American Eagle, US-21

HISTORY:

1964 – 1968 Aurora Syndicate (Pierre S. Dupont III) – American Eagle – home port: New York, NY (USA).

The name is that of the sailing ship on which the first Dupont arrived in the USA. Built for the 1964 America’s Cup campaign, her keel was quite innovative from conventional Twelve lines and her mast passed through a raised section in the deck (known as “Mount Luders”) gaining an extra few inches in height. She ran off a 20-1 record in the June-July trials raced by Columbia, Nefertiti, Easterner, American Eagle and Constellation. American Eagle, helmsman William S. “Bill” Cox, bested all of the other boats, only to be overtaken by Constellation in a selection series still renowned for a 42-tack duel on the final windward leg of the second race. In 1964 she won the Lipton Memorial Trophy (NYYC).

1968 Firwood Investment, Ltd. (Herbert P. Wahl) – new name: Golden Eagle. The new Canadian owner paid $ 60,000 to the syndicate and commissioned Luders to create a new interior and deck layout. When the boat was to return to Canada, the Canadian customs taxed her for replacement value, not for the market value adding a total of $ 155,000 for duty and other taxes, forcing the owner to sell her to Ted Turner.

1968 – 1973 Robert E. “Ted” Turner, III – new name: American Eagle. Trial-horse Gretel II for the 1970 America’s Cup. Converted to IOR. Engine installed in 1968. She entered the most challenging races in the world, winning the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit, the Annapolis-Newport Race, the Sydney Hobart Race and the Fastnet Race.

1974 – 1983 Warren A. Brown – new name: War Baby – homeport: Hamilton, Bermuda.

1983 – 1987 American Eagle Syndicate – homeport: Annapolis, MD (USA).

Since 1987 American Eagle, Inc. (W. Herbert Marshall, II) – homeport: Barnstable, MA and Newport, RI (USA).

1987 – 2019 Together with Weatherly, Nefertiti and Intrepid she was part of America’s Cup Charters fleet

2020 American Eagle was purchased by Alexander Valcic and joined 12mR Yacht Charters fleet.

America’s Cup Results: 1964 19th America’s Cup Challenge, American Eagle (skipper: William S.”Bill” Cox) vs. Constellation (skipper: Bob Beavier) – 1-4.

World Championships Results:

2001 in Cowes (America’s Cup Jubilee): fifth in the Classic division

2005 in Newport: second in the Traditional division

2009 in Newport: winner in the Traditional division

2019 in Newport,  second in the Traditional division

Jump to Twelve Metre Yacht Club, Newport Station Fleet page for American Eagle (US-21)

Bill Cox with Bill Stetson at helm, photo by Stephen Lirakis

Ted Turner at the helm of American Eagle

American Eagle, US-21, photo by Dan Nerney

American Eagle, US-21, photo by SallyAnne Santos

American Eagle, US-21, photo by SallyAnne Santos

American Eagle, US-21

American Eagle, US-21

American Eagle, US-21, photo by SallyAnne Santos

American Eagle, US-21

American Eagle, US-21, photo by SallyAnne Santos

American Eagle, US-21, photo by SallyAnne Santos