• Overall dimensions 30" High x 4" Wide x 17" Long (1:55 scale)
• This is a pre assembled model. Models are shipped with the sails unassembled. All rigging, lines and stays have brass hooks attached, which easily hook into eyelets on mast, boom, sprit or deck. Assembly takes less than 5 minutes
• Detailed instructions with pictures included for easy assembly
• Our America's Cup sailboat is built with rare, high quality woods.
• This model sailboat yacht is hand painted the actual colors of the Young America America's Cup yacht
• Young America America's Cup Racer has fabric sails with detailed stitching and logos like the ones on the actual yacht
• To build this model ship, extensive research was done using various sources such as museums, drawings, copies of original plans and photos of the actual yacht
• Visit our Frequently Asked Questions or call with questions

PACT 95, the syndicate owner of USA-36, asked Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997), the New York artist among the leaders of the Pop Art movement, to decorate the boat before its launching in 1993. It would be one of the last ‘pieces’ he would complete before his death.

“The challenge was to create a design which mirrored the young, fresh spirit of the crew. It was then that I though of the mermaid, a colourful, mysterious character whose is comfortable and confident in her ocean home. I hope this blond will turn heads.“

And that is why the rural Storm King Art Centre became the definitive Young America home port; a choice venue for an exceptional piece of art to rest.

With the aim of repelling the 1995 America’s Cup challengers, three American teams dashed into the fray to take up the defence. For the San Diego Yacht Club, it was a question of defending the trophy re-won in Fremantle by Dennis Conner in 1987. It had already been defended triumphantly twice; firstly in 1988 by Dennis Conner, with his small catamaran, and then in 1992, by Bill Koch, in the first challenge of the America’s Cup Class era.

In 1995 each team built a ‘new generation’ boat. This may account for the American’s lack of success. Dennis Conner went with Stars and Stripes USA-34; Bill Koch supported the unforgettable female team with his Mighty Mary USA-43. Finally, John Marshall, and his PACT 95, representing the New York Yacht Club, built Young America USA-36.

The initiative of the syndicate from the state of Maine was original, to say the least. John Marshall was proud of it: “In the history of the America’s Cup, no other syndicate has offered anything like PACT 95’s education program." Targeted towards the students of elementary and secondary schools this educational program suggested using the excitement engendered by the America’s Cup races to entice young people to discover and to learn the sciences and new technologies.

But beyond the educational posting, the major axis of PACT 95 was to produce a credible and effective defender, capable of winning the ultimate race. The chief designer of Young America, Bruce Nelson, benefited from the contribution of the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), and the sheer horsepower of their great Cray supercomputers. Other American industrial leaders, Boeing, Ford, and MIT among them, made contributions as well.

Built in four and a half months at Goetz Custom Sailboats in Bristol, Rhode Island, the boat was christened with its emblematic mermaid painted on the side of the hull on January 7th, 1994. At this time, the skipper of the syndicate, Kevin Mahaney, a silver Olympics medalist in Soling Class in Barcelona’ 1992, trained with a brilliant team of young sailors, albeit inexperienced in the match racing atmosphere of the America’s Cup. But they were effectively prepared aboard Spirit of Unum USA-16, ex-Il Moro di Venezia IV by John Marshall, who used seven campaigns of experience to bolster his leadership.

• Accurate assembled model ship made by Handcrafted Model Ships LLC. Do not be fooled by inaccurate models from Vietnam importers, plastic model ships or models that are not assembled.
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