Weetamoe

When the New York Yacht Club accepted Sir Thomas Lipton's challenge for the America's cup, they decided to form two syndicates to build one yacht each for the defense of the cup, and also to welcome other syndicates who might want to offer a defender. The two NYYC syndicates were to be led by Vice-Commodore Winthrop Aldrich and Rear-Commodore Junius Morgan.Vanderbilt 1931, p.4

Morgan's syndicate comprised:Dear 2004, p.49

• George T. Bowdoin
• Arthur Curtiss James
• Gerard Lambert
• J. P. Morgan
• Junius Morgan
• George Nichols
• Cornelius Vanderbilt
• Henry Walters

Her construction was of steel frames and deck beams, with wooden decks and a hull was built from very expensive Tobin bronze.

She was launched on May 10, 1930.

The syndicate also obtained several support craft for Weetamoe. These included:Dear 2004, p.64

• a steamer, Emblane
• two powerboats, Magistrate and Momo

Under the Racing Rules, yachts were allowed a total crew of 31, including any afterguard.Vanderbilt 1931, p.31 The afterguard comprised:

• A. H. Eustis
• Robert N. Bavier
• Clinton Crane (designer)
• George Nichols (skipper)
• John Parkinson

The syndicate engaged J. Christiensen as their sailing master, and a professional crew of Scandinavian origin.

{{Main|1930 America's Cup}}

On June 9, the contenders, together with the J-class yachts Resolute and Vanitie, met at Glen Cove for a series of races planned in Long Island Sound by the local clubs.Vanderbilt 1931, p.89

Of the series, Weetamoe won three out of four races, with the other going to Enterprise.Vanderbilt 1931, pp.90–97 Yankee arrived too late to compete in any but the fourth and last race.

{{Main|1930 America's Cup}}

The following week, the J-class boats traveled to Newport for three races organized by the Eastern Yacht Club.Vanderbilt 1931, p.102

Enterprise won all three of these races.Vanderbilt 1931, pp.104–07 Weetamoe recorded the fastest time in the first race, but withdrew after fouling Enterprise.Vanderbilt 1931, p.103

As winner of the races, Enterprise was awarded the Commodore Charles P. Curtiss cup,Vanderbilt 1931, p.107 and a second prize was awarded to Yankee.Vanderbilt 1931, p.108

{{Main|1930 America's Cup}}

During the first two weeks of July 1930, the America's Cup Committee staged a series of observation races to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the four contenders to defend the cup. Vanderbilt 1931, p.113 The races were conducted by starting the yachts in pairs, with the second pair starting fifteen minutes after the first. The yachts to race in each pair were determined by lot.

The end results of the observations were that Enterprise, Weetamoe, and Yankee all finished roughly the same, points-wise (14, 13, and 13 respectively), while Whirlwind had won only a single race and finished with only 8 points.Vanderbilt 1931, p.135 Weetamoe won every race that she had finished.

Enterprise and Weetamoe each scored a technical victory over the other when their competitor could not finish a race.Vanderbilt 1931, pp.123,130 Likewise, Yankee scored a technical victory over Whirlwind.Vanderbilt 1931, p.130

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From August 2–9, the 1930 annual cruise of the New York Yacht Club offered a final opportunity for the contenders for the defense of the America's Cup to compete with each other prior to the selection trials. The cruise consisted of several port-to=-port legs, interspersed with races over set courses.Vanderbilt 1931, pp.142–59

Enterprise and Weetamoe each won three races, and Yankee won one. As part of this cruise, Enterprise won the Astor CupVanderbilt 1931, p.155 and Weetamoe won the City of Newport Cup.Vanderbilt 1931, p.159

{{Main|1930 America's Cup}}

Formal trials between the four contenders commenced on August 20.Vanderbilt 1931, 161 The contenders were to race in pairs, the second division starting 15 minutes after the first division, as in the observation races.Vanderbilt 1931, 169

Due to poor winds, only two trial races were held,Vanderbilt 1931, 183–84 both won by Enterprise against Weetamoe.Vanderbilt 1931, pp.172–81 Whirlwind was disabled in one of her races against Yankee.Vanderbilt 1931, 172

On the evening of August 27, the America's Cup Committee informed the afterguard of Enterprise that their yacht had been selected to defend the cup.Vanderbilt 1931, 184–85

In 1934, Weetamoe was substantially modified, being given new hull contours and a bulb keel. These modifications were not successful and were eventually reversed.

Weetamoe was scrapped in 1937.Dear 2004, p.155{{Cite web|url=http://www.jclassyachts.com/history/1919-1937-|title = 1929 - 1937 :: History :: J Class Association}}

• {{cite book |last=Garland |first=Joseph E. |date=1989 |title=The Eastern Yacht Club: A History from 1870 to 1985 |location=Marblehead, MA |publisher=The Eastern Yacht Club }}
• {{cite web |url=https://steelmuseum.org/americas_cup_exhibit_2017/enterprise.cfm |title=The Yachts: Enterprise |date=n.d. |website=The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum |publisher=The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum |location=Coatesville, PA |access-date=2023-01-03 }}
• {{cite book |last=Vanderbilt |first=Harold Stirling |author-link=Harold Stirling Vanderbilt |date=1931 |title=Enterprise: The Story of the Defense of the America's Cup in 1930 |location=New York |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons }}

{{Reflist}}

{{J-class yachts}}

Category:J-class yachts

Category:1930s sailing yachts

Category:Sailing yachts built in the United States