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Puritan was, in many respects, the outcome of the North American naval architecture revolution. Its concept put an end to the North American traditional centerboard sloops, wide and shallow, and thus unstable and dangerous. It marked the refusal of the Americans to follow the way of the British with their deep and narrow cutters, which were ill-fitted to the shallow East coast water, and also dangerous. As such, Puritan was the result of a new generation of architects who drew the plans of their projects rather than cutting them as wood models. The Boston designer, Edward Burgess drew the prefect compromise between the Yankee sloop and the British cutter.
Puritan was easily leading in the American defender selection trials against Priscilla, Cary Smith's traditional sloop, drawn in 1885 at the request of the NYYC, Bedouin, an "American" cutter ordered in 1882 and Gracie, the old sloop modeled in 1868 by Abraham A. Schank.
America's Cup races: Sailed on September 14 to 16, 1885 in New York -
Best two out of three races.
Puritan the defender vs. Genesta the challenger
Alternating Inside & Outside Course as in 1871, but first leg to leeward and return leg to windward. Races: two sailed. Puritan beats Genesta two wins to nil.
- September 14, 1st race, 32.6 miles, Inside Course: Puritan beats Genesta by 16 minutes 19 sec in corrected time.
- September 16, 2nd race, 32 miles, Outside Course: Puritan beats Genesta by 1 minute 38 sec in corrected time.
1886
Puritan was auctioned to settle the accounts of the Boston syndicate. J. Malcolm Forbes, one of the syndicate members, acquired it. He kept on Aubrey Crocker as skipper of the sloop. Still an excellent defense candidate, Puritan was difficult to beat, but eventually Mayflower the Burgess design, skippered by Martin V.B. Stone, was able to win the trials!
1888
Puritan was converted to a schooner. A broker who removed its lead keel bought it.
Circa 1900
Puritan was sailing in Europe at the beginning of the century. It was converted and sailed as a working boat, for freight and passengers, between Portugal and the Azores and sometimes all the way to New Bedford, New England.
1925
Puritan was too small and not very profitable in spite of its speed potential. It was dismantled and scrapped on the East coast, in 1925.
From Puritan, only the wheel remains, hanging as decoration over the counter of a pub in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
J.T/pr
PURITAN
1885
USA
Yacht Club: New York Yacht Club, New York, USA
Victorious defender of the fifth America's Cup.
Owner: Syndicate headed by General Charles J. Paine with J. Malcolm Forbes, William Gray, Jr., Henry Hovey, William F. Weld, Augustus Hemenway, W.H. Forbes, John L. Gardner, J. Montgomery Sears and F.L. Higginson.
Centerboard compromise sloop
Designer: Edward 'Ned' Burgess
Builder: George Lawley & Son, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Sailmaker: J.H. McManus & Son of East Boston
Mast builder: H. Pigeon & Son.
Rigger: Charles Billman & Son.
Launched: May 26, 1885
Skipper: Aubrey J. Crocker
Afterguard: General Charles J. Paine, Dr. John Bryant, Henry S. Hovey, George H. Richards, Edward Burgess, Captain Joseph Ellsworth, C.A. Welsh and J.R. Busk.
Data:
Construction -
Light heavy. Conventional wood frames and single planking, with an effort to save weight.
Keel: Oak and lead
Frames: White oak
Hull: Oak and hard pine
Deck: Flush, white pine
Centerboard: Hard pine and oak
Dimensions -
L.O.A.: 28.65 m
L.W.L.: 24.98 m
Beam: 6.97 m
Draft: 2.65 m; 6.10 m (with centerboard)
Displacement: 105 tons
Ballast: 27 tons - lead keel, 7 tons - inside, 20 tons.
Sail area: 718.38 m2
Rating: 83.85
Mast: 20.85 m
Boom: 23.21 m
Bowsprit: fitted out, 12 m
Topmast: 12.80 m
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Year of building
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1885 |
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Launched
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26/5/1885 |
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Edition 5(1885)
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Crew
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Hull
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Wood |
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Mast
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Wood |
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L.O.A
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28.65 |
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L.W.L
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24.98 |
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Mast
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20.85 |
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Beam
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6.97 |
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Boom
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23.21 |
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Sail Area
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Displacament
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105 |
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Draft
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6.1 |
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Rating
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Ballast
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27 |
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