Aurora

Aurora
Rig Class.Cutter
Builder:M E Ratsey, Cowes
Year built:1838
Fate:Broken up in 1890
General characteristics
Class & Type:Cutter
Ton:47 tons registered, 60 tons Thames Tonnage
LOA:68.9 feet
Beam:14.5 feet
Draught:8.2 feet
Aurora took part in the first America's Cup race in 1851.  There was confusion about the course of the race, and Aurora took the longer of the two possibilities, while America took the shorter course.  Together with America sailing a very well judged race, the result was that America rounded the Needles many miles ahead of the pursuing British yachts Aurora, Bacchante, Eclipse and Brilliant - all the other 13 having fallen well back or retired.  In a very light wind America crawled towards the finish line and the little Aurora was catching up.  In the end she finished only eight minutes after America, a remarkable achievement for a 47 ton yacht to be so close to a 200 ton yacht after ten and a half hours of sailing.  There is little doubt that, had the course been a bit longer, or had there been any form of handicapping, Aurora would have won the race.

After her last RYS owner she was owned by the Rev E J Teffry (1878-1882) and the Rev George Lambe (1883-1890).  She was then broken up.

Owners

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