MEASURING IN 1977

ted and tenacious 

measuring the twelves 

       The 12 meters must meet the criteria set in the international 12 meter rule in order to sail officially in the class; which was the chosen class since 1958 until 1987 to compete for the America's Cup.  Bob Blumenstock was the official measurer for the New York Yacht Club and the America's Cup.

Preparation for measurement was always an involved process. The design process is the beginning. The 12 meter rule conceived in 1906 is a very sound rule. It allows changes and innovations, but if you take from one area, you must give up something in another area. Changes are therefore subtle.

But here we are at Bannister's Wharf, our syndicate headquarters, being measured. Still water is essential. The boats are built and assumed to be within the rule. There were things we able, within the rule, to make sure we "measured in." In our time, measuring in, while serious, was a far cry from the process today.

America's Cup 1975

1975 was an active year for me. After the America's Cup we moved to Cowes, on the Isle of Wight where I worked at Souter's building boats. I continued to sail, skippering the prototype of the Swan 41, named "GunFleet of Hamble" in the Admiral's Cup Trials. Then the Transatlantic race from Newport to Cowes on "Weald" a Swan 48. Cowes week on "Gitana VI" a new S&S 66' for Baron Rothschild. The Fastnet on "Guia" a Bob Miller 44' formerly known as "Gingko"

duke of york

Guia leaving the the fastnet

gunfleet of hamble

gitana vi

wsl and my mother in law at the hamble

    During Cowes week where most everyone was there. I was invited to a meeting with Bob Miller, Johan Valentine, Alan Bond, Warren Jones,  and a few others. Ironically, Bob Miller had taken the apartment over the Duke of York where Bernadette and I had lived for more than a year.  This meeting was a proposal for me to go to Australia to build the next challenger for the America's Cup. Naturally lots of questions and answers. The final moment was when Alan Bond asked if I would bring the lines of "Courageous" which I had built. When I answered "NO" the meeting was over.

July 1st 2010

I just can't seem to move off the Bermuda Race Thread. Here is a remark from Scotty Kaufmann taken from Scuttlebutt. Scotty is of course entirely correct in his statement. He designed a similar surgery to the first "Boomerang", designed and built by Bob Derecktor and had a serious case of the slows. Scotty's changes made it a competitive boat. 

    My fondest memory sailing with Scotty is the St. Petersburg to Ft. Lauderdale race, was it in 1980?  It was a fresh breeze from the north. Bob Derecktor was aboard. It was a shy reach at the start. (remember these are the days when everything was big and heavy.)  "Boomerang" was 66 feet; so a mini-maxi in the class with "Kialoa" at 80 feet.

    We were able to hold the spinnaker with two people steering. It was real work. Jeff Neuberth, Scotty and myself were rotating every 15 minutes steering, while the one out would watch the compass. We were holding the big boats in front of us, pushing water, going 17 knots. 

  There are many associated stories, some of which might be too colorful for print. 

      Larry Ellison and the America's cup were at the White House yesterday. Today they will be in Newport, RI.  Newport must be very excited, Larry Ellison also happens to own a house in Newport, which has led to speculation that Newport could be a legitimate contender for the America's cup in the future. It is unlikely, Space and money are the primary obstacles.

  All of these musings should be put in the context ofthe BP oil spill, now 73 days and counting, and the still fragile economy of the world.

I am in California, north of San Francisco, visiting my children, I am reminded each time of the variety and beauty of California. This is wine country, and for many there is the association with France, however these colors and shapes are for me much more like Spain. 

WING MASTS

The roots of modern wing masts rests firmly in the "C" class catamaran. These boats will be in Newport at the end of August. The technology used in the most recent America's Cup came from what had been learned sailing C cats. Of course the scale changed the physics dramatically.
     Paul Larsen a friend will be in newport with a boat and a re-worked wing. click HERE
I should add that this is the same Paul Larsen that has been developing Sailrocket

Finally I have added a clip of the big oracle trimaran, which was truly a remarkable feat.

