1964 America's Cup

The 19th America's Cup was held in September 1964, in the Block Island Sound off Newport, Rhode Island. It would be the third race following the 20 year pause for World War 2, and the switch from the J Class to the 12 Metre rule.^[1][2]

Following Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's unsuccessful challenge in 1962, Lord Mountbatten, then Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club (RTYC), quickly submitted a challenge for the following year. As only a month had lapsed since their defense, NYYC respectfully declined, claiming the need of a full year to recover prior to entertaining another challenge. NYYC accepted RTYC's challenge in 1963, establishing the next race series to be a first to four out of seven races between 16-27 September 1964.^[2][3]

British industrialist J. Anthony Boyden headed RTYC's challenge, with the David Boyd designed Sovereign. Sovereign had beaten her sister ship Kurrewa V to become the challenger. Eric Ridder headed NYYC's defense with the Olin Stephens designed Constellation. Constellation had beaten American Eagle, Easterner, Nefertiti, and the 1958 defender Columbia to become the defender.^[4][5][6]

1964 would signal the growing shift away from a friendly race between gentleman sailors to the introduction of increasingly professional syndicates spending significant sums developing crews and training for years in advance of the race. Both Constellation, backed by Walter Gubelmann and Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, and American Eagle, backed by Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont IV, reportedly spent US$600,000 (equivalent to $6,083,000 in 2024) each on their campaigns, while Boyden spent in excess of £300,000 (equivalent to £7,679,000 in 2023) on Sovereign's challenge.^[2][7]

Sovereign's failed challenge would end up being Royal Thames Yacht Club's final attempt as an America's Cup challenger of record, and it would take the United Kingdom 60 years until Royal Yacht Squadron would become a challenger again in 2024.^[8][9]