 (photo date: July 20, 1895) |
 (photo date: July 20, 1895) |
 (In America's Cup race. Photo date: Sept. 12, 1895.) |
 (photo date: July 22, 1895) |
 (photo date: July 22, 1895) |
 (Photo date: Aug. 2, 1895. Goelet Cup Race.) |
 (Photo date: Aug. 2, 1895? Goelet Cup Race?) |
 (Photo date: c. 1895. Goelet Cup Race?) |
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 (Photo date: Aug. 6, 1895.) |
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 (Photo date: Sept. 7, 1895) |
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 Photo date: Aug. 29, 1895. 2nd Trial Race. (Probably America's Cup trial.) |
 Photo date: 1895. Probably at the America's Cup trials. |
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 Sept. 11, 1895. |
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Defender was the victorious defender of the 1895 America's Cup against British challenger Valkyrie III. It was designed by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff and built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company in 1895. Reportedly that is Capt. Nat Herreshoff himself boarding Defender in photograph #102.
According to Americascup.com:
"Defender is Nathanael Greene Herreshoff's second victorious defender. The boat is designed in the utmost secrecy and her construction shrouded in mystery. No one was allowed to enter the yard, especially not press or photographers. In building Defender, the Herreshoff brothers' special innovation is the use of Aluminum. But, just after the boat is launched, is becomes evident that is suffers from a little known phenomenon: corrosion due to electrolysis. This type of construction allowed a weight saving of 17 tonnes over classical building methods. During the defence selection trials, Defender sails against Vigilant, Volunteer and Jubilee. During the final, only Vigilant (1893) skippered Charlie Barr races against Defender. On August 10 Vigilant notches up a win. Defender does not finish due to rig problems. Defender strikes back on August 29 and 30 with two easy wins against Vigilant and is selected to defend the America's Cup against the British yacht Valkyrie III. ...
"Following the Cup, Defender is towed to New Rochelle and stays four years without sailing. [In] 1899 J. Pierpont Morgan and W. Buttler Duncan rebuild Defender as a trial horse for the 1899 America's Cup defence candidate, Columbia. The yacht is towed to Herreshoff's Bristol yard for restoration to enable it to race in the selection trials for the 1899 defence. Following the selection trials, Defender returns to its mooring. [In] 1901 Defender [was] broken up.
"Yacht club: New York Yacht Club, New York, United States
Victorious defender of the 1895 America's Cup
Owners: William K. Vanderbilt, Edwin D. Morgan and C. Oliver Iselin.
Sailmakers: Herreshoff (Bristol) and MM. Wilson & Silsby (Boston)
Skipper: Henry C. Haff
Afterguard: Herbert C. Leeds, Newberry Thorne, Woodbury Kane, W. Butler Duncan, Jr., Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, C. Oliver Iselin and Nathanael Greene Herreshoff."
For more information, see http://www.americascup.com/en/acclopaedia/circlinggalaxy/bateau.php?idContent=4690