17m Cruising Sloop for Mr&Mrs Tony McGrath Preliminary Lines Plan, Ben Lexcen Yacht Designs

Designer Ben Lexcen (1936 - 1988)

Date1984

Object numberANMS1543[154]

NamePlan

MediumPencil on heavy tracing paper

Dimensions435 x 750

ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans

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

Terms

DescriptionPreliminary Lines Plan for 7metre (55.77 foot) cruising sloop for Mr & Mrs Tony McGrath from May 1984. HistoryAn in-progress work by Ben Lexcen from 1984, a year after his revolutionary winged keel yacht ‘AUSTRALIA II’ won the Americas Cup race. By this time, he has his office and design team at: Suite 9, 2 Redman Road, Dee Why, 19 kilometres north of Sydney. Renown naval architect and yacht designer Peter Lowe, joined Ben Lexcen in November 1983, first as a designer becoming a full partner in the ‘Lexcen & Lowe’ design company in 1987. With a similar hull shape to other types of cruising yachts in the 1980s’, such as the ‘Hallberg Rassy 49’ of 1982, this work is typical of the changes in cruising yachts during that period. No information is available to date, if this yacht was built for Mr. and Mrs. Tony McGrath and if it was any on-going history. SignificanceThe lines plan of Ben Lexcen’s 17m (55.77 foot) cruising sloop clearly shows the changes which took place in the 1970’s and 82’ regarding the underwater shapes of racing and cruising yachts. Cruising yacht owners also wanted speed, comfort, and the ability to point higher when sailing to windward. The traditional long keeled, heavy displacement cruising yacht, was replaced by a light weight yacht, with short keel, cut away fore-foot and the rudder well aft on a small skeg.