Being an avid kiwi sailor ..i was transfixed to the goggle box and absolutley flabbagasted when bondy raised the the boat and revealed the supposedly first winged keel. I realised immediately that once again just like far lap and pavlova lexen had pinched the keel from a yacht built and designed by arch logan in the 1920s in New zealand..this boat after blowing every thing in Nz at the time went off to australia but after winning its first couple of races mysteriously dissapeered...good on them though and good on bondy for smashing the yanks
I was at the finish line of the last race, and it looked like Liberty had it until Australia altered course for the leeward mark. The subsequent tacking dual was epic.
@@weatheranddarkness Liberty was quicker on the upwind legs in the last race after they took out 2,000lbs of lead - there was no way you go let Liberty get a sniff of clear air.. The crew were relishing every tack to make sure they stayed in front!
@@weatheranddarkness I think Alan Bond later commented that they took Australia II out the following day and the gear broke on the _very first_ tack they attempted, so I if Conner had rolled the dice just one more time ... Then too I wonder just what shape Liberty's gear was in as well.
Being youth at that time, I looked for every edition of our german Yacht Magazin... I remember the Australian Team offering a wrench for the N.Y. Yacht Club, to loosen the screws...🙃
As a proud American and sailor, truly, of all the countries Americans typically love, Canada, England, Mexico, France, etc etc, Australia was the least stinging to lose the Cup to. It still stings, but bygummit Australia! Like losing a footrace to a brother. The Cup has always been a blend of boat and skill. Aussies had the skill and the boat and the win was well deserved.
I'm actually quite surprised to see that comment, back in 83 I was working on an outback station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia and the station boss bought his big satellite TV outside that night so the station hands could have a BBQ and watch the race. It would be fair to say that as a country we had always played "above our weight" in international sporting events, more down to stubbournness than outright skill. Still its fun to knock off world powers. The only thing that disappointed me was the attitude of some members of the NYYC and their attempts to sideline Australia 2 on technicalities. As it was in subsequent post 1987 races American teams had shown a decided lack of sportsmanship.
Very kind of you to say that, but losing was inevitable. Then or the next one or twenty years later. You can't win anything forever, or at least you can't mess with the rules to allow you to keep winning forever. Something had to give.
I still remember Alan Bond standing on the peer, holding up his arms like Moses calling for the boat to be lifted out of the water to finally reveal the winged keel. Pure gold!
...and American sailors, of the ultimate level, then commented, "Bondy just saved up to five years of naval architect research." ...and within three years, every AC 12Metre arrived in Fremantle - with winged keels. And Bondy, and even more, the stupidity of Royal Perth Yacht Club, handed the America's Cup back to Dennis Conner.
@@redmerlot2466 They pretty much knew anyway and were already experimenting with makeshift winged keels *during* the America's Cup. Regardless of whether they unveilved the keel after their victory or not, they would have started researching winged keel designs for 12m yaughts immediately after the race anyway.
@@melbguy1 ...and you are completely wrong. Which syndicate "knew"? Which syndicate was "already experimenting"? As in: there was only the New York Yacht Club involved. Wrong be you.
What is not explained about that longest winning streak is that the Americans had a huge advantage over any challengers. At that time all the races were held in the U.S. and the rules dictated that any challenging boat had to be built in their country of origin and sailed to the race site. That meant any challenger from Europe had to be built strong and heavy enough to be sailed across the Atlantic ocean. This put them at a large disadvantage compared to the much lighter American boats. It was not until the rules were changed that anyone else had a chance to win.
Not all the time - the Js were built to Lloyds rules for structure so the US boats were as heavy or heavier. Even before that, boats like the 1894 defender Vigilant were strong enough to sail from the US to the UK as Vigilant did after she won the Cup. Vigilant was pretty badly beaten by Britiannia in most of her races, indicating that (as in other classes) the Brits did better in their home water and the US did better on its home ground.
The requirements in the Deed of Gift at that time were that all boats had to be capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean, challenger or defender alike, so the American boats were required to be built to the same standard as the challengers and were not simply “lighter” boats.
