25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
For the first time the United States
respectively an American yacht club were
forced to challenge for the Louis Vouitton Cup.
Dennis Conner, the loser of 1983, negotiated
with the NYYC about his next race, but
changed without result- and also because of
the better sponsors - to the San Diego YC on
the West Coast
He won the LVC winning in a further
consequence the AC as well.
In Australia four syndicates, announced their
interest to defend the AC. In the Defender
Selection Series, they had to identify their official defender. Winner was no more the team of Alan Bond
and his Australia IV, but that of the newcomer Kevin Perry with Kookaburra III.
But these yacht lost the AC again. A new syndicate from New Zealand , financed by the banker Michael
Fay, won all the races of the LVC and lost only the final against D. Conner. Their Kiwi Magic (KZ-7) was the
first 12m with a fibreglass hull rather than the conventional aluminium alloy construction. Therefore
Conner tried by every means to eliminate KZ-7 before the race from the AC. Although the team had an
approval by Lloyd's, the official specification body at that time. With this actions he laid the roots of the
violent conflicts around the AC 1988.
After the victory of Australia II with its revolutionary winged keel this design became a model for the 12m
constructions in 1987. Many winged keels were similar the Australia II. Significant exceptions were the
USA 1, the Eagle, Courageous IV and to some extend the French Kiss.
The winged keel of US- 55 with its
banner of a main sponsor - quickly
mounted for the Press
Kookaburra III: 12m KA 15, the luckless
Defender of the America's Cup 1987
The noisy bird Kookaburra belongs to the
kingfishers family and gave the Australian 12-m
yacht its name.
1987 had all boats, whether Defenders or
Challenger, wing keels of various constructions.
As winner of the AC 83 Australia had now to
defend the Cup for 1987. Four teams with six
boats were nominated for the Defender
Selection Series to determine the winner, who
then defends alone the Cup.
The main opponents were Allen Bond and Kevin
Perry. Both sailed (and disputed) under the
Royal Perth YC
.
Australian media criticized that the YC was more
concerned about his financial success and
cared and showed little interest in a
perfect yacht with a strong crew, with the
synergy of both teams.
Kookaburra III won the Defender Selection
Series against Bond's Australia IV but lost the
AC against Dennis Conner's US-55.
25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Yacht / Country : Kiwi Magic /NZL
Sail Number : 12 KZ-7
Syndicate : New Zealand’s Challenge Trust
CEO : Sir Michael Fay
Yacht Club: Royal New Zealand Yacht
Squadron
Designer : Laurie Davidson, Bruce Farr,
Ron Holland
Boat Builder : Marten Marine & McMuller & Wing
Skipper: Chris Dickson
“Kiwi Magic” was together with her sisters yachts
KZ-3 and KZ-5 one of the first 12m with a GRP
(glass fibre reinforced plastic) hull.
Useless to say that the competitors questioned
the strength of the Yacht compared with their
aluminium alloy boats.
But the syndicate had checked in advance her
rating with Loyd’s , the official measurer at that
time.
But Conner did not give up and tried all time to
throw out Kiwi Magic as a non-legal construction
from the competition.
This might explain a certain frustration of Sir
Michael Fay, who tried to get Dennis Conner on the
wrong leg when he announced his challenge
with his “Big Boat” insisting already for 1988.
With the tough skipper Chris Dickson on the helm
she lost out of 38 races only one -
the final of the LVC against Dennis Conner’s US-55.
With the tough skipper Chris Dickson on the helm
she lost out of 38 races only one -
Yacht / Country : French Kiss / F-7
Syndicate : : Challenge KIS France;
CEO : Marc Pajot
Yacht Club: Societe des Regates Rochelaises
Designer : Philippe Briand
Boat Builder : Alubat
Skipper: Marc Pajot
The more lucky Marc Pajot joined the KIS
Challenge sponsored by the successful
French Kiss (F -7)
sailed in the semifinals of the LVC 1987
Two brothers and top sailors aimed for a team in
the America’s Cup challenge 1987– Marc and
Yves Pajot.
The more lucky Marc Pajot joined the KIS
Challenge, sponsored by the successful
international 1 hour KIS photography
laboratories, a network founded in France.
The young designer Philippe Briand was
supported by the huge super computer of the
Dassault aircraft manufacturer and CNES, the
French Space Research Center.
He refused tank-tests because he argued, that
he can make smaller scale models of a hull, but
can not shrink water-waves to scale.
Therefore French Kiss was built only by the
computer designs, looked a little bit strange but
was very successful.
She reached ranking 4 in the LVC semifinals
with US-55, US-61 and KZ-7.
She lost finally against Kiwi Magic KZ-7.
