History and Evolution of Sailing Yachts

In the beginning, man hoisted a scrap of cloth on a pole and discovered it moved his boat.

Over the centuries we have progressed a great deal from this first discovery. From the earliest pleasure crafts of the Netherlands, where yachting began as a sport, to the high-tech machines of today, THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF SAILING YACHTS presents a finely drawn panorama of yachting history and of the most beautiful objects ever created by the imagination and the hands of man. Herein is a sweeping survey of spectacular yachts, brought to life in superb engravings, photographs and masterpieces of marine art — from the earliest yachts based on working boats to the revolution wrought by AMERICA, the first winner of America’s Cup; from the skimming dishes of New York Harbor to the plank-on-edge cutters of the Solent.

The great builders and designers – Steers, Watson, Herreshoff, Stephens, Nicholson, Rhodes, Farr, Frers, Laurent Giles, and many more – as well as the evolution of design and building techniques, are profiled in detail.

The lives and achievements of the heroic sailors, the solo adventurers, the racing helmsmen, and the round-the-world voyagers are discussed in detail along with their involvement in the development of the sport. From the earliest informal races between yachts, as personal wagers among gentlemen, to the gruelling, worldwide marathons like the Whitbread, to single-handed challenges of the past few decades, racing has been a preoccupation of most sailors.

In THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF SAILING YACHTS, the greatest races and their histories are detailed — the Syndey-Hobart, the Bermuda Race, the Single-Handed Transatlantic, the America’s Cup, and the Admiral’s Cup.

Through storms and calm and dismasting and swamping, adversity has propelled sailors to truly heroic deeds. For years, yachting was the province of the rich. Today, it has become a sport that attracts millions on all the waters of the planet.

In THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF SAILING YACHTS, we can follow the development and progress of a sport that has pitted man against the most fearsome elements — sometimes with disaster, sometimes with jubilant victory. It has never been dull, and it has produced outstanding creations – beautiful yachts and stalwart sailors.