@@sabresforthecup well, not ALL had to sail the Atlantic - they just had to sail to the venue. That meant the Brits, but not the Americans, had to sail across the Atlantic. There were no rules about the construction standard until the J Class arrived. However, the reality is that most US defenders were as capable as the challengers of crossing the Atlantic, with Reliance (and possibly Defender and Columbia) the only real exception.
I em9igrated to Australia from UK in 1981 and when the race was won, I felt like I was an Australian.....oh what a feeling........it's now 40 years since the race but I still call Australia home.
Those yachts were plodding dinosaurs compared to the Formula One racers of today. Much more exciting to watch competition now since the lead can actually change during a race. In the days of these old yachts, if you won the start, you've basically won the race since you simply had to keep yourself between the competition and the finish line. It was very boring to watch, but I suppose some people may prefer to forget about progress and have old model T car races instead of Formula One. If you want to be nostalgic and forget about progress then you might as well go back to the old timber clunkers of the original yachts from two centuries ago. Unless you're old and were alive at the time, then most people today like cutting-edge progress and high speed excitement rather than living in the past.
@@joe-s5rI’ve come to terms with the new foiling boats. I do miss seeing the crew on deck. Looks more like a bobsled team in the ac75. It is amazing to watch though
Keep 'em focused on a keel they can barely see, so they don't notice the state-of-the-art sails! That was the key that doesn't get mentioned in docos like this.... The design and mix of lightweight fabrics in those sails was revolutionary and won us the cup! After all, most racing yachts these days DON'T use a winged keel...... :)
Yep, the keel was something that only really worked in 12s due to their heavy displacement and the fact that the rule required the measured draft to be quite shallow for the boat's size. Meanwhile Hughie and Schnackenberg were designing sails with a panel layout that was well in advance of the other boats.
Also he notes that the boat wasn’t as fast as people thought in Newport .. it was a total combination of crew, sail makers, support staff and a battle hardened attitude. The keel was a nice distraction that freaked the Americans.
That winning boat is on display in the WA Maritime Museum in Perth. What strikes you when you look at it up close is how rough it looked, hand made and crudely finished in places like a prototype. But wow, she was fast. The people who built it were into speed over looks.
There's a 1992 American movie loosely based on Conner (incl vs Australia II) called 'Wind'. There's also 2 full length doco's, one from 1984 called "Aussie Assault" (on youtube), the other in 2022 called 'Untold: The Race of the Century' (on Netfix).
Wind (1992) is the movie, it’s sort of an alternate history of the 1983 and 1987 Cups using fictional characters in the key roles. The Challenge (1986) was an Australian TV miniseries that was more of a straightforward adaptation with actors playing the real people.
@@zoepaulastrassfield2664 That movie was a disgrace with barely concealed allegations that somehow we cheated. A complete re-write of history that drew harsh criticism when it was released here. We beat the Yanks fair and square at their own game and they just couldn't admit it.
As a young kid i woke up early in Australia to watch the deciding race on the black and white tv my parent's gifted me. Was not allowed to watch it after bed time or i would lose the tv. Was glad i risked it.😛
Back in '83 it felt like everything was possible - not only was the challenger for the America's Cup from Australia, it was from Perth! Nothing ever happened in Perth! (still doesn't). Our primary school teacher wheeled out the TV in the afternoons so the class could watch the races. Exciting times and the whinged keel was extraordinary in those days. Now the AC75's fly more than they sail and the winch power comes from cycling rather than grinding.
Just like with the moon landing Australia stopped to watch this event on TV, it not only filled us with pride but gave us a belief that everything was in our grasp if we just set our minds to it. Sadly I see that spirit being destroyed by university elites, disgraceful education systems and amoral politicians.
@@FastForwardSailingAlso hate is a bit strong .. pity is closer .. apart from those countries where your government supported dictators of course .. they hate you
AUSTRALIA II was being used in a competition race against STEAK n KIDNEY in a commercial venture in Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia. Got to sail this vessel as a tourist...grinding away...not the pleasure cruise I'd expected.
