Sovereign 20"

1962
Soon after the Royal Thames Yacht Club dispatches a challenge for the 1964 America's Cup to the New York Yacht Club, J.A.J. Boyden asks David Boyd to design a 12-metre.

Boyd tank tests two models at the Stevens Institute, one of Sceptre (1958 challenger) and Sovereign. His new design is inspired by the lines of Sceptre.

1963
Sovereign is launched on June 6, 1963, and sails against Sceptre on the Clyde. Sceptre wins the early matches, but once Sovereign is tuned, she starts to beat the older yacht, just.

By August, the Royal Thames Yacht Club Committee is anxious about Sovereign's performance. Two Australian brothers, Frank and John Livingstone, offer to build a second yacht, so the Royal Thames files a second challenge with the New York Yacht Club.

To save time, the British ask David Boyd to design a boat similar to Sovereign. The new yacht, Kurrewa V K 3, is only very slightly different.

1964

Challenger selection trials are organised in Newport between Sovereign and Kurrewa V. Before the two yachts leave British waters, they compete in 19 trial races over May and June against Norsaga, Sceptre and Flica.

The first race of the challenger selection trials is sailed on August 10, 1964, off Newport and Sovereign, skippered by Peter Scott, beats Kurrewa. After notching up five more victories, Sovereign is officially selected as the challenger.

The America's Cup

September 15 to 21, 1964, off Newport, Rhode Island, United States.

Sovereign competes against Constellation in the best of seven race series.

America's Cup course

Olympic course - total distance: 24.3 miles.
Start: Buoy anchored nine miles, 143° true towards the Brenton Reef Light Tower.
First leg: directly into the wind (windward leg).
Second and third legs: reaching (across the wind)
Fourth leg: to windward (into the wind)
Fifth leg: running (with the wind)
Sixth and last leg: to windward to the finish.

Results

- September 15, first race. Wind at start: W by S, 8 knots. Constellation beats Sovereign by five minutes and 34 seconds.
- September 17, second race. Wind at start: SSW, 15-17 knots. Constellation beats Sovereign by 20 minutes and 24 seconds.
- September 19, third race. Wind at start: E ½ N, 15-17 knots. Constellation beats Sovereign by six minutes and 33 seconds.
- September 21, fourth race. Wind at start: E by N, 8 knots. Constellation beats Sovereign by 15 minutes and 40 seconds.

Constellation beats Sovereign by four wins to nil

1965 - 1967
Pierre E. Goemans owns Sovereign, under French Baron Marcel Bich and the "Association Française pour la Coupe de l'America" (AFCA) banner, and its homeport is Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

1968 - 1971
The French Baron Marcel Bich owns Sovereign. The yacht is based in Toulon on the Mediterranean, then in La Trinité in Brittany, France. Bich also owns Kurrewa V and Constellation for his 1970 America's Cup campaign.

1972 - 1973
Sovereign is sold to François Germain. Its homeport is Chichester and Angers.

1977
Jean-Claude Perdriel, a French press publisher, buys Sovereign. It is based in Antibes, France. The boat is altered with a suspended rudder and a new interior layout fitted.

1985
Sovereign is restored to its original layout, except the hull. Mr. Perdriel regularly races his boat in the classic regattas in the Mediterranean

1999
Sovereign wins the 12-metre vintage class world championship.

2001
Sovereign races in the America's Cup Jubilee at Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.

Sovereign

1964

Sail number: K 12

International 12-metre rule sloop

Great Britain

Yacht club: Royal Thames Yacht Club, London, England.

Unsuccessful challenger for the 1964 America's Cup

Owner: J. Anthony J. Boyden

Designer: David Boyd

Tank test facilities: Stevens Institute at Hoboken, New Jersey, United States

Builder: Alexander Robertson and Sons, Ltd., at Sandbank, Holy Loch, Scotland

Sailmakers: Bruce Banks, Ratsey and Lapthorn, Seahorse, Austin Farar

Year of building: 1962 - 1963

Launched: June 6, 1963

Home port: Greenock, Scotland

Skipper: Peter Scott

Afterguard: Bruce B. Banks, Lieut. Comdr. Dan N. Brady as navigator

Crew: 11.

Data

Construction: Wood

Dimensions

Length overall (LOA): 21.31m

Length waterline (LWL): 14.02m

Beam: 3.82 m

Draft: 2.74 m

Sail area: 168.84m2

Displacement: 27 tonnes

Mast: 25m

J.T./nc

Year of building: 1963
Launched: 06/06/1963

Edition 19 (1964)

Crew: 11
Hull: Wood
Mast: Wood
L.O.A.: 21.31
L.W.L.: 14.02
Mast: 25
Beam: 3.82
Sail area displacement: 27
Draft: 2.74
Rating Ballast: 12 Meter