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New to SAIL TO PREVAIL famous
America’s Cup Yacht Easterner
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| HISTORY OF EASTERNER:
12-Metre US-18 When America’s Cup competition was resumed in 1958 after a 21-year lapse with a new class of yachts, Chandler Hovey began his America’s Cup campaign by commissioning the 12-Meter Easterner. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt, Easterner was built at Graves Yacht Yard in Marblehead, MA and launched on June 27, 1958. Easterner arrived in Newport, RI on July 9th with the salute of horns and gunfire. She seemed to be the hometown favorite for the America’s Cup defense. There were four American contenders for the 1958 America’s Cup defense. Vim (12-Meter US-15), Columbia (12-Meter US-16), Weatherly (12-Meter US-17), and Easterner (12-Meter US- 18). Historian Norris D. Hoyt wrote, "The most beautiful of the three was the varnished Easterner..." In fact, during the 1958 America’s Cup hometown favorite, Easterner was even referred to as the "belle of the ball". All the hull shapes of the 1958 America’s Cup defense contenders were tank-tested by Professor Davidson at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. As always, the results of the tests were kept secret while construction of the yachts was still in progress. However, after the information was no longer critical it was revealed that Easterner had tank-tested with the highest potential followed in order by Columbia, Weatherly, and Vim. Unfortunately, the trials did not turn out that way. Easterner was again an American contender for the America’s Cup defense off Newport, Rhode Island in 1962 and 1964, making her one of the only three-time America’s Cup contenders. Hovey eventually sold Easterner to Jack Ballie, who took the boat to Newport Beach, California and renamed her Newsboy. In 1995, Easterner was sold to her third owner, Arthur Shlossman. After 28 years of sailing on the west coast, Easterner was brought back to Newport, given back her original name, and restored to her original condition and layout. In November 2008, Arthur Shlossman
generously donated the classic 12-Metre to SAIL TO PREVAIL. The Newport,
RI non-profit that developed the first adaptive sailing program is
retrofitting Easterner so
that as many disabled people as possible will become the first contributing
crew of a former America’s Cup yacht. The
Easterner Program will be offered to people with disabilities
and to children with cancer to hopefully increase their chances of
survival. Additionally, Easterner will
race with a disabled crew against professional sailors, culminating
in the 12-Metre World Championship this September in Newport, RI.
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