AUSTRALIA construction plan with rudder edge sections

Designer Ben Lexcen (1936 - 1988)

Date1974

Object numberANMS1543[023]

NamePlan

Mediumink on drawing film

DimensionsOverall: 765 × 1820 mm

ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection

Terms

DescriptionA Ben Lexcen hand-drawn ‘working drawing’ for the rudder for a large sailing yacht made in 1980, possibly AUSTRALIA . HistoryBALLYHOO is a 70 foot ocean racing yacht designed by Lexcen for business man and poker machine entrpreneur Jack Rooklyn and built in Sydney. It was a sleek design and was built to the IOR rating rule. It was made in aluminium and is one of just two maxi yachts that were built to Lexcen's designs. It was a tender design to begin with, but a heavier keel designed by Alan Payne improved the yacht and it was very succesful. In 1976, skippered by Jack Rooklyn, it won line honours in the Sydney To Hobart, narrowly beating the wooden APOLLO skippered by his son Warwick Rooklyn. BALLYHOO was sold to a US owner and later called MISTRESS QUICKLY. Drawings and blueprints are the original or prints of the plans prepared in yacht design. Ben Lexcen and his team of draughtsman and designers produced extensive number of plans for the designs. Some only reached a concept or proposal stage and were not very extensive or detailed. However other sets for final designs that were built usually included a large number of plans to cover the details of hull shape, construction, layout, appendages, fittings and rig plan. These plans all show the style and variation in design that Lexcen produced and make a good comparison with other designers of his era. SignificanceBelieved to be the rudder re-design for the 12mR Australian Challenge yacht AUSTRALIA from 1980. Designed by Ben Lexcen and Johan Valentijn.