History of the America's Cup 1983-2013

Australia II (KA-4) won as first challenger the Americas Cup after 132 years Liberty (US 40) the luckless loser of the AC 1983 With the first challenge in 1870 by the British, the NYCC was able to defend the Cup successfully in 24 races. Defender and challenger sailed with magnificent yachts which were financed by syndicates of the then most powerful industrialists. They developed various powerful boat classes. The last one was the already smaller, but still expensive J-Class. The "Endeavour II" fought in the AC 1937 with "Ranger" to the last time. The Second World War (1939-45) broke the America's Cup until 1958. A change of the "Deed of Gift" reducing the minimum waterline from 90 to 44 feet enabled the introduction of the already successful 12-m class. But the 90 feet were not deleted and interpreted later on as maximum length (see AC 1988) 25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, USA The 12ms sailed in 10 Cups (1958, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1983 and 1987) 1983 was the year in which the New York Yacht Club, resp.. the United States lost after 132 years for the first time the America's Cup's to a challenger, in this case to the Australian Royal Perth YC with its Australia II 1983

Australia II - the winner of the America’s Cup 1983 1983 Yacht / Country : Australia II / Aus Sail Number : 12 KA 6 Syndicate : America’s Cup Challenge ‘83 CEO : Allen Bond Yacht Club: Royal Perth Yacht Club Designer : Ben Lexcen - former name Bob Miller Boat Builder : Steve E. Ward & Co 1982 Skipper: John Bertrand The boat was designed by Ben Lexcen, a real individual of designers at that time. The first time in history the AC was lost by the New York Yacht Club to a challenger. After 132 years the trophy moved to the Australian banker Allen Bond. The secret of his 12-m yacht was a keel as appendage with a wing of lead. This construction moved the point of gravity down and improved her stability in sailing and tackling. The boat was designed by Ben Lexcen, a real individual of designers at that time. His former name was Bob Miller which one day he did not want any more. Rumours say that he changed his name after making sure with Reader’s Digest that a Lexcen was not in their customer list. As the Australians had no testing tanks in the country they got the approval to use the facilities of the Netherlands Ship Model Basin in Wageningen with their key technician Dr. P. van Oossanen. Then the controversy started, because the competitors, as the NYYC claimed that the boat and the keel have been designed by the Dutch institute and not by Lexcen. That fringes the Deed of Gift. All this dispute with many actions from the defenders to eliminate Australia II was called “Keelgate” in consequence of president Nixon’s Watergate.

Liberty U.S. 40: NYYC's luckless loser of the AC 1983 Yacht / Country : Liberty / USA Sail Number : 12 US 40 Syndicate : Freedom Campaign ’83 SUNY at Ft. Schuyler Yacht Club: New York Yacht Club (NYYC) Designer : JohanValentijn Boat Builder : Newport Offshore Ltd. 1983 Skipper: Dennis Conner 1983 1983 was the first year of the Louis Vouitton Cup (LVC) where the challenging Yacht Clubs had to evaluate the winner who sails against the AC defender. A similar selection has been organized by the New York YC which was called defender series. The defender selection has been organized in 2 groups. The first one with the veteran Courageous and the new Defender. The second one with the AC 1980 winner Freedom and the new Liberty. Although the experienced “sailing icon” Tom Blackaller was the skipper of Defender, the boat turned out to be slow. No considerable care was taken to improve the performance of this beautiful yacht. Courageous was fast and made Liberty a hell of problems . But she was omitted, probably because an over-aged boat was not a good reputation in a modern and forward looking event. Freedom was rebuilt, lost by a great mistake her 12-m rating and could not be used any more. Liberty was left as candidate. She was therefore considered as questionable boat. But the yacht was the only one up to now which forced the challenger to sail all 7 rounds before she lost finally 4 : 3. Liberty won the defender selection series but lost the Americas Cup in 1983. 1989 she was sold to an Japanese broker and shipped into this country. Nowadays she is lost. Searching for her I received 2009 from the leading Japanese sailing magazine KAZI following answer : “ For the boat, Dennis Conner's 'Liberty',we do not know about what she is doing now. However, she had been in Japan certainly. We know some sailors who had sailed Liberty. Since she has been lost, many people looked for her, and we received a lot of inquiries about it. May be someone who didn't know about her history sold or let her die (rusting away) “ But the yacht was the only one up to now which forced the challenger to sail all 7 rounds before she lost finally 4 : 3.

