Model 5854 Kiel III
Designer
Ben Lexcen
(1936 - 1988)
Date1975 - 1982
Object numberANMS1543[365]
NamePlan
MediumPencil on film
DimensionsOverall: 770 x 430
Copyright© Ben Lexcen
ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionA Ben Lexcen pencil drawing from 1981 when he was working at the ‘Netherlands Ship Model Basin’ at Wageningen. He spent four months there designing and testing hull and ballast keel shapes, in order to establish the best hull and keel with the lowest drag and maximum lift. This design work for a conventional ballast keel, was made during the early stages of the design and testing program. Marked Keel No 3 it was before Keel 4 and 4A.HistoryBen Lexcen had a good deal of experience water tank testing scaled models of racing yachts. He had designed and tested SOUTHERN CROSS in 1973/74 and together with Dutch naval architect, 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. This period of on-site design and tank testing scaled models in the water, proved vital for future design work on AUSTRALIA II (KA-6).
After four months designing and testing in Holland during 1981, the final design of the hull and ballast keel was ready. Interestingly, the design of the 1983 rival American defending yacht LIBERTY, was by Johan Valentijn. Lexcen’s AUSTRALIA II, was a revolutionary yacht design, far beyond just the inverted, winged keel. It was much lighter in weight and had the shortest waterline length ever measured on a 12 metre yacht. It also used a radical ‘vertical sail’ designs, all Kevlar running rigging and a lightweight carbon-fibre boom. The Australian crew spent months of rigorous training, as the best yacht is only as good as its crew.
The America’s Cup trophy was held by the New York Yacht Club, successfully defending twenty-four challenges for 132 years. It was suggested the trophy was ‘bolted fast to the New York Yacht Club table’ and would never leave the US. This all changed in 1983, when AUSTRALIA II, representing The Royal Perth Yacht Club of Australia, beat the American yacht LIBERTY. SignificanceIn an age of computer aided design drawings, when areas, weights, and other calculations, are made in a moment, this hand-drawn design work by Ben Lexcen in 1981 is an example of the vast amount of design work and calculations carried out. With all the calculations and measurements done by hand, it was time consuming work, only to be discarded when new ideas or plans are made. From this conventional ballast keel shape, he moved on to the radical inverted keel with winglets.
