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Deck plan

Designer Ben Lexcen (1936 - 1988)

Date1936-1988

Object numberANMS1543[383]

NamePlan

MediumInk on film

DimensionsOverall: 1400 x 405

ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans

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

Terms

DescriptionThe deck plan layout for the 1977 12mR racing yacht AUSTRALIA, designed by Ben Lexcen’s (then Bob Miller) and Johan Valentijn.HistoryThe 12mR yacht AUSTRALIA, designed by Ben Lexcen and Johan Valentijn in 1976, took part in the 1977 and 1980 America Cup races at Newport Rhode Island, in the US. Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller), formed a partnership with experienced Dutch naval architect, Johan Valentijn in early 1976 and maintained an office in New York. Records indicate Bob Miller changed his name by deed poll in 1977 to Ben Lexcen. During the design of AUSTRALIA (KA-5), 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. The 1977 America’s Cup challenge was not a success for Australia, but Ben Lexcen believed the yacht has winning potential. By 1977 12mR racing yachts were all fitted with duel steering wheels, and started to use a single, large open crew cockpit, rather than the four small, as shown in the drawing. For the 1980 America’s Cup, Ben Lexcen re-designed the hull, ballast keel, rudder and complete deck layout of AUSTRALIA. The two main sheet winches were moved outboard, controlled by connected ‘tandem coffee grinder’ handles and a third large winch with similar control, fitted to a central plinth to control the main sail sheet. The sail area remained the same, but the overall weight of the yacht was reduced from 26.3 Ton to 24.85, and the waterline length also changed. Perhaps an attempt to reduce the 12mR rule but almost certainly to make the yacht faster. The 12mR yacht AUSTRALIA beat the other contenders in the trials and took part in the 1980 Americas Cup race, but lost four races to one. Thanks to the ‘Australian 12m Historic Trust AUSTRALIA is fully restored and still sailing in Sydney Australia. SignificanceThe deck layout shows the changes made from the previous Australian America’s cup challenge yacht SOUTHERN CROSS, designed by Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) in 1974. New fittings and materials, as well as changes to the way a 12mR in raced, were included in the design, in an attempt to make racing the yacht as efficient as possible.