The opponents of the semifinals

The opponents of the final

Australia II won the final and became the official challenger for the AC 1983

In this competition gathered all challenger to determine the winner who wiil challenge the New York Yacht Club with its Liberty (US-40) for the Americas Cup 1983

The elimination races between the AC challengers began in 1967 resp. 1970 as Baron Marcel Bich ( the Frenchman who scored his fortune with the BIC ball pens) nominated his challenge for 1970 but was put off by the NYYC until 1974. Because there was already an Australian YC who had applyed his challenge. The infuriated Baron was able to persuade the NYYC to arrange for the future Challenger Selection Series where the winner only is entitled to challenge the AC defender. These regattas were held in 1970, 1974 and 1980. In 1983 the luxury luggage-producer Louis Vuitton donated a Cup and continued to sponsor and name these elimination races as Louis Vuitton Cup (LVC).

25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA Yacht / Country : Victory 83 / GB Sail Number : K-22 Syndicate : Victory Challenge CEO : Peter de Savary Yacht Club: Royal Burnham Yacht Cub Designer : Ian Howett Boat Builder : Fairy Allday Marine Skipper :

1983 The British banker and businessman Peter de Savary spent a considerable sum for the challenge and saw the achievement of the Cup as a business and not a summer sporting event. He employed altogether 50 people and organized a long and professional training and preparation period in a kind of military drill. Because of their yellow/blue striped rugby shirts the crew was called “killer bees”. Sailing for the Royal Burnham Yacht Club the Victory team built 2 boats. “Victory of Burnham” K 21 and “Victory 83” K 22. The later one raced a strong final in the LVC against Australia II but lost at the end the chance to gain back the AC for Great Britain. K-22 Victory 83 reached the final of the LouisVuitton Cup 1983 The British banker and businessman Peter de Savary spent a considerable sum for the challenge a

Yacht / Country : Canada I / Canada Sailnumber : KC-1 Syndicate : Secret Cove YC Challeng CEO : Marvin McDill Yacht Club : Secret Cove YC Design : Bruce Kirby Boat Builder : Fred McConell Marine, Ltd Skipper : Terry McLaughlin Canada I (KC-1) reached the semifinals of the Louis Vuitton Cup 1983 1983 Always good for a nice story. Her designer Bruce Kirby is also the designer of the very popular Laser-class. After the NYYC has accepted its challenge, the team lost the YC and had to establish its own club ( and sea regatta ), called The Secret Cove Yacht Club. The boat-builder did not want to release the yacht before its bill was paid. Fund raising was a similar severe concern as for France 3 and Advance. Team-members tried to spy out the winged keel of Australia II which was always hidden in her box by a green skirt. In the first attempt they had a good diver but poor photographer. The second guy was a better cameraman but poor diver, because he was caught by the security guard and handed over to the police. The Canadian syndicate apologized to the Australian team, left them the film and could settle this affair. Despite of all these troubles the team reached with an excellent yacht the Semifinals of the LVC 1983 . Her designer Bruce Kirby is also the designer of the very popular Laser-class.

25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA Azzura I (I-4)

The exclusive and rich Costa Smeralda Yacht Club has been founded by Prince Karim Aga Khan, Imam and spiritual leader of 15 mio Shia Moslems. It is a rare case, that a YC ( but together with FIAT boss Gianni Agnelli and 17 Italian companies ) sponsored a challenger. This financial background enabled them to buy the top yacht “Enterprise” the former trial horse for “Freedom” to learn design and handling of a 12m yacht . Both were new for the Italians. As newcomer they reached due to the high quality of the yacht and an excellent, disciplined crew the LVC Semifinals on place 3 behind Australia II and Victory 83 and before Canada I. Azzura I-4 reached the semifinals of the Louis Vuitton Cup 1983 The exclusive and rich Costa Smeralda Yacht Club has been founded by Prince Karim Aga Khan, Yacht / Country : Azzura I / Italy Sailnumber : I-4 Syndicate : Consorzio Sfida Italiana AC 83 CEO : Prince Karim Aga Khan IV Yacht Club : YC Costa Smeralda Design : Andrea Valicelli Boat Builder : Off. Meccaniche Ing. Mario Cobau Skipper : Cino Ricci 1983