You can't have been on Australia II it is in the Maritime Museum in Perth, what you were sailing was the 1980 Cup Challenger which was called Australia
I went to school with a guy called Sean. His Father had salvaged one of the Ragamuffins that got wrecked on a reef near Fiji (I think). That boat was my first experience of sailing out of the heads of Sydney Harbour. Epic memories.
i've never heard an explanation of why John stopped covering Dennis in that last race. i also read years ago and it isn't mentioned nowadays that it was Tom Schnackenberg's spinnaker that won the last downwind
@@Lozzie74 yeah, but to the same effect, when in front in a match race, keep yourself between the finish and your competition. Don’t let them split from you downwind in case they pick up more favorable air on the other side of the course. Keep yourself between the leeward mark/finish and the competition
The spinnaker was a very modified Sobstad spinnaker which had a very narrow wind range, Dennis Connor gybed away about 8 minutes after rounding the top mark when he got a small wind shift to try and protect (what he thought) was the favoured right side of the course, Phil Smidmore the mastman on Australia II said there was more wind on the left side of the course so Australia II continued on starboard gybe and when gybed back later was neck and neck with Liberty when the boats met 2/3rd down the 4.5nm leg. The crew on Liberty were not as good at light air downwind sailing as the Australia II crew and A2 was very slightly quicker. In addition the spinnaker on A2 was slightly smaller and more suited to the winds on the downwind leg than the Liberty spinnaker..
The gamesmanship of this series was unmatched in its humour and its ruthlessness. I remember Team Australia painting the keel to camouflage its underwater shape. There were attempts to get pictures from a helicopter in the hope that the secret might be revealed. I think the Americans had a pretty good idea of what it looked like but not with sufficient clarity. I certainly remember them trying to bolt ‘wings’ onto the end of their keel. After they beat Peter de Savary’s challenge, as Australia II was being towed back into the marina, they passed the American crew standing on the dock. A chant went up from the Aussies, ‘You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!’ Then there was the chrome spanner that the Australians kept waving at the Americans. It was rumoured that the cup was bolted down. Lexcen’s sense of mischief was evident again when he said that as soon as the racing was over, he’d take the cup out into the street, run it over with a steam roller and rename it ‘the Australia’s Plate’.
There is a suburb in Adelaide called North Haven upon the marina that have street named after all the Yachts in that race . Australia II runs up the middle as the main street. Liberty goes left to a gated Unit Community - represents the NYYC very well
@@peterfisher541 Kind of ... what he said was any boss who sacks a worker today is a bum lol ... I didn't see that til I had already arrived at work anyways.
Gretel was good enough to win but like Endeavour the crew just wasn't quite good enough. But Australia 11 won with a crew that exhibited great tenacity and skill and a very good boat. And the right wind. Kookaburra III was designed for heavier winds that simply never came. If they had we would have won for sure at Fremantle. Well maybe.
i remember it .bondy made history even though he was a scoundrel. often thought we should have honoured bondy for this magnificent historical effort,by giving him a free pass for his sins .but then maybe i should have asked the people he short changed whether they agreed. still he'll go down in history for what he pulled off.bondi gave us a magnificent feeling as a country to beat the yanks .it just felt SO good. bob hawke who was PM at the time was a bit of a hero as well because he was in the Guinness book of records for sculling beer .being in senior school and competitive on sat night after the pictures at school we'd duck out and run down to the pub with o stop watch to try and beat his record .we couldn't get near it but were well and truly pissed from our effort
we I believe were on track in 1995 to potentially win it but then the Fast One Australia boat led by the great John Bertrand sunk and so did the chances. But lets never forget in 1995 we were the only one's truely able to match and beat Team New Zealand
@@bmrcoachingacademy8531 In the newspapers at the time, everyone thought 1995 would be a climactic Conner vs Bertrand rematch- in part because Team New Zealand had spread rumors that Black Magic I and II were flawed to encourage others to underestimate them. OneAustralia probably were the strongest challenger aside from Team NZ, so it was a reasonable assumption to make!
