Test T-1

Designer Ben Lexcen (1936 - 1988)

Date1976

Object numberANMS1543[152]

NamePlan

MediumPaper

Dimensions590 x 1805

ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans

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

Terms

DescriptionTest T-1 Lines Plan. A photo copy ‘study drawing’ from the Ben Lexcen collection, showing the original ‘lines plan’ for a 12-meter America’s Cup yacht. No date, author or name is given, as the etiquette is not visible, but it is likely the 1967 12mR yacht INTREPID designed by Olin Stephens and winner of the 1967 and 1970 America Cup races. HistoryAlan Bond, and the Australian challenge syndicate, commissioned Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller), in 1973 to design an International 12mR yacht to challenge the Americas Cup in 1974. SOUTHERN CROSS, sail number KA-4, was the first 12mR yacht designed by Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller). Designed according to the International Third Rule- America’s Cup, it was built in aluminium by ‘Halvorsen, Morson & Gowland’ boatyard, Sydney in 1974. The American yacht INTREPID won the 1967 and 1970 America’s cup races, and following another design change by Olin Stephens, tried again in 1974 but lost in the trials to COURAGEOUS. During the design of ‘INTREPID’ by Olin Stephens in 1966/67, he carried out extensive tank testing of the hull and included several innovative design features, which were used on all future 12mR yachts. He reduced the underwater area, included a short ballast keel, fitted with trim-tab on the trailing edge. It had a separate rudder well aft and ‘bustle’ just forward to the rudder as well as at the start of the waterline forward. Few changes had been made to 12mR yacht design prior to INTREPID and these new features were then used on all future 12mR yachts up to 1983, when Ben Lexcen turned the world upside-down with his revolutionary and innovative design of AUSTRALIA II. Alan Bond made his second challenge for the America’s Cup in 1977 with his new yacht AUSTRALIA. For the design of this new yacht, Ben Lexcen teamed up Johan Valentijn, an experienced Dutch naval architect, who had previously worked for ‘Sparkman & Stephens’ in the United Stated. They worked together on a number of yachts, including the 45-foot IOR yacht GUIA V in 1976, for the experienced Italian ocean racing yachtsman, Giorgio Falck. Interestingly, Ben Lexcen and Johan Valentijn spent seven months in 1976 testing 1/9th scale models of AUSTRALIA (KA-5) at the University of Delft test tank in the Netherlands. ‘AUSTRALIA’ failed in the 1977 challenge and was re-deigned for the 1980 race. It was not until Ben Lexcen decided on a complete rethink of the 12mR design, and ‘AUSTRALIA II’ finally won the Americas Cup in 1983. SignificanceAlmost certainly used as a study work by Ben Lexcen, and his colleague Johan Valentijn, when they jointly designed AUSTRALIA the 12mR America’s Cup challenge yacht in 1977. The drawing was important as it contained all the latest features of a successful 12mR racing yacht at the time. The American yacht INTREPID was highly innovative in 1967, with a short keel, trim-tab on the ballast keel, separate rudder and bustle just forward to the rudder and at the start of the waterline forward. The yacht was re-designed by Britton Chance in 1970 and again in 1973 by Olin Stephens, but failed to win trials for the 1974 race.