Upper - Runner Tang for SOUTHERN CROSS II
Designer
Ben Lexcen
(1936 - 1988)
Date14 March 1977
Object numberANMS1543[100]
NamePlan
MediumPencil on graphed tracing paper
Dimensions675 x 780
Copyright© Ben Lexcen
ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionA detailed construction drawing for one of the mast fittings on the 1977 Australian America cup challenge yacht SOUTHERN CROSS II. Made by Bob Miller’s (Ben Lexcen) partner Johan Valentijn, the drawing provides accurate information and make and install the upper runner tangs on the mast. The vessel would later be called AUSTRALIA.
HistoryAlan Bond and Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) were together at Newport, Rhode Island in 1970 for the Newport to Bermuda race. Together with the Australin team, they were preparing Alan Bond’s racing yacht APOLLO, at Bob Direcktor’s Shipyard, at Mamaroneck, Yew York. While visiting a boatyard together at City Island, New York, Alan Bond spotted a large sailing yacht alongside, which unusually, had all the deck winches and crew positioned below deck. Alan Bond wanted a closer look so wondered down the pontoon to study the boat and layout but one of the crew took offence and shouted for him to go away. This did not go well, and when asked what type of boat it was anyway, was told it was the America Cup yacht VALIANT. Still mystified, Bob Miller explained what the America Cup was and about the yachts involved. To which Alan Bond told Bob Miller. ‘You design me one of those 12-metre boats, and we’ll come back here and win their bloody America’s Cup.’
Prior to this Australia had designed and built three International 12mR challenge yachts; GRETEL, designed by Alan Payne in 1962, DAME PATTIE, by Warwick J. Hood in 1966, and GRETEL II again by Alan Payne in 1970. Despite winning the trial races none of these yachts were successful in winning the coveted Americas cup.
Charismatic entrepreneur Alan Bond took up the challenge hopes in 1974 when he hired Bob Miller (late Ben Lexcen) to design the 12mR SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4). This yacht was built in Terry Hills by ‘Halvorsen Morson and Gowland’ of Mona Vale and launched in 1974. Following sea trials and crew training, SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4), was shipped to the USA for the American cup races in September 1974. Despite best efforts by the Australian crew SOUTHERN CROSS (KA-4) was beaten by the US defending yacht ‘COURAGEOUS’ skippered by Ted Hood.
Following the 1974 America’s cup races Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) left the ‘Miller & Whitworth’ partnership and moved to Cowes on the Isle of Wight in UK with plans to start a new life designing yachts UK. But the tenacious Alan Bond was not prepared to give up his dream of winning the Americas cup and travelled to England to meet with Bob Miller and took him back to Australia to discuss the next Americas cup campaign in 1977.
Design work started on the 12mR SOUTHERN CROSS II (KA- 5) at Cowes, Isle of Wight in the UK but later moved to Perth, Western Australia. At that time Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) formed a design partnership with a young Dutch naval architect called Johan Valentijn who had worked for ‘Sparkman & Stevens’ a rival 12mR yacht design company in New York. Bob Miller set up the ‘Miller & Valentijn’ office in Perth, Western Australia where they worked together on the project. Originally called SOUTHERN CROSS II the yacht was later renamed AUSTRALIA, and built in Cottesloe on the outskirts of Perth, by ‘Steve E. Ward & Brian Raley’ and launched in 1977.
During the design of ‘AUSTRALIA’ (KA-5), Bob Miller (later 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. This experience would later prove invaluable for the design of AUSTRALIA II (KA-6)
Later in 1977 Bob Miller changed his name by deed poll to Ben Lexcen. That same year the 12mR yacht AUSTRALIA (KA-5) was shipped to the USA and took part in the 1977 America cup races but again lost to COURAGEOUS skippered by Ted Turner. Ben Lexcen was convinced AUSTRALIA (KA-5) had winning potential so re-designed the yacht for the next Americas cup challenge in 1980. By this time the partnership with Johan Valentijn had ended and Johan had moved to France where he worked on the design of the French 12mR challenge yacht ‘FRANCE III’. During the 1980 Americas cup challenge AUSTRALIA (KA-5) beat FRANCE III but lost to the American defender ‘FREEDOM’ skipped by Dennis Conner.
Three years later in 1983 at Newport Rhode Island the Ben Lexcen designed 12mR AUSTRALIA II (KA-6) skippered by John Bertrand beat the US defending yacht ‘LIBERTY’ and won the Americas cup for Australia and Alan Bond.
Today, almost 45-year later, thanks to the ‘Australian 12m Historic Trust the 1976 designed, AUSTRALIA (KA-5) is fully restored and still sailing in Sydney Australia. During the years sailing the yacht there have been no reports of rigging failures, confirming the quality of the design drawings made in 1976 and 1977.SignificanceThis working drawing for the construction of the ‘upper back stay runner tangs’ was made while the yacht was being built in Perth, Western Australia. By the 14th. March 1977, as shown on the drawing, the yacht was well advanced and close to being launched. This small but important design work shows the materials, construction method, and how to fit the running backstay tangs from inside the mast. Seemingly small and insignificant, this fitting will have required all same the engineering research and planning to make it as light as possible but also strong and reliable. The 12mR SOUTHERN CROSS was renamed AUSTRALIA and participated on the 1977 Americas cup races at Newport Rhode Island, USA in September 1977.
