Mosbacher Again at the Helm

The summer yacht racing season gets underway in early June in Long Island Sound with the first trials for the America's Cup race. Four U. S. twelve-meter yachts are to compete ... the Columbia, Easterner, Weatherly, and a new unnamed Boston boat. There is a formidable skipper lineup and no matter which one of the quartet emerges as the defender of the cup this September against the Australian challenger, Gretel, the U. S. will be ably represented. Australia has no helmsman with similar experience and ability. Dartmouth men are betting on the Weatherly to be the defender. Her skipper is Emil (Bus) Mosbacher '43.

Mosbacher, who is in the real estate and oil business, has been sailing since preschool age. At Dartmouth he was intercollegiate title-holder and vice-commodore of the Yacht Club. More recently he has been the gypsy skipper of the twelve-meter class. In 1958 he proved himself to be the best by almost beating the new Columbia with the old Vim. Last season he took charge of the Easterner, a steady loser since 1958, and did better by the yacht than any previous skipper. At the end of the season, Mosbacher "retired" in order to spend more time with other pursuits. But the lure of the sea is strong, especially for able competitors of the Mosbacher variety, and he is back in the races again, this time at the Weatherly's helm.

The Weatherly has endured a great amount of poking and prodding lately in an effort to increase her speed. She is fine in breezes up to fifteen knots, but after that she becomes tender and wallows in the sea, a helpless, defeated thing. Recently her keel has been reshaped and weight added. Mosbacher hopes that this will make the craft less tender but no slower. But whatever the outcome, the entry of the Weatherly and Mosbacher in the twelve-meter series adds both quality and quantity to the America's Cup scene.

Bus Mosbacher '43