USA-23 successful
Defender of the AC 1992
ITA-25 unsuccessful
Challenger of the AC
Since the syndicates had no experience with this class the wealthy teams ordered 3-5 yachts.
Before the actual competition a World Championship was organized.
This gave the teams the chance to try out their first designs or to test these boats in regattas.
With the introduction of the new IACC class
(International America's Cup Class) began a
new era.
With the introduction of the new
IACC class (International America's
Cup Class) began a new era.
The 12-m class became history.
The new yachts designed for racing
got a flat, wide and fast hull.
The pressure on the powerful sails
battered on a 32,5 m high mast was
balanced by a fin keel with a heavy
bulb of lead up to 20 tons.
28 sail numbers were registered,
and 27 yachts built. Number 13 was
not issued..
Of these, five yachts sailed for the
Citizen Cup and 8 for the Louis
Vouitton Cup.
The remaining 14 yachts were test
boats or even not used (e.g. SLO-4,
RUS-24)
With their flat bottoms and
the removable keels the
IACC yachts could be
transported by air-plane
now,
The huge Russian Antonow
An-124 became the
standard vehicle for many
teams.
The plane can load up to
120 tons with a take off
weight up to 390 tons.
© San Diego Boat Movers *
http://sandiegoboatmovers.com/
* San Diego Boat Movers comment:
The 1992 race in San Diego attracted many U.S. and international
challengers. Inside this giant Antonov cargo plane at Lindburgh
Field, San Diego, are a French and an Italian boat, along with their
masts, keels, and other equipment..
America3 (USA-23) defended successfully the America's Cup 1992
The US defenders were dominated by Dr. Wiiliam
Koch, who financed the construction of 4 IACC yachts
racing against 1 candidate, namly Dennis Conner
(USA -11).
The America³ Foundation ordered altogether 4 IACC
Yachts : Jayhawk / USA-9, Defiant / USA-18,
Kanza / USA-28 and America³ / USA-23, the last
one was the fastest of them.
The yachts of 1992 were 5,5 m wide but slimmed
down from Cup to Cup to finally 3,75 m in 2007.
USA - 23 won the Citizen Cup ( counterpart of the
defenders to the LVC of the challengers) against
Conner’s USA 11 and then the AC 1992.
The US defenders were dominated by Dr. Wiiliam
Koch, who financed the construction of 4 IACC yachts
Il Moro de Venecia V (ITA-25) was the unsuccessful challenger
for the America's Cup 1992
From the challengers the Italian Raul Gardini was
Koch’s equivalent counterpart.
© San Diego Boat Movers *
http://sandiegoboatmovers.com/
* in their elder, but now changed website the San Diego Boat Movers commented this picture as:
1992 saw the first use of the newly introduced International America's Cup Class (IACC) of boats,
replacing the 12 meter class which had been used since 1958.
In the 1992 finals, the Italian challenger 'IL MORO' (pictured) was defeated by 'AMERICA3',
allowing the cup to remain in San Diego.
The CITIZEN CUP 1992
The U.S. A. were the official defender of the
AC.
Since two syndicates sponsored by the San Diego
Yacht Club, competed for the defence, a Defender
Selection Series had to be organized to determine
the Defender of the AC.
The event got its name from the Japanese watch
maker and sponsor CITIZEN
The yachts sailed 4 Round Robins (RR1-RR4 where points were collected) and the Final.
RR 1: USA-11 against Jayhawk and Defiant , RR 2: USA-11 versus Defiant and America3.
RR 3: the same opponents as RR2
RR 4: USA-11 against America3 and Kanza.
Final: America3 USA-23 wins against Stars & Stripes USA-11 and becomes official defender.
Yacht / Country : Stars & Stripes / USA
Sail Number : USA 11
Syndicate : Team Dennis Conner
CEO : Dennis Conner
Yacht Club: San Diego Yacht Club
Designers : David Pedrick, Bruce Nelson
Aberto Calderon,Chris Todter
Boat Builder : Eric Goetz Custom Sailboats
Skipper : Dennis Conner
Stars & Stripes / USA-11 and the Citizen Cup 1992:
From mid January to late April 1992 the US-11
sailed in 53 (!) days of racing in the CITIZEN
CUP against the 4 yachts flotilla of Bill Koch, to
clarify who defends the America's Cup officially.
Conner's USA-11 lost finally against USA-23.
The irony is that Dennis Conner, who lost the
AC in 1983 but conquered it back in 1987 -
and defended it with success in 1988 – had to
cede the defence for 1992 to Bill Koch.
From mid January to late April 1992 the US-11
sailed in 53 (!) days of racing
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
