chandler Hovey returned to the Cup scene as manager, afterguard member and majority owner of Yankee. At the start of the season, Yankee, with her modified construction, finished much better than her rival Rainbow, and looked as though she would be selected to defend against Sir Thomas Sopwith's Endeavour. When it came time for the selection, however, the records of the two boats were so close that the committee rested its decision upon the outcome of a single race. Rainbow beat Yankee for the honor of defending the Cup by just one second. In fact, the race committee was consulted by the sailors because neither crew knew which boat had won. It was a devasting loss for everyone aboard Yankee, but especially for Hovey.
At the beginning of the 1936 season, Chandler Hovey purchased from Frederick H. Prince the yacht Weetamoe, twice unsuccessful candidate for defense of the America's Cup. February 1937, he bought also Rainbow for the 1937 challenge but Harold Vanderbilt had kept Rainbow's mast for the new Ranger. Rainbow will be fitted with Weetamoe's rig. The Ranger had been outstanding in the defense trials against Gerard B. Lambert's Yankee and Chandler Hovey's Rainbow, defender three years ago. Ranger had won eight races and had not been defeated.
When the post-War challenge from Britain's Royal Yacht Squadron revived the America's Cup in 1958, the contest was to be sailed in 12-meter class sailboats. With no new boat in the works to defend, the New York Yacht Club called on Chandler Hovey. The committee explained the situation, asking if he might consider building a boat for the defense. Having never lost his enthusiasm for the Cup, he accepted immediately, and commissioned Easterner. Eventually, Columbia and Weatherly joined the defense trials, and Columbia went on to win the match against Sceptre.
Ultimately, Hovey's Easterner sailed in the Cup trials three times: 1958, 1962 and 1964. None of the ventures proved successful with respect to defending the Cup, but to Hovey and the members of his crew, Easterner was a tremendous success. Hovey refused to compromise the Corinthian effort for sake of winning. His family and friends made up the crew, learning and enjoying beyond words the experience of participating in the America's Cup trials.
Chandler Hovey - AmericaOne
- Chandler Hovey, 1996 Inductee - Herreshoff Marine Museum & America's Cup Hall of Fame
- CHANDLER HOVEY, EX-YACHTS'MAN, 91 - Obituary - NYTimes.com
- Elizabeth Hovey sails her own boat - Digital Commonwealth
- Chandler (Buss) Hovey Jr., 83, Disabled America's Cup Sailor - NYTimes.com
