Americas Cup 1974 Podcast

Chapter 1 1974 The Twenty Ninth Challenge
The story of the first Allan Bond campaign, during the golden era of the Americas Cup, the twelve metre years.The first of twelve chapters in the series.1974 marked the entrance of the second generation of Americas Cup heroes/villains, Allan Bond, Dennis Conner, Ted Turner and Gerry DriscollIt marked the demise of Mariner as the promised super yacht and was the first step in a learning process for Bob miller (aka Ben Lexcen)It was also to be the swansong for one of the greatest twelve metre yachts Intrepid.If you enjoy this please feel free to donate to my paypal account : [e-mail]

[@dap777754]

Your favorite word seems to be "despise" as in the NYYC despised everything Aussie, that Romagna despised Lexcen, that Olin Stephens despised Alan Payne etc .... Truthfully, I never got the sense that the NYC and its minions despised anybody or anything. NYYC did want to ensure a basically fair fight, but on its own terms, and it had the right to do so. IMO the NYYC was an essentially benign arbiter; but that it could never be disinterested -- which is to be expected. So 1970 was not a "debacle" just because Gretel got caught barging, on tape for the world to see. And when it became apparent that the Brit Chance's Intrepid and Valiant were way too heavy and with control flaws, then yes, Gretel 2's lighter fighting weight pointed the way to Courageous. Nothing nefarious on Olin's part in seeing the writing on the wall.
I hope you address the Australia 2 situation, meaning the lingering suspicion that Lexcen was aided by Dutch design engineers in violation of the Deed of Gift. I was in Newport in 1983 on a 12 (not in competition) and at the time was partial to Australia's brilliant and fast design. In my wisdom I now am inclined that the America's Cup would be in a far better place today had Australia not lifted the Cup in 1983 (I despise the foiling cats).

[@dap777754]

Also, as I watch your presentation further, I lived just down the street from Derecktor's in Mamaroneck NY as a teenager. Mariner was clearly not a breakthrough design in any regard; merely an attempt to fool the water with hydrodynamic sleight of hand.