Construction plan for hull and deck of AUSTRALIA II
Designer
Ben Lexcen
(1936 - 1988)
Date20 August 1981
Object numberANMS1543[326]
NamePlan
MediumInk on film
DimensionsOverall: 2160 x 860
Copyright© Ben Lexcen
ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionAn exceptional hull and desk construction design drawing, from the Ben Lexcen design team in 1981, showing the construction details and materials used, to build the famous Australia racing yacht AUSTRALIA II (KA-6), winner of the 1983 America’s Cup race. Designed by Ben Lexcen and drawn by JR King.HistoryThe design of AUSTRALIA II in 1981, and the future historic events which took place at Newport Rhode Island in 1983, all started several years earlier. Australia’s quest for the coveted America’s Cup began in 1962 with the Alan Payne designed GRETEL (KA-1) for Sir Frank Packer. This was followed in 1966 with the Warwick J Hood designed DAME PATTIE (KA-2), built by William H. Barnett Pty. Ltd. for The America's Cup Challenger Syndicate, headed by Emil Christensen. For the next challenge, Sir Frank Packer had Alan Payne design GRETEL II (KA-3) for the 1970 series. None of these challenges proved successful.
Charismatic Australian entrepreneur Alan Bond, began his quest for the America’s Cup during the early 1970’s using Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller) as his chief designer. Their 1974 challenger SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4) was not successful but they went on to design and build AUSTRALIA (KA-5) for the 1977 and 1980 races. During this period Ben Lexcen teamed up Johan Valentijn, a young but experienced Dutch naval architect, who had previously worked for Sparkman & Stephens in the USA. Ben Lexcen and Johan Valentijn spent seven months in 1976 testing 1/9th scale models of ‘AUSTRALIA’ at the University of Delft test tank in the Netherlands.
Ben Lexcen redesigned AUSTRALIA (KA-5) for the 1980 Americas Cup races, which were held from September 16th. to 25th. at Newport Rhode Island. He also sailed as crew in all the races. During the elimination trials ‘AUSTRALIA’, captained by James Hardy, beat all the other challengers, FRANCE III, LIONHEART and SVERIGE, to race against the US yacht FREEDOM skippered by Dennis Conner.
The challenge by AUSTRALIA (KA-5) in 1980 was not successful, but the design work carried out, and overall experience, proved a considerable help in the future design of AUSTRALIA II (KA-6), which started late 1980 early 1981. Ben Lexcen spent four months designing, building and water tank testing hull and keel shapes for the next Australian challenger in early 1981. Work continued for the remainder of the year. The result was AUSTRALIA II (KA-6), a revolutionary design, with an inverted wing keel, shortest every waterline on a 12mR boat, reduced weight and beam, and with an advanced mast rigging and sails.
The 12mR AUSTRALIA II (KA-6) was built in aluminium by Steve E. Ward & Co. boatyard in Perth, Western Australia from the construction design drawing made by Ben Lexcen and his team. The yacht was launched in 1982 and underwent sea trials and crew training before being shipped to the United Stated in the spring of 1983.The America’s Cup trophy was held by the NYYC, successfully defending twenty-four challenges for 132 years, until 1983, when the Australian yacht AUSTRALIA II (KA-6) designed by Ben Lexcen and skippered by John Bertram representing The Royal Perth Yacht Club of Australia, beat the American yacht LIBERTY. SignificanceThe hull construction design drawing for AUSTRALIA II is an outstanding work, providing details of the materials, dimensions and methods used by Ben Lexcen and his design team to make a lightweight fast racing yacht for the 1983 America’s Cup races. It clearly shows the amount of work and detail spent in reducing material size in some areas while increasing in other high load parts of the hull and deck. The work is very well drawn by John King, and is without doubt, a vital part of Australian sailing and maritime history.