Australian here. I was 17 at the time and this was huge news. The euphoria at the time was amazing, Allan Bond, John Bertrand, Australia II, and no internet, just all over the news. And my boss won big on a bet, bought his wife a new car and gave me 2 days off. Win, win. (We closed up the shop, a saw repair/sales business, just the 2 of us working, and his wife did the accounting). And that keel,😂😂😂😂
Got up in the early morning to watch the final race. Living in Coffs Harbour NSW. Took my wife for a good lunch then was told by the boss to b-off for the afternoon. So down to the yacht club. I was pretty late arriving but what an afternoon/evening.
ETNZ, coming from Australia’s “little brother”, New Zealand having just won our 3rd consecutive AC; (2 of them defended), I’d love to know what both the NYYC AND Australia thinks of this achievement, considering NZ now hold the unique record of being the most successful nation other than the US, in the history of the event.
Question should be: How did Australia lose the America's Cup? They are not even competing now. At least America is still interested and a big influence.
Did anyone know that Alan Bond's wife Rolex watch was stolen & he offered $10,000 for the return with no questions asked? To get John Bertrand to the press conference after he had won. He had to ride on the back of the Newport police motorcycle. The people outside the Armory & on Thames street was massive.
Yes - Eileen Bond had her watch taken off her wrist in the crowd mass outside the armoury where the press conference was and she got the watch back some weeks later. John B and the crew walked to Armoury from the dock - about 300m away and it was SCARY with the mass crowd squashing in.
Beginning of the end of the 12 meter era. Such a shame, the modern AC with foiling boats is closer to Formula One than sailing. I mean, crash helmets and flipping boats at the mark?
@@UMBERRRTO1 I agree, but it's a non-sequitur. My point was that the modern AC boats bear more affinity to the thrills and risks of high-speed motor sports than to the art of sailing. Nothing against Formula One or other similar events; I enjoy them myself. But I am nostalgic for the supreme demonstrations of skill and determination of the 12-meter era, with lovely seaworthy boats that weren't prone to pitch-pole in 4' seas.
@michaelbaughman8524 I think your comparison with f1 is quite fitting. And I also understand your nostalgic feelings for the classic yachts. But isn't it amazing to see how technology advances and what can be achieved on the water only using the wind as an accelerating force? I think events like the americas cup are important to show people that sailing isn't just an outdated and old fashioned way of travelling on water, it's still advancing in the 21st century and it's faster than ever.
@@Elias-eo1vh I do agree that the tech advances are truly amazing, and fun to watch too. Pretty cool that a sailboat can do almost 50 kts. But it's a different sport than "classic" yacht racing, of which the America's Cup used to be the epitome. I was just watching an old race where one boat tacked over the lay line and pointed low to gain speed and gain a leeward position to force the other boat past the windward mark - but the other skipper instantly put his helm down too and used the starboard tack to turn the tables and force the other to give way. Such tactics aren't possible with the new format.
I agree, but for a different reason, Previously, the race was something the everyday amateur sailor could easily relate to. It was close. If you watch a PGA tournie and play golf, you can relate. Same game. Now? Who can relate to watching a rocket launch?
I must have aged 10yrs during that last race. Like most of Australia we stayed up all night to watch that final thrilling tacking duel, hoping against hope that the lightly built Australia 2, with it's inverted "Spitfire-wings" keel could somehow stay together and reach the finish line in front. The Gods must have been smiling on us that day, especially since they took A2 out for a sail the next day after winning The Cup and the mast snapped on the first tack. That would have been the end of us but somehow it stayed together during race 7 until victory was ours. It remains, to this day, our country's finest sporting achievement.
I remember this day well. My family all got up early to watch the race. I was told by my sister that we were losing. Then a bit later I heard them in the living room getting that bit louder and being very tense. And then there was this almighty yelling and screaming and we'd won. I got up after that. Still had to go to bloody school that day though. Yeah you had to give the Americans and Dennis Connor their dues though, got very close in a boat that was almost there. To be honest I think it was the crew training the Australians had under their belt by that time that was at least 50% of the win. The Americans were a very good crew, and so were the Australians.
No, it was the Rugby World Cup win in '83. Aussie 2, Pat Cash and the Rugby win if I recall in our greatest year 1983. Also Paul Keating was named International Treasurer of the Year. What a year :))
Not a well-founded perspective. Dennis and crew sailed the hell out of a slower hull and nearly won. Bertrand got his hat handed to him in several races (port tacked twice by a few feet) and it was only his good luck to find better wind on the last downwind leg. 4-3 is hardly "crushing it." But have your fun.
