The dominance of the New York Yacht Club, in possession of the America's Cup between 1851 and 1983, has given Newport, Rhode Island, the status of yachting capital of the world. Seven of the most respected America's Cup defenders were built in Bristol, Rhode Island. The state's contribution to racing yacht technology began in Bristol, when N.G. Herreshoff designed and built the Vigilant in 1893. The Goetz Custom Sailboat Company continues the Bristol tradition of building superior sailing vessels, many of which have been challengers for the coveted America's Cup, beginning with the America 3 in 1992. In his sixth volume for the Images of America series, author Richard V. Simpson explores the allure of the America's Cup yachts and racing through more than 200 images from his own diverse collection. The photographs focus on the beauty and dignity of the yachts, the genius of engineering minds, and the handiwork of skilled crafters. Within these pages, view a variety of rare images captured by turn-of-the-century biograph and stereoscopic cameras, and experience the majestic dance of the yachts as they jockey for position, from the starting gun to the crossing of the finish line.

Sailing on the Edge is a comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look at the race that has inspired sports enthusiasts and nations alike for more than 150 years. This ultimate treasury of the America’s Cup explores the sport’s rich history, tracing its evolution to becoming the most riveting race on the water with the most coveted prize. Recent advancements in technology and design have revolutionized the sport like never before, making the 2013 34th America’s Cup the most thrilling race to date. The 34th America’s Cup brings the international competition back to the United States for the first time in eighteen years, and the stunning San Francisco Bay provides the backdrop the two final stages. Two new classes of boats will debut—the AC45 catamarans and the AC72s, both more powerful and more demanding, resulting in an evermore-spectacular competition. Sailing on the Edge covers it all, from the science behind the shipbuilding to the artistry and strength of the skippers and their teams.

Expanded to include the behind-the-scenes story of the 34th America’s Cup and Team USA’s incredible comeback Down eight-to-one in the 34th America’s Cup in September 2013, Oracle Team USA pulled off a comeback for the ages, with eight straight wins against Emirates Team New Zealand. Julian Guthrie’s The Billionaire and the Mechanic tells the incredible story of how a car mechanic and one of the world’s richest men teamed up to win the world’s greatest race. With a lengthy new section on the 34th America’s Cup, Guthrie also shows how they did it again. The America’s Cup, first awarded in 1851, is the oldest trophy in international sports. In 2000, Larry Ellison, co-founder and billionaire CEO of Oracle Corporation, decided to run for the prize and found an unlikely partner in Norbert Bajurin, a car mechanic and Commodore of the blue-collar Golden Gate Yacht Club. After unsuccessful runs for the Cup in 2003 and 2007, they won for the first time in 2010. With unparalleled access to Ellison and his team, Guthrie takes readers inside the building process of these astonishing boats and the lives of the athletes who race them and throws readers into exhilarating races from Australia to Valencia.

By the turn of the twentieth century, racing for the America's Cup was no longer simply a gentleman's game. Fraught with danger and political tension, the contest for the Cup had become a showcase of technological innovation and national grit. In 1903, the fabulously wealthy tea tycoon, Sir Thomas Lipton, gave Britain's most celebrated naval architects carte blanche to produce Shamrock III. In response, the American designer Nathanael G. Herreshoff built Reliance, a defender that was so big and bold carrying more canvas than any single-masted vessel ever before that it ushered in a new era of naval architecture and fundamentally shaped the future of the America's Cup. From conception to construction, through hair-raising sea trials to the grand finale of a race like no other, this beautiful and dangerous vessel comes to life in Temple to the Wind, one of the most exciting sailing stories ever told."

Since 1983, the Louis Vuitton Cup has determined who qualifies to compete for the America's Cup competition, the world's most prestigious yachting regatta. The involvement of the world-famous company in the race transformed the match from a friendly competition into an international, modern media event. Louis Vuitton Cup tells the story of the America's Cup, which parallels Louis Vuitton's expansion from a company that specialized in building travel trunks to its presence as an internationally acclaimed luxury brand. The book traces the trajectory of the Cup, recounting stories of the individual races and victories, from the first in Newport, Rhode Island, to the most recent in Valencia, Spain. It includes profiles of the Cup's most prominent winners and pays tribute to the world's most talented yachtsmen and the photographers who, passionate about the sea, helped forge the regatta's inimitable reputation. Revised throughout and with 60 additional pages, the new edition covers all of the events that have occurred since the book's initial publication in 2008, presenting a fully up-to-date look at the exciting world of sailing competitions and the world's most coveted sailing trophy.

David W. Shaw is the author of The Sea Shall Embrace Them, Inland Passage, and Daring the Sea.

A thrilling tale fit for sailing experts and history buffs alike, historian Mark J. Gabrielson delivers the exciting tale of the Deer Isle Crew: a sailing story that offers an uncommon glimpse into American life at the turn of the twentieth century. In 1895, emissaries from the New York Yacht Club traveled to Deer Isle, Maine, to recruit the nation's best sailors, an "All American" crew. This remote island in Penobscot Bay sent nearly thirty of its fishing men to sail "Defender," and under skipper Hank Haff, they beat their opponents in a difficult and controversial series. To the delight of the American public, the charismatic Sir Thomas Lipton sent a surprise challenge in 1899. The New York Yacht Club knew where to turn and again recruited Deer Isle's fisherman sailors. Undefeated in two defense campaigns, they are still considered one of the best American sail-racing teams ever assembled. Read their fascinating story and relive their adventure.

Since 1851, the America's Cup has been the most prestigious trophy in the world of sailing. The America's Cup scene has always been the playground of the rich and mighty in this world, and characterized by controversial events and intrigues. It was not different in 1983, when for the first time in its history, the New York Yacht Club lost The Cup. The 1983 America's Cup winner was the 12-Metre yacht Australia II. It was equipped with a radical, innovative, winged keel that caused much upheaval in the summer of 1983. Upheaval that, occasionally, rumbles on until today. This book tells the story of the author's role in the design of the keel of Australia II. The scientific approach by two Dutch scientists (naval architect Piet van Oossanen and the author), that were involved with the design research, changed the landscape of yacht design. After the 1983 match, Cup campaigns embraced a more scientific way of designing boats. The Dutch scientists played a major role in this important change.

For over one hundred and fifty years, the America's Cup has been the premier prize as yachtsmen have been pitted against sailors from around the world in an effort to win this prestigious race. The race takes its name from the champion schooner America, which was created due in large part to the efforts of New York Yacht Club founder John Cox Stevens. Author Richard V. Simpson sheds new light on long-forgotten stories of the early quests for the coveted Cup. Among the notable yachtsmen profiled are Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, who earned a special award for being the race's best loser, and Ted Hood, who owned a sail-making company that developed the Dacron cloth from which the twelve-meter sails were cut. This history comes to life with exciting descriptions of the yachts, the races and the colorful personalities of those who longed to capture the greatest prize in yacht racing.