FRANCE III Attache Barre de Fleche

Designer Ben Lexcen (1936 - 1988)

Date1 March 1979

Object numberANMS1543[144]

NamePlan

MediumPaper

Dimensions585 x 410

ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans

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

Terms

DescriptionTank testing yacht designs has been an important tool for a yacht designer to assess changes in a yacht's proportions and their effects on its potential importance. For many years only smaller scale models could be tested because of the small size tanks available. Lexcen and his design team which included draughtsman and model builder Dennis Philips built and tested a small number of 1:13.3 scale models for the design of the yacht SOUTHERN CROSS in 1974 with the series number 71xx and 72xx. They were run in the small tank at the University of Sydney Engineering Department.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.