Sceptre 1958
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      • Sceptre Stories
      • 1851: The First America's Cup
      • 1956-57: Sceptre's Beginnings
      • 1958: the 17th America's Cup
      • 1959-64: Sceptre's Success
      • 1967-68: Sceptre back in the USA
      • 1972: Mr E A King's plans
      • 1975-1985: Tony Walker's Sceptre conversion project
      • 1986-Present: Sceptre Preservation Society
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      • Dropping the Ballast, 2013
      • Strengthening the Bow, 2009
      • New Ring Beam, 2007
      • New Rudder, 2007
      • Refitting the Counter, 2003
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    1851: The £100 Cup

    How the America's Cup started

    1956-57
    On 22nd August 1851 the American schooner America won the Royal Yacht Squadron’s £100 Cup, a prestigious race round the Isle of Wight, witnessed by Queen Victoria.  The story goes that she asked which yacht was in second place, to which the reply was “Your Majesty, there is no second”.
    The trophy was donated in 1857 to the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) under the terms of the Deed of Gift, which made the cup available for perpetual international competition.  It was originally known as the "R.Y.S. £100 Cup", standing for a cup of a hundred GB Pounds or "sovereigns" in value. The Cup was subsequently mistakenly engraved as the "100 Guinea Cup" by the America syndicate, but was also referred to as the "Queen's Cup". Today, the trophy is officially known as the "America's Cup" after the 1851 winning yacht, and is affectionately called the "Auld Mug" by the sailing community. It is inscribed with names of the yachts that competed for it, and has been modified twice by adding matching bases to accommodate more names.

    A comprehensive history of the America’s Cup is held in Wikipedia and on the America’s Cup website. 



    News clippings - select to enlarge

    List of entrants, £100 Cup 1851
    The yacht America
    An account of America's victory
    The Hundred Guinea Cup

    News clippings - too large to display

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    Sceptre Preservation Society

    The Sceptre Preservation Society’s aims are:

    To preserve, maintain and improve Sceptre, so that Members can enjoy cruising and racing together and with friends, predominantly in UK waters, with funding through charters to ensure that Sceptre is in the public eye and remains part of the UK’s sailing heritage.

    If you would like to join us, or have any questions about our beautiful yacht, please contact us through this form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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