America (yacht)

The "America" was a racing yacht that began the America's Cup tradition in 1851 by winning the trophy that would eventually bear its name. Commissioned by a syndicate of wealthy members of the New York Yacht Club with the intention of sailing to England to compete in yacht racing it initially found few opponents willing to take up the challenge. Eventually the America competed for and won the Royal Yacht Squadron Cup which was given by the owners to the NYYC as a “Perpetual Challenge Cup for friendly competition between foreign countries” and renamed the America's Cup in its honour.