Lines Plan Baby Twelve KA6
Designer
Ben Lexcen
(1936 - 1988)
Date1986
Object numberANMS1543[253]
NamePlan
MediumPaper
Dimensions295 x 420
Copyright© Ben Lexcen
ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionA Ben Lexcen, preliminary ‘lines plan’, for the quarter scale version of the world famous 12mR ‘AUSTRALIA II’, winner of the 1983 America’s Cup race.
HistoryFollow the success, and international recognition, of the 12mR yacht ‘AUSTRALIA II’ in 1983, The Ben Lexcen Design team went on to design other 12mR yachts, fast racing and cruising yachts, as well as large motor yachts. This included design work for 5.5 and 6m international class yachts, and a ‘quarter scale’ version of ‘AUSTRALIA II’ called ‘Baby Twelve KA-6’. This was a single crew, glass fibre production boat, of 4.80 meters overall, a beam of 0.91 meters, and measured 1.3m from the bottom of the keel to the deck. Along with a 7m mast, it was fitted with the now familiar inverted winged keel, and looked very similar to the original full-sized boat. Test sailed by Ben Lexcen in Freemantle Harbour during 1986, they were built in a small, GRP production, and sold world-wide.
SignificanceLargely self-taught, but with a fast and uncanny understanding of fluid dynamics, Ben Lexcen had always adopted the traditional method of yacht design, using drafting paper, pencils and ship curves. All of his famous racing yachts were designed, measured and calculated by hand. During the 1980’s many yacht designers and boat builders changed to using computer aided design, (CAD) which is faster, more accurate, can be saved, stored, changed, and quickly sent by post or e-mail. The preliminary lines plan for his ‘Baby Twelve KA-6’, clearly shows the ‘Ben Lexcen Design’ team were also moving into this new system.
