Bob Miller's 1960-61 VENOM jacket
Date1961
Object number00055073
NameJacket
MediumFabric, metal
DimensionsOverall: 820 × 490 mm
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionIt has been common if not standard practice for major state and sporting teams to have a blazer made up for team representatives. Sailing and yachting was no exception. Many of the major classes ensured sailors who had competed against each other to earn a place in the team to represent their state or Australia had a uniform and/or blazer. The blazer had a pocket emblem to sew on, and the winner at many events was given an additional pocket to mark their victory.HistoryBen Lexcen (formerly Bob Miller) 1936-1988 was one of Australia’s principle yacht designers from the 1960s until his death in 1988. He created a number of revolutionary and unorthodox designs and gained International respect. The ocean racing yachts MERCEDES III, APOLLO and GINGKO were amongst his most significant designs, along with the IYRU Contender Class single handed dinghy, and the 18-foot skiffs TAIPAN and VENOM. He was the designer of America’s Cup boats from 1974 until 1987, including SOUTHERN CROSS and AUSTRALIA and was the designer for AUSTRALIA II which won the America's Cup in 1983, a major National and International sporting achievement.
His career began under the name Bob Miller, and formed a sail making and design partnership with Craig Whitworth during the 1960s called Miller & Whitworth, which lasted until the mid-1970s. At that time he changed his name to Ben Lexcen, and had a brief design partnership with Johan Valentjin to design AUSTRALIA KA5 and other yachts. This was disbanded around 1978, and he worked under the Lexcen name with a small staff based in his home at David Place Seaforth. After the design of AUSTRALIA II for the 1983 America’s Cup win he established a drawing office which included Peter Lowe as a senior partner. This became Lexcen Lowe Design and a few years after he died it became Peter Lowe Design.
SignificanceBen Lexcen's 1961 blazer was worn by him when he was known as Bob Miller. His radical 3-handed 18-foot skiff VENOM had been chosen as member of the Queensland team for the 18-foot Skiff world championship on the Brisbane River in early 1961. VENOM, skippered by Lexcen, won the series convincingly. The blazer is in excellent condition for its age and becomes a companion artefact with Lexcen's Olympic blazer from 1972 and his America's Cup team blazer from 1983, which are also in the National Maritime Collection.
