45' IOR Yacht - Lines
Designer
Ben Lexcen
(1936 - 1988)
Datec 1970
Object numberANMS1543[010]
NamePlan
MediumPaper
Dimensions770 x 1310
Copyright© Ben Lexcen
ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionA rare ‘Hull Lines Plan’, of the Ben Lexcen (Formally Bob Miller) designed, 45-foot IOR yacht from 1972. Used to build the well-known Australian racing yachts GINKGO and APOLLO II.
HistoryDespite both GINKGO and APOLLO II’ being custom designs, each commissioned by specific owners, all the design work remained the property of the design company, ‘Miller & Whitworth’. Bob Miller (later Beb Lexcen) was the chief designer, and partner in the company along with Craig Whitworth. Both yachts were built using the same hull lines plan and sail-plan but GINKGO was built in cold moulded wood by ‘Lars Halvorsen & Sons Pty. Ltd’. whereas APOLLO II was built in aluminium by ‘Halvorsen, Morson & Gowland’. Both boats were designed, built and launched in 1972, and quickly became successful racing yachts. During the Montague Island race of September 29th. 1972, starting from the ‘Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, GINKGO soon took the lead over the 38 other racing yachts in the 320-mile offshore race. Gary Bogard in GINKGO won line honours and overall winner over Rick Dowling on ‘QUEEQUEG and Syd Fischer on RAGAMUFFIN. The yacht also took part in the 630-mile Sydney to Hobart race of 1972 with owner Garry Bogard as captain and came 3rd. GINKGO also won the first Admirals Cup trial in Australia in 1972 over Alan Bonds APOLLO II. Ben Lexcen (Bob Miller) designed two smaller versions of this yacht: CEIL III and RAMPAGE, which won handicap honours in the Sydney to Hobart race. Building on the success of the 45-foot IOR boats GINKGO and APOLLO II, ‘Miller & Whitworth’ started to market the design as a standard ‘ready-made’ product or stock design. Following the further success of GINKGO and APOLLO II in the British Admirals Cup race of 1973, the design was later called the ‘Admiral’s Cup 45’ and franchised worldwide. GINKGO did not return home to Australia after the 1973 Admirals Cup, but changed hands, being sold to the experienced Italian ocean racer, Giorgio Falck and renamed ‘GUIA III’. By 1972, Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller) was 36 years old and one of the world’s top offshore racing yacht designers. Largely self-taught as a naval architect and yacht designer, he had a natural, intuitive talent with a very good team of assistant engineers and draftsmen. In 1974 Ben Lexcen (Bob Miller) moved to London to be closer to the international racing yacht design world. No longer a partner, the ‘Miller & Whitworth’ yacht designs were franchised and sold worldwide. Ben Lexcen then concentrated solely on yacht design, and worked on his own with no income from his previous partnership. During the 1976 Cape to Rio race, on March 9th. Giorgio Falck’s yacht ‘GUIA III’ (ex GINKGO) was attacked by a killer whale 700-mile SW of the Cape Verde Islands, and sank shortly after. The crew of six managed to launch the life-raft and luckily were rescued some days later. Giorgio Falck almost immediately contacted Ben Lexcen to design an identical replacement yacht. The hull-lines plan of the 45-foot IOR yacht was used again in 1976, when Ben Lexcen and his partner, experienced Dutch naval architect Johan Valentijn, designed ‘GUIA IV’ for Giorgio Falck.
SignificanceDesigned by Ben Lexcen (Formally Bob Miller) in 1972, the 45-foot International Offshore Racing (IOR) yacht proved a hugely successful design and was used to build several successful racing yachts up to 1976.
