Cup History: Decades of trying results in two wins

Back in 1930

"I canna win, I canna win," - Sir Thomas Lipton, after losing the America's Cup for a fifth time in 31 years.

New Zealand made noises about challenging for the cup for the first time in November 1921.

But like a challenge suggested by the Canadians, nothing came to pass.

It was yet again Sir Thomas Lipton who, although almost 80, launched his fifth Shamrock Cup boat to take on the New Yorkers.

There was finally a universal design for the cup, the J-class boat.

It had a smaller sail area, was between 76-87ft on the waterline and had a taller rig. It meant there were no more time allowances.

But the J-class yachts were very expensive, and only 10 were ever built.

Enterprise was one of four defenders built for 1930, despite the Wall St crash - the others were Whirlwind, Weetamoe and Yankee.

Enterprise wasn't the fastest boat, but she was the best-run.

She was sailed by Harold "Mike" Vanderbilt, great-grandson of the man once called the richest in the world, Cornelius Vanderbilt.

She was dubbed the "mechanical ship".

She had a duraluminium mast held together by 80,000 rivets, winches below deck which needed eight men working full-time, a "Park Avenue" boom - where two men could walk alongside each other.

Vanderbilt made the crew wear sweaters with numbers, so he could yell orders to them.

Shamrock V, with her steel frames and wooden planking, was technically disadvantaged and her crew didn't match up to that of Enterprises.

For the first time, the boats raced off Newport, Rhode Island.

The biggest crowds ever, 20,000 spectators on shore alone, watched as planes patrolled the air and 40 coastguard boats monitored the sea.

The match was the best-of-seven, but Enterprise only needed four to keep hold of the cup.

A year later, Lipton died, planning Shamrock VI but never realising his dream to win the Auld Mug.

In 31 years and five challenges, he had won just two of 18 races.