1930 America’s Cup

Enterprise vs Shamrock V

Give me Room

oil on canvas 30x40 inches

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“Look how she goes” Enterprise vs Shamrock V Americas Cup race 1 September 13th

Oil on Canvas 30x40 inches

Minutes after the start Enterprise sails quicker and opens an early lead. Pointing higher than Shamrock, she jibes down the racecourse, meaning she has to sail a longer zig zag course but it allowed all her sails to draw, whilst Shamrock V follows the traditional practice of sailing the more direct downwind course but her mainsail and Spinnaker blanket her headsails which hang ineffectively from their stays. Not expecting the yachts to jibe down to the leeward mark the spectator fleet had crowded in close to the racers forcing at one point Enterprise back into the centre of the racecourse allowing Shamrock V to close the gap. The Coast guard quickly seeing the problem shepherded the spectator fleet back allowing Enterprise to luff once again and resume her course.  A gap quickly opens and she rounded the leeward mark with a lead of over two minutes. On the beat to the finish Enterprise opens out another minute on the challenger to win the first race by over three mins.