Yacht / Country : Advance /Australia Sailnumber : KA-7 Syndicate : Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Challenge CEO : Syd Fisher Yacht Club : Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Design : Alan Payne Boat Builder : Aqacraft Skipper : Iain Murray 1983 1983 was the first year when the Australian businessman and off-shore sailing legend Syd Fischer entered the LVC respectively the AC. He shares with the British tea mogul Thomas Lipton the record of five challenges (1983,1987,1992,1995,2000). The famous designer Alan Payne drew already the fast Gretel, the final challenger of 1962 (versus Weatherly ) and Gretel II the finalist of 1972 (vs. Intrepid ). The challenger Advance did not perform well as the syndicate could not raise enough money, even not for the research budget. Payne had for example a budget of 60.000 $ compared with 500.000 $ for Ben Lexcen’s Australia II. The yacht was difficult to manoeuvre and got by her young crew the nicknames “dog” and “good dog”. Iain Murray was with his 24 years the youngest ever helmsman of a cup. All the crew was highly motivated and praised but suffered on experience, time and money. They even had difficulties to finance the hauling and cleaning of the hull or their accommodation in Newport. Advance won 2 races and lost 22. She left already the LVC in the Round Robin B together with France 3. KA-7 Advance left the LVC 1983 already the LVC in the Round Robin B together with France 3. 1983 was the first year when the Australian businessman and off-shore sailing legend Syd Fisher

25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA

Yacht / Country : Challenge 12 / Australia Sailnumber : KA 10 Syndicate : Victorian Challenge CEO : Richard Pratt Yacht Club : Royal Victorian YC Design : Ben Lexcen Boat Builder : Steve E.Ward & Co. Skipper : John Savage 1983 Challenge 12, a traditional 12 Meter was designed by Ben Lexcen at the same time as his revolutionary Australia II with her winged keel. But later on, when the yachts had to be trimmed to an optimal performance, Lexcen did not care too much for his second “baby”. Originally owned by Alan Bond she was sold to the Victorian Challenge after his syndicate selected Australia II. Later when the Victorian Challenge ran in to financial troubles, Bond’s syndicate leased the yacht back for 2 months and loaned them 500.000 $. Challenge 12 raced as sparring partner against Australia II . After the businessman Richard Pratt joined the team, the financial situation improved considerably. Challenge 12 became a fast boat and and a serious competitor to Australia II. But at the end of the races crew and boat lost their power. Finally they were eliminated in Round Robin C of the LVC. KA 10 Challenge 12 / Australia Challenge 12, a traditional 12 Meter was designed by Ben Lexcen at the same time as his revolutionary

Yacht / Country : France 3 / France Sailnumber : F-3 Syndicate : L’ass.Ff. pour la Coupe de l’Amerique Yacht Club : YC de France Design : Johan Valentijn Jaques Fauroux Boat Builder : BAFA Chantiers Dufour Skipper : Bruno Trouble 1983 F-3 was the last challenger of Baron Marcel Bich (BIC ballpen) in 1980. Afterwards he retired from the America’s Cup after four attempts and sold the yacht and all accessories reportedly for only 10 % of its value to Yves Rousset- Rouard with his commitment (and dream) to continue a French challenge. Yves Rousset-Rouard who produced the financially very successful soft pornos “Emmanuelle” was wealthy but not rich. Therefore his challenge became for him a nightmare of fund raising instead of performing boat and crew. France 3 left the LVC in Round Robin B together with Advance. F-3 France 3 was the last challenger of Baron Marcel Bich Afterwards he retired from the America’s Cup after four attempts

The first Louis Vuitton Cup 1983

AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013

* In their elder, but now changed website, San Diego Boat Movers

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