Rudder - Quadrant Assembly for SOUTHERN CROSS II

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Rudder - Quadrant Assembly for SOUTHERN CROSS II

Designer Ben Lexcen (1936 - 1988)

Date6 October 1976

Object numberANMS1543[101]

NamePlan

MediumPencil on tracing paper

Dimensions760 x 905

ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds

Terms

DescriptionThe steering quadrant, drawn by Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) in October 1976 for SOUTHERN CROSS II the Australian 12mR challenge yacht in 1977. The yacht was built by Steve Ward in Perth and took part in the 1977 Americas cup races at Newport Rhode Island, USA. SOUTHERN CROSS II was a working title. The vessel would later be called AUSTRALIA.HistoryThe America’s Cup was the most well published and famous of all yacht races. It was originally known as ‘The British ‘Royal Yacht Squadron £100 cup’ and offered as the prize for a yacht race around the Isle of Wight in 1851. The first race was won by the schooner yacht ‘AMERICA’ owned by the group of members from The New York Yacht Club (NYYC). This syndicate donated the cup to the club, and it was re-named ‘The America’s Cup’ after the name of the yacht. The ‘12mR International Rule’ for racing yachts, participating in the America’s Cup, started in 1958 and ran up to 1987 when the International Americas Cup Class (IACC) was introduced. Australia’s quest for the coveted America’s Cup began in 1962 with the Alan Payne designed GRETEL. This was followed in 1966 with the Warwick J. Hood yacht DAME PATTIE and by GRETEL II in 1970. Alan Bond took up the challenge hopes in 1974 when he hired Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller) to design the 12mR SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4). Some years earlier Alan Bond and Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) were together at Newport, Rhode Island in 1970 for the Newport to Bermuda race. Together with the Australin team, they were preparing Alan Bond’s racing yacht APOLLO, at ‘Bob Direcktor’s Shipyard, at Mamaroneck, Yew York. While visiting a boatyard together at City Island, New York, Alan Bond spotted a large sailing yacht alongside, which unusually, had all the deck winches and crew positioned below deck. Alan Bond wanted a closer look so wondered down the pontoon to study the boat and layout but one of the crew took offence and shouted for him to go away. This did not go well, and when asked what type of boat it was anyway, was told it was the America Cup yacht VALIANT. Still mystified, Bob Miller explained what the America Cup was and about the yachts involved. To which Alan Bond told Bob Miller. ‘You design me one of those 12-metre boats, and we’ll come back here and win their bloody America’s Cup.’ The Australian 12mR SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4), was built in Terry Hills by ‘Halvorsen Morson and Gowland’ of Mona Vale and launched in 1974. Following sea trials and crew training SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4), was shipped to the USA for the American cup races in September 1974. Despite best efforts by the Australian crew SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4) was beaten by the US defending yacht COURAGEOUS skippered by Ted Hood. Following the 1974 America’s cup races Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) left the ‘Miller & Whitworth’ partnership and moved to Cowes on the Isle of Wight in UK with plans to start a new life designing yachts UK. But the tenacious Alan Bond was not prepared to give up his dream of winning the Americas cup and travelled to England to meet with Bob Miller and took him back to Australia to discuss the next Americas cup campaign in 1977. Design work started on the 12mR SOUTHERN CROSS II (KA- 5) at Cowes, Isle of Wight in the UK but later moved to Perth, Western Australia. At that time Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) formed a design partnership with a young Dutch naval architect called Johan Valentijn who had worked for ‘Sparkman & Stevens’ a rival 12mR yacht design company in New York. Bob Miller set up the ‘Miller & Valentijn’ office in Perth, Western Australia where they worked together on the project. During the design of SOUTHERN CROSS II (KA-5), Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) and Johan Valentijn, spent seven months in 1976 testing 1/9th. scale models of the yacht at the University of Delft test tank in the Netherlands. This experience would later prove invaluable for the design of AUSTRALIA II (KA-6) The 12mR Australian challenge yacht SOUTHERN CROSS II was later renamed AUSTRALIA . It was built in Cottesloe on the outskirts of Perth, by ‘Steve E. Ward & Brian Raley’ and launched in 1977. Later that same year, Bob Miller changed his name by deed poll to Ben Lexcen. The 12mR yacht AUSTRALIA (KA-5) was shipped to the USA and took part in the 1977 America cup races in September but again lost to COURAGEOUS skippered by Ted Turner. Ben Lexcen was convinced AUSTRALIA (KA-5) had winning potential so re-designed hull, deck layout, sails and rigging for the next Americas cup challenge in 1980. By this time the partnership with Johan Valentijn had ended and Johan had moved to France where he worked on the design of the French 12mR challenge yacht FRANCE III. During the 1980 Americas cup challenge AUSTRALIA (KA-5) beat ‘FRANCE III’ but lost to the American defender ‘FREEDOM’ skipped by Dennis Conner. Three years later in,1983 at Newport Rhode Island, the Ben Lexcen designed 12mR AUSTRALIA II (KA-6) skippered by John Bertrand beat the US defending yacht LIBERTY and won the Americas cup for Australia. Today, almost 45-year later, thanks to the ‘Australian 12m Historic Trust the 1976 designed, AUSTRALIA (KA-5) is fully restored and still sailing in Sydney Australia. During the years sailing the yacht there have been no reports of steering problems confirming the quality of the custom design work created by ‘Miller & Valentijn’ in 1976.SignificanceThe steering system is clearly among the most important of all the systems on a highly competitive International 12mR racing yacht. As with the rigging and deck fittings, any failure of the steering system will almost certainly mean the yacht cannot race. Despite having the best boat, best crew and shore support, the failure of this simple steering quadrant could result in the yacht losing the challenge. The considerable cost of three years design and building work, plus crew training and shipping will all be lost. Fortunately, the 1976 designed 12mR AUSTRALIA is still sailing today almost 50 years later.