Maybe I`ve got that wrong, but doesn`t the race usually takes place in the country of the defender? Wouldn`t that be in Australia? Why now in Barcelona? That made sense when Allinghy was the defender once, since there are no huge lakes in Switzerland (except for the Bodensee. That would have been big enough, but the winds there are not really reliable for such an event). What have I got wrong?🤔
Connor lost that regatta in several races. The Australians were remarkable and capitalized on every mistake. Why did Connor fail to cover Aus on the Downwind leg in the 7th race is the question???? Arrogance led to his loss
No - Liberty's crew lack of light air downwind skills lead to the loss - Dennis mistakenly believed Australia II was a rocket downwind when it was slow (against the other challengers) and in Aug 1983 the crew spent 2 weeks solid turning that downwind weakness into a strength
This is not How America lost the Cup, this is How Australia won the Cup thats what the title should be, let me guess this has been posted by and American
@@bmrcoachingacademy8531 I totally get your point. The second part of the title does imply it was the efforts of Aus. But I think of all my video titles in terms of what would get a person who doesn't know much about the cup interested. That after all is a big part of the purpose of sport
As a long-time fan of America's Cup racing, this video is a bit disappointing for me. I really wanted to learn how the "slow" Liberty got to a 3-1 lead to begin with, if it was at such a disadvantage design-wise. Yet her 2nd and 3rd wins were glossed over! And so were the 2nd and 3rd wins of Australia II! This should have been the meat of the video, instead... nothing! Why? You found so much archive footage, surely you could have given us some explanation (and footage) of what led to victory in these 4 races.
I am not sure if you listened to the Louis V lead up races and all of the cup races but the 3-1 lead was achieved because of continuing gear breakage and tuning faults….once the gear was fixed Australia was unbeatable
Of course the Americans tried to cancel the racing...They are the only country in the world that has a "World" series and only has American competitors...Americas cup, Drag racing. American football etc etc...
Then the kiwi thought "what's the fuss?" Why the Aussies claim to be the best sailors in the world just because they won this thing. 3 campaigns later, the cup belongs to team NZ.
Australia has lost interest in the Americas Cup. It was a contest between a nation's sailors and boat design funded by yachting obsessed multi millionares. Now it's like F1 auto racing on water where the boats and crews represent a country in name only. NZ started this trend by attempting to be more litigious than the Americans!!!
The Aussie boat was better, to be sure. Dennis outsailed Aus2 pretty handily though, and I was there all summer to see it. But the little boat bailed out Bertram on a few, key occasions. The rub, the asterisk, is that it now comes to light that a lot of the design of the keel was accomplished in Netherlands, by the Dutch. At least according to one of the Dutch engineers at the tow tank. If true, the '83 Cup Races were a sham and a farce. IMO the Club conducted itself honorably under the circumstances.
Yep, the Sepos sook and cry, try to make out that they were only beaten by the boat, but given the outright cheating for which the NYCC was famous for, changing rules mid stream, the Sepos are just sooks. I was there, Bertrand outsailed the Sepos just as much as thet did him. The dutch didn't invent the keel, it was an Aussie design. We spanked the Sepos. They are the mudguards of the world. Biggest sporting cheats in the world, just ask Lance or Floyd Landis!
Jimmy Spithill hasn’t done too badly against the Kiwis over the years in America’s Cup races… He hasn’t won them all, but he’s won more than he’s lost…😉
I remember the Australian news papers’ headlines were something like:
“We keeled them…”😂
@@geoffharestad5481
We’re also horrible at mass shootings…
@@geoffharestad5481 what about these days. USA is terrible in all types
@@geoffharestad5481 hows that worked for you guys lately???
