By Press Release
The Isle of Wight Observer of 9th May, 1903 carried news that local sailmakers Ratsey & Lapthorn had been commissioned to make sails for an American contender for the America Cup, (although Yachting World referred to the company as Lapthorn and Ratsey).
The Cowes-based firm was founded in 1790 and is the oldest sailmaking company in the world. In 1902 they had opened a yard in New York, aiming specifically to target the Americas Cup entrants, it remained open until 1982, when it was closed as the number of great sailing yachts declined and modern synthetic fabrics were introduced.
THE AMERICA CUP.
The Yachting World, alluding to the fact that the sails for the American defender are being made by Messrs Lapthorn and Ratsey, says:” British yachtsmen will regret to hear that the forthcoming contest for the America Cup has practically lost its international character owing to the acceptance of an order for a suit of sails for a possible defender by a British firm. This firm is to be congratulated, speaking from a purely commercial standpoint, on being entrusted with the manufacture of the sails of both the certain upholder of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club’s challenge and those of the potential defender.
It is true that the outfit of our challenger contains at present blocks of American manufacture, which may or may not be aboard when she goes to the line for the first of the Cup matches, but these, like eggs, may be bought by the gross, rotten or not; but be they bad or good they neither increase nor decrease a yacht’s speed. Sails, on the other hand, are so far an important factor in that connection that one leading American club estimates them as more important than the hull, and so measures nothing else for its rating. What, then, would American yachtsmen think of the business if Shamrock III.’s owner had approached Herreshoff to obtain a design for the challenger to be built on the Clyde, which he was at perfect liberty to do?”