1974 MARINER, INTREPID

Every syndicate that vies to defend the America's Cup invests all it's hopes and desires in their boat. The manifestation of everything leading up to an America's Cup summer. "Mariner" was no different. Every sailor also wants an edge, generally that is translated into an extra margin of boat speed. Every boat has a good crew; but without a good boat under them, there is little anyone can do. "Mariner" was in trouble in that department from her first day sailing.  No matter how many times "Mariner" was in a controlling position, she could not hold it.

"Intrepid" rebuilt by Gerry Driscoll from San Diego, coming back for another try. Since she was built of wood and therefore at least 3,000 pounds heavier than her aluminum rivals,and woefully short on budget, no one expected her to be a legitimate contender.

"Interpid" had been largely abandoned, Gerry Driscoll rebuilt her essentially to her original lines, a bigger rudder, A low profile crew, focused on sailing. Having sailed with Gerry(I will write about this later) he owned the starting line. This is an example of a crew out sailing the other boats, The selection committee continued racing between "Courageous" and "Intrepid" until practically until the start of the America's Cup itself. I believe the Selection Committee was under pressure to select the new boat, the racing sharpened both boats. I also believe "Courageous" was a faster boat, just not as well sailed. 

  

1974 america's cup the beginning

Here is where the 12 meter story becomes more personal for me. 1972 Bermuda race, Transatlantic race to Spain, delivery to Sardinia aboard "Charisma". November I sailed the first Windsurfer Championships in Mission Bay San Diego, a week later back on "Charisma" in Rio de Janeiro for the first Rio Circuit, upon return I picked up and moved to City Island and started work at Minneford's for Chuck Sadler.

"Lightin' " was perhaps the last one tonner from Sparkman & Stephens, was complete, "Namis" a Gary Mull design, was well underway. I started lofting "Sorcery" a 56 foot sloop from S&S with Jay Selden, who coincidently had been at St. George's with me. During this time Phil Rhodes, now retired, but had boats in his blood, started coming by and bringing me "homework" which he would correct the following visit. It is now 1973. We as a group are taking design courses at Long Island University. 

I sail the Annapolis Newport race on "Lightin" with Ted Turner and most of the crew who had been with him for some time and would be aboard "Courageous" in 1977; but we are not there yet.

I get married after the Admiral's Cup on "Charisma", we finish second to "Saga" the sistership of " Charisma" in the Fastnet Race; it is August of 1973.  We all feel that Minneford's will get to build the next S&S twelve meter, and it will be the first aluminum twelve meter ever.

We are again taking a course as a group, this time at Stevens Institute, a tank testing course, taught be Peter DeSaix.  He is excited about the results from Brit Chance's design. Remember the as yet to be named "Courageous" is being towed at Stevens as well.

Brit Chance might never have continued on the path he started, had not the results encouraged him. Hindsight would show that the data had been mis-read/mis-interpreted. I will note the "Mariner" was being built at  Derecktor's in Mamaroneck and I am pretty certain certain from each yard had seen what the other was building when the designs were on the loft floor.

The Fall Series in Annapolis,"Charisma", skippered by Bill Ficker, would serve as the tryout platform for potential crew for the 12 meter we are building. We are not sailing on "Charisma" we are all pushed over to "Yankee Girl" the sistership to "Charisma". We beat them for the series.

We built a mock up of a preliminary deck layout which we could heel, for Bill and his crew, who came to try it. An oil crisis would derail this Syndicate, who to their credit, felt that they could not in good conscience go forward with a 12 meter when the rest of the people in the United States were waiting in line for gasoline. This decision was based on the fact that the budget for fuel for the 4 months of tender for the boat was $50,000.00

Olin Stephens asks us to continue building and he will find a new syndicate. There would be no second-in-row for Bill Ficker.

This is the first aluminum twelve meter ever. LLoyd's of London has been the guardian of the twelve meter rule and the scantlings or material standards for nearly 100 years. In addition to lofting "Courageous" my job was to co-ordinate with the representative from LLoyd's as to our proposed ideas for building. He came once a week and would return with a yea or nay.

One day before we finished the lofting, Olin brought a guest, the man who had lofted "Constellation" and "Intrepid";now elderly and could not see well, but he put his hands on the lines and gave them his blessing.