@@geoffharestad5481 Imagine losing to terrible sailors 😂😂
Being an avid kiwi sailor ..i was transfixed to the goggle box and absolutley flabbagasted when bondy raised the the boat and revealed the supposedly first winged keel. I realised immediately that once again just like far lap and pavlova lexen had pinched the keel from a yacht built and designed by arch logan in the 1920s in New zealand..this boat after blowing every thing in Nz at the time went off to australia but after winning its first couple of races mysteriously dissapeered...good on them though and good on bondy for smashing the yanks
I was at the finish line of the last race, and it looked like Liberty had it until Australia altered course for the leeward mark. The subsequent tacking dual was epic.
46 times? Wouldn't have blamed Bertrand for giving up on covering too early, that's just an obscene workload, even just for your rail meat
@@weatheranddarkness Liberty was quicker on the upwind legs in the last race after they took out 2,000lbs of lead - there was no way you go let Liberty get a sniff of clear air.. The crew were relishing every tack to make sure they stayed in front!
@@weatheranddarkness I think Alan Bond later commented that they took Australia II out the following day and the gear broke on the _very first_ tack they attempted, so I if Conner had rolled the dice just one more time ...
Then too I wonder just what shape Liberty's gear was in as well.
Being youth at that time, I looked for every edition of our german Yacht Magazin...
I remember the Australian Team offering a wrench for the N.Y. Yacht Club, to loosen the screws...🙃
A great series for sure. I was glued to the screen on the last race. I still prefer the old boats with spinnakers.
If anyone could have imagined what that winged keel would evolve into.
Absolutely love these boats.
Lawyers going sailing.
As a proud American and sailor, truly, of all the countries Americans typically love, Canada, England, Mexico, France, etc etc, Australia was the least stinging to lose the Cup to. It still stings, but bygummit Australia! Like losing a footrace to a brother. The Cup has always been a blend of boat and skill. Aussies had the skill and the boat and the win was well deserved.
I'm actually quite surprised to see that comment, back in 83 I was working on an outback station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia and the station boss bought his big satellite TV outside that night so the station hands could have a BBQ and watch the race. It would be fair to say that as a country we had always played "above our weight" in international sporting events, more down to stubbournness than outright skill. Still its fun to knock off world powers. The only thing that disappointed me was the attitude of some members of the NYYC and their attempts to sideline Australia 2 on technicalities. As it was in subsequent post 1987 races American teams had shown a decided lack of sportsmanship.
@@Deevo037 they don’t speak for the fans or the public.
Very kind of you to say that, but losing was inevitable. Then or the next one or twenty years later. You can't win anything forever, or at least you can't mess with the rules to allow you to keep winning forever. Something had to give.
@@Deevo037 They were still throwing legal challenges at it 20 years later.
@@thethirdman225 Doesn't surprise me, Americans are still whining about Steven Bradbury's Olympic gold. th-cam.com/video/fAADWfJO2qM/w-d-xo.html
1983 was a great year for me and I remember this like yesterday.
I still remember Alan Bond standing on the peer, holding up his arms like Moses calling for the boat to be lifted out of the water to finally reveal the winged keel. Pure gold!
...and American sailors, of the ultimate level, then commented, "Bondy just saved up to five years of naval architect research."
...and within three years, every AC 12Metre arrived in Fremantle - with winged keels.
And Bondy, and even more, the stupidity of Royal Perth Yacht Club, handed the America's Cup back to Dennis Conner.
@@redmerlot2466 They pretty much knew anyway and were already experimenting with makeshift winged keels *during* the America's Cup. Regardless of whether they unveilved the keel after their victory or not, they would have started researching winged keel designs for 12m yaughts immediately after the race anyway.
@@melbguy1
...and the evidence of "...they pretty well knew ... and were experimenting.."?
@@redmerlot2466 In response to your comment, a/ YT don't allow external links to be posted. And b/ I'm not in the dock giving evidence in a trial.
@@melbguy1
...and you are completely wrong.
Which syndicate "knew"?
Which syndicate was "already experimenting"?
As in: there was only the New York Yacht Club involved.
Wrong be you.
What is not explained about that longest winning streak is that the Americans had a huge advantage over any challengers. At that time all the races were held in the U.S. and the rules dictated that any challenging boat had to be built in their country of origin and sailed to the race site. That meant any challenger from Europe had to be built strong and heavy enough to be sailed across the Atlantic ocean. This put them at a large disadvantage compared to the much lighter American boats. It was not until the rules were changed that anyone else had a chance to win.
