Enchantress (yacht)

In 1871, the Enchantress was modeled, in New York, by Captain Robert Fish (1812-1883) for George L. Lorillard. She has had several owners (see subsequent owners below). The Enchantress was built by shipbuilder Samuel H. Pine of Greenpoint, Brooklyn.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/206325177/?terms=%22Robert%2BFish%22%2Bdeath/|title=A Famous Yacht Builder. Death of Capt. Robert Fish who Fashioned The Sappho and the Enchantress.|work=The Sun |date=1883-01-18|place=New York, New York|access-date=2020-08-19}} She was berthed at the New York Yacht Club and sailed by Captain Reuben King. Fish designed hundreds of vessels of all sizes, including the Truant, Challenge, Eva, and the Meteor.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/yachtsmansscrapb00loubrich/page/268/mode/2up|title=A yachtsman's scrap book: or, The ups and downs of yacht racing|date=1887|last=Loubat|first=Joseph Florimond|place=New York|publisher=Brentano Brothers|page=268}} Her model resides at the New York Yacht Club.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/28956968/?terms=%22model%22%2B%22New%2BYork%2BYacht%2BClub%22%2BEnchantress|title=Models Representing History of Yachting As An Amateur Sport in American Waters|work=The Washington Post|place=Washington, District of Columbia|date=1906-06-14|page=7|access-date=2020-09-11}}

The Enchantress was captained by Reuben King, the first mate, William Dand, and the Sandy Hook Pilot, Peter W. Roff. There were 18 crew members. Joseph F. Loubat, of the New York Yacht Club, wrote about the Enchantress and Robert Fish in a yachting memoir, A Yachtsman’s Scrap Book, or the Ups and Downs of Yacht Racing.

File:American Yachts Plate XII. Sharp-Shooter, Negus, Reindeer, Clio, Dreadnought and Enchantress. Over the Cape May Course - 1873 RMG PY8782.tiff

On October 9, 1873, the Enchantress was one of the boats that participated in the New York Yacht Club ocean {{convert|140|mi|km|adj=on}} regatta, which was a yacht race from Owl's Head Point around to Cape May Lighthouse in New Jersey, and back to the Sandy hook Lightship. Both yachts and pilot boats were entered in the race. The Enchantress was the winning yacht for the Bennett Cup, valued at $1,000. The pilot-boat Thomas S. Negus won second place and James W. Elwell which came in third place.

The name "Bennett Cup" came from James Gordon Bennett who was the commodore of the New York Yacht Club. At this time, Joseph F. Loubat was the owner, Captain Robert Fish (designer), Reuben King (master), and Sandy Hook Pilot Peter W. Roff were on board the Enchantress in the race.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/20501615/?terms=%22Enchantress%22|title=The Cape May Yacht Race| work=The New York Times Tribune |date=1873-10-26|place=New York, New York|access-date=2020-08-23}}{{clear left}}

Anchored off Stapleton, Staten Island, the Enchantress was overhauled with new rigging, spars and sails to prepare her for the trip across the Atlantic to England. On December 1, 1873, the Enchantress arrived at Cowes, England, from New York.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/390301356/?terms=Enchantress%2Barrived|title=COWES|work=Hampshire Telegraph and Naval Chronicle|place=Portsmouth|date=1873-12-06|access-date=2020-08-23}} On February 15, 1874, Fish left on the steamer Herman to Cowes where he took command of the Enchantress.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/329400948/?terms=%22Yacht%2BEnchantress%22|title=Yachting Note.|date=1874-02-16|work=New York Daily Herald|place=New York, New York|access-date=2020-08-20}} On July 25, 1874, the Enchantress won the Royal Yacht Squadron's {{convert|53|mi|km|adj=on}} regatta around the Le Havre to Southampton and brought home the Cape May Cup. The Enchantress was commanded by Captain Poland.

On August 8, 1874, the Enchantress entered the Prince of Wales {{convert|53|mi|km|adj=on}} cup race from Cowes around the Shambles Lightship, and back around the Nab, passing the Isle of Wight to Cowes. The race was for American and English schooners and yawls of 100 tons or more. The Enchantress was listed as 320 tons and the owner was Joseph F. Loubat. After a series of mishaps, the Enchantress returned to Cowes.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/396435549/?terms=Enchantress%2Bcup|title=Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta|work=Isle of Wight Observer|place=Ryde, Isle of Wight, England|date=1874-08-08|access-date=2020-08-23}}

• Loubat Ocean Cup Race - October, 1876: from Owl's Head Point back to the Sandy hook Lightship{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/329596861/?terms=%22New%2BYork%2BYacht%2BClub%22%2BEnchantress|title=The Loubat Ocean Cup Race For Schooners.|work=New York Daily Herald|place=New York, New York|date=1876-10-05|page=4|access-date=2020-09-12}}
• Cup May Race - September, 1877: to Cape May Lighthouse and return to Sandy Hook{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/329581104/?terms=%22New%2BYork%2BYacht%2BClub%22%2BEnchantress|title=The Loubat Ocean Cup Race For Schooners.|work=New York Daily Herald|place=New York, New York|date=1877-08-22|page=8|access-date=2020-09-12}}

On February 22, 1922, the yacht Enchantress was not commissioned during the financial year 1922-23 and was decommissioned in Portsmouth Harbour.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/258907646/?terms=%22Enchantress%22|title=A Naval Economy|work=The Guardian|place=London, Greater London, England|date=1922-02-23|access-date=2020-08-23}}

1. In 1871, Loubat sold the Enchantress to George L. Lorillard.
2. In 1873, Loubat bought back the Enchantress from George L. Lorillard.
3. On October 6, 1877, Loubat sold the Enchantress to Major Owen Williams.
4. In 1879, the Enchantress was sold in England.Brentano's Aquatic Monthly, New York, April 1879, The Schooner-Yacht Enchantress

• List of large sailing yachts

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.nyyc.org New York Yacht Club]
• [https://www.rys.org.uk Royal Yacht Squadron]

Category:1871 ships

Category:Individual sailing vessels

Category:Schooners of the United States

Category:Yachts of New York Yacht Club members