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Deck fittings for rigging for 72 foot ocean racing yacht
Deck fittings for rigging for 72 foot ocean racing yacht

Deck fittings for rigging for 72 foot ocean racing yacht

Designer (1936 - 1988)
Date25 March 1974
Object numberANMS1543[054]
NamePlan
Mediumink on drafting film
Dimensions740 x 870
Copyright© Ben Lexcen
ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
Description72-foot aluminium maxi racer BALLYHOO, fore-stay, back-stay and rigging chainplate construction drawing. The yacht was designed by Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller) and his team at ‘Miller & Whitworth’ in 1974. As shown. This drawing to be used in conjunction with drawing number 206-6 'Construction Plan'.HistoryBen Lexcen (then Bob Miller), along with his team at ‘Miller & Whitworth’, started design work on the 72-foot BALLYHOO in mid-1973. The design project number was ‘705’, indicated on all of the many design drawings for the construction of the yacht. This work continued in 1974 during the build, and up to completion in November when the yacht was launched at the’ Halvorsen, Morson and Gowland’ boatyard. Jack Rooklyn named his new yacht BALLYHOO, after his successful Australian business, ‘Bally Gaming’. He entered the yacht in the 1974 Sydney to Hobart offshore yacht race, which started on December 26th. just over a month after the yacht was launched. It was a useful race to test the crew and new yacht, which came in 16th of the sixty-three starters. The first race for BALLYHOO outside Australian waters, was the1975 ‘Three Kings Islands Race’ in New Zealand. She then crossed the Pacific to the USA to take part in Trans-Pacific or ‘Transpac Race’. Ben Lexcen (then Bob Miller) the designer, joined the yacht as watch captain for the 1,227 mile, 1975 ‘Transpac Race’, race, from the Point Fermin buoy in San Pedro, California to Diamond Head in Hawaii. BALLYHOO was the first Australian yacht ever to enter this race. Following the race, the yacht and her crew, stayed in Hawaii to compete in the annual ‘Hawaiian Island Series’. This included the ‘Round the State Race’ in which BALLYHOO lost her rudder in very bad weather. Remarkably, the crew made up, a temporary rudder using the teak saloon table and spinnaker pole. The, following a difficult 250 miles back to Honolulu in 34 hours BALLYHOO still crossed the finish line ahead of some other yachts. Initially, BALLYHOO did not sail as well, or as fast as expected, so in late 1975 and 1976 the weights were adjusted and the ballast keel re-cast. These changes made a significant improvement, making BALLYHOO a fast and highly successful offshore racing yacht, on all points of sailing and in all wind conditions. In 1976 Jack Rooklyn accepted an invitation from the prestigious ‘California Yacht Club’ to race BALLYHOO in the California Cup and St. Francis Perpetual Series. BALLYHOO arrived in Los Angeles in 1976 following an amazing winning streak, which started with winning the ‘South China Sea Race’. In the 1976 California Cup race BALLYHOO beat the famous America maxi yacht ‘KIALO III’. As one yacht magazine report at the time: The Australian yacht BALLYHOO proved what many already believed: she is unquestionably the fastest yacht in the world to windward. The yacht then went on to Honolulu, for the ‘Round the State Race’ again, this time taking line honours and many hours off the elapsed time record. BALLYHOO pioneered the sloop-rig maxi, and went on to win line honours in the 1976 Sydney-Hobart race and, many other races during her career. The yacht sailed in all the major off-shore racing events in the coming years, wining line honours at the 1977 Fastnet Race in UK. BALLYHOO was sold to Bill Whitehouse-Vaux in 1978, who re-named the yacht MISTRESS QUICKLY and continued to race the yacht into the mid 1990’s. She took part in the 2001 ‘Maxi-yacht Rolex Cup Race’ in Porto Cervo, Sardinia and is believed to still be sailing today as a charter yacht.SignificanceThe 72-foot maxi-racer, designed by Ben Lexcen (formally Bob Miller) for Jack Rooklyn in 1974, was built of marine grade aluminium alloy and built to Lloyds Rules. These construction rules require Lloyds Approved materials are to be used and welded by approved staff. The loading and stresses on the rigging and fittings of a large sailing yacht racing offshore can be huge. Any breakage would result in the loss of the mast, endanger the crew, and place the vessel in a very dangerous situation.