Not all the time - the Js were built to Lloyds rules for structure so the US boats were as heavy or heavier. Even before that, boats like the 1894 defender Vigilant were strong enough to sail from the US to the UK as Vigilant did after she won the Cup. Vigilant was pretty badly beaten by Britiannia in most of her races, indicating that (as in other classes) the Brits did better in their home water and the US did better on its home ground.
The requirements in the Deed of Gift at that time were that all boats had to be capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean, challenger or defender alike, so the American boats were required to be built to the same standard as the challengers and were not simply “lighter” boats.
@@sabresforthecup well, not ALL had to sail the Atlantic - they just had to sail to the venue. That meant the Brits, but not the Americans, had to sail across the Atlantic. There were no rules about the construction standard until the J Class arrived. However, the reality is that most US defenders were as capable as the challengers of crossing the Atlantic, with Reliance (and possibly Defender and Columbia) the only real exception.
@@sabresforthecup just as well the Aussies were capable of sailing the Pacific 🤣🤣
And they still throw their toys out of the cot when things don't suit them.
I em9igrated to Australia from UK in 1981 and when the race was won, I felt like I was an Australian.....oh what a feeling........it's now 40 years since the race but I still call Australia home.
I owned 12M 'Magic' for a while. These yachts are amazing to sail. Great period in sailing history
wish they still competed in these monohulls
They are racing in monohull.
Talk to Larry Ellison.
@@ObviouslySeriouslyDGAF on foils though. different animal.
Those yachts were plodding dinosaurs compared to the Formula One racers of today. Much more exciting to watch competition now since the lead can actually change during a race. In the days of these old yachts, if you won the start, you've basically won the race since you simply had to keep yourself between the competition and the finish line. It was very boring to watch, but I suppose some people may prefer to forget about progress and have old model T car races instead of Formula One. If you want to be nostalgic and forget about progress then you might as well go back to the old timber clunkers of the original yachts from two centuries ago. Unless you're old and were alive at the time, then most people today like cutting-edge progress and high speed excitement rather than living in the past.
@@joe-s5rI’ve come to terms with the new foiling boats. I do miss seeing the crew on deck. Looks more like a bobsled team in the ac75. It is amazing to watch though
Keep 'em focused on a keel they can barely see, so they don't notice the state-of-the-art sails!
That was the key that doesn't get mentioned in docos like this....
The design and mix of lightweight fabrics in those sails was revolutionary and won us the cup!
After all, most racing yachts these days DON'T use a winged keel...... :)
Yep, the keel was something that only really worked in 12s due to their heavy displacement and the fact that the rule required the measured draft to be quite shallow for the boat's size. Meanwhile Hughie and Schnackenberg were designing sails with a panel layout that was well in advance of the other boats.
The book Born to Win John Bertrand is a great book
Also he notes that the boat wasn’t as fast as people thought in Newport .. it was a total combination of crew, sail makers, support staff and a battle hardened attitude. The keel was a nice distraction that freaked the Americans.
September 26th 1983, what a great time to be an Aussie, the country partied like you wouldn't believe! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!
We were living in st thomas at that time. Everyone was glued to their radios, all backing the Australians.
I followed this race from Sweden and I remember it very well. I'm a sailor and I love sailing.
That winning boat is on display in the WA Maritime Museum in Perth. What strikes you when you look at it up close is how rough it looked, hand made and crudely finished in places like a prototype. But wow, she was fast. The people who built it were into speed over looks.
If you can find it in a library somewhere - Ben Lexcen : the man, the keel, and the cup (book)
This really should be made into a movie.
There's a 1992 American movie loosely based on Conner (incl vs Australia II) called 'Wind'.
There's also 2 full length doco's, one from 1984 called "Aussie Assault" (on youtube), the other in 2022 called 'Untold: The Race of the Century' (on Netfix).
It was.
@@petesmith9472 what is the movie 🤔
Wind (1992) is the movie, it’s sort of an alternate history of the 1983 and 1987 Cups using fictional characters in the key roles.
The Challenge (1986