Word: lexcen
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...learn from Australians the infinite possibilities not only of 12-meter boats but of ingenuity itself. Somewhere along the U.S. line, as Enterprise begat Courageous begat Freedom begat Liberty, revolutionary breakthroughs had been luffing. Then, in 1983, influenced by Dutch technology, a child of the Outback named Ben Lexcen devised a winged keel for Australia II that altered everything. Ultimately developing wings of his own, Conner agrees, "It basically was an art before. We're just starting to scratch it into a science...
...were battling the stormy seas off the western coast of Australia in the America's Cup trials these past weeks, a much more modest vessel was being launched in the calmer waters of a harbor in nearby Fremantle. The skipper of the miniature marvel is none other than Ben Lexcen, 50, the celebrated designer of Australia II, which won the America's Cup in 1983. Featuring a scaled-down version of Lexcen's revolutionary winged keel, the 14-ft.-long fiber-glass Mini 12 sells for about $3,000, is virtually unsinkable and can easily be handled by one person...
...bother the Cup's defenders, however. When the breezes were lightest, in the fourth race, the winning boat was Australia II, the winged-keel victor at Newport. When the Doctor was in, the honors went to Australia III, a boat specifically designed for Fremantle's heavy weather by Ben Lexcen (who also designed Australia II). Skippered by Colin Beashel, Australia III finished ahead of the pack in three of the first six races, building such a lead that the championship was won even before it was over. For the seventh and final race, the Australian tacticians were content to assess...
...owners and started the 11,620-mile trip to Perth. But first Liberty Syndicate Head Edward du Moulin gave Skipper Bertrand Liberty's dark blue burgee. Then N.Y.Y.C. Commodore Robert Stone presented Bond with "the bolt that's kept the Cup in place for 132 years." And Lexcen, who once told a reporter that he would like to steamroller the Cup and turn it into the "America's Plate," received from Stone a mangled hubcap. "I don't think there's any other country we'd rather see have the Cup," said Stone, adding...
...itself for a building boom in anticipation of the challenge. At least seven new hotels are expected. There are also plans for a "yachting city," to accommodate as many as 20 challenging teams, sail lofts, dockyards and marinas, and a communications and press center. Australia III, also designed by Lexcen, is already on the drawing board and, claims Builder Steve Ward, is "better than Australia II. Two weeks after we had Australia II in the water, we knew we could build a better boat...