Temple to the Wind: Nathanael Herreshoff and the Yacht that Transformed the America’s Cup

By the turn of the twentieth century, racing for the America’s Cup was no longer simply a gentleman’s game. Fraught with danger and political tension, the contest for the Cup had become a showcase of technological innovation and national grit. In 1903, the fabulously wealthy tea tycoon, Sir Thomas Lipton, gave Britain’s most celebrated naval architects carte blanche to produce Shamrock III. In response, the American designer Nathanael G. Herreshoff built Reliance, a defender that was so big and bold—carrying more canvas than any single-masted vessel ever before—that it ushered in a new era of naval architecture and fundamentally shaped the future of the America’s Cup. From conception to construction, through hair-raising sea trials to the grand finale of a race like no other, this beautiful and dangerous vessel comes to life in Temple to the Wind, one of the most exciting sailing stories ever told.