The Americas Cup is the oldest sporting trophy in the world, first competed in 185l when the Royal Yacht Squadron challenged the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) to compete in the Hundred Guineas Cup, an existing trophy, that was a yacht race around the Isle of Wight.

The NYC yacht won the race with the schooner America. The trophy was renamed the America’s Cup after the yacht and was donated to the (NYYC) under the terms of the “Deed of Gift” which made the cup available for perpetual international competition.

The history and prestige associated with the America’s Cup attracts not only the world’s top sailors and yacht designers but also the involvement of the most wealthy entrepreneurs and sponsors. It is the ultimate test of sailing skill as well as boat and sail design where money is no object and the only goal is to win.

In one Americas Cup after Queen Victoria had been told that the American yacht had won, she asked “Who came second” to which
the response was “There is no second Your Majesty”.

Ratsey and Lapthorn are at the very core of the Americas Cup and intimately involved in every Americas Cup from 185l until 1960, from making sails to being crew members on challengers and defenders.

The New York Loft was originally conceived to enable U.S Americas Cup Boat to legitimately fly Raatsey and Lapthorn Sails.

From George Ratsey as a founder of the Royal Yacht Squadron and maker of sails for the first Cup in 1851, to 1958 when Earnest Ratsey
provided the sails from the City Island New York loft for “Columbia”, the US defender and Colin Ratsey was a crew member for the American team.

For over one hundred years Ratsey and Lapthorn dominated the sails used in The Americas Cup.

Such is the prestige and history of the “Auld jug” that Ratsey and Lapthorns deep and intimate association with it is a story that can be authentically told through our products and our branding