25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Yacht / Country : Canada II / KC-2
Syndicate : Canada's Challenge for the
AC 1987
CEO : David Howard
Yacht Club: Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron
Designer : : Bruce Kirby
Boat Builder : Fred McConell Marine Ltd.
Skipper: Terry Neilson
At the begining 2 syndicates, represented by 2
Yacht Clubs, aimed for the AC 1987,
The Royal Nova Scotia Yachting Squadron -
from the East Coast and the already known The
Secret Cove YC with Canada I (KC-1) - from
the West Coast.
The first one built under the designer Steve
Killing True North and participated at the World
Championship 1986. But then they faced
financial constraints.
The Canadian businessman and sailor Paul
Phelan merged both challengers under one
umbrella and added major financial support to
the venture.
Canada I was considerably reconstructed by
Bruce Kirby inclusive an adopted winged keel.
Finally she was nominated by the new
syndicate as Canada II for the LVC.
The boat was good enough to beat in single
races even strong competitors as
Stars & Stripes or French Kiss.
At the begining 2 syndicates , represented by 2
Yacht Clubs aimed for the AC 1987,
25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Yacht / Country : Challenge France / F-8
Syndicate : Challenge France
CEO : Christian Ciganer
Yacht Club: Societe Nautique de Marseille
Designer : Daniel Andrieu
Boat Builder : Alsthom Chantier Atlantique
Skipper: Yves Pajot
The other French sailing legend Yves Pajot
joined a team with empty pockets. After
purchasing France 3 as trial boat and the
launch of their new challenger Challenge
France the syndicate bankrupted in
summer 1986.
Although they got financial support by
Grundig - France, Aerospatiale, Matra and
the airline UTA the team could not avoid to
reach the 12th and penultimate ranking in
front of the withdrawn Courageous IV.
The other French sailing legend Yves Pajot
joined a team with empty pockets.
25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Azzura III / I-10
challenger of the Louis Vuitton Cup 1987
The YC Costa Smeralda was the Challenger
of Record for 1987 and signed the protocol
with the Royal Perth YC.
Beside Azzurra I of 1983 they ordered
at the end 3 additional yachts, as Azzurra II /
I-8, Azzurra III / I-10 and Azzurra IV / I-11.
They chose Azzurra III / I-10 as official
challenger, but reached only the disappointing
11th ranking after RR 3:
The YC Costa Smeralda was the Challenger
of Record for 1987 and signed the protocol
with the Royal Perth YC.
Italia I / I-7 and the Louis Vuitton Cup 1987
Yacht / Country : Italia I (I-7)
Syndicate : Consorzio Italia
CEO : Angelo Monassi
Yacht Club: : Yacht Club Italiano
Designer : Giorgetti & Magrini s.r.l
Boat Builder : Cantieri Baglietto
Skipper: Aldo Migliaccio
Italia I / I-7
Consorcio Italia was supported by the fashion
company GUCCI.
The team had sufficient money to buy the
British Victory 83 (now I-6) and to build 2
additional 12m yachts, called Italia II / I-9 and
Itallia I / I-7.
Italia II fell after her launch from the lift and
was severely damaged.
She has been repaired too late for a longer
testing period and Italia I / I-7 was nominated
as challenger.
She reached the remarkable ranking 7
compared with the poor result of Azzurra III.
Consorcio Italia was supported by the fashion
company GUCCI.
25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
The syndicate was a fully commercialized company and came
across with rule 26 which restricted commercial sponsorship and
advertising on hull or sail.
During 1986 the IYRU ( International Yacht Racing Union)
loosened this rule and took away a lot of pressure on the British
challenger, but also other ones like the KIS Challenge.
The syndicate constructed 2 challengers. Crusader I designed
by Ian Howlett ( Victory 83 !) as a relative conservative concept.
( Note: Less known is the experience of the Victory 83 team
which experimented already with a winged keel in 1983. One
of the reasons that they supported Allen Bond during the
Keelgate-affair.
The second, now radical construction of the designer David
H. J. Hollom was named Crusader II with the nickname
“Hippo” as her above water shape looked like the body
of a hippodrome. Under her new name White Crusader II
she was shipped to Fremantle but did not participate
on the LVC.
The CEO Graham Walker and his team decided to nominate Crusader I as challenger. As Walker had recently purchased
the whiskey brand “White Horse” he called the challenger now “White Crusader “ and used her for his whiskey promotion,
flying once a spinnaker with the White Horse logo – coming across with Rule 26.
(The first time that an AC yacht was used officially as billboard was Conner’s catamaran US-1 with the logos of Pepsi
Cola, Marlboro and Merryl Lynch in race 2 / AC 1988 )
White Crusader / K-24 and the Louis Vuitton Cup 1987
The syndicate constructed 2 challengers. Crusader I designed
by Ian Howlett ( Victory 83 !)
Fremantle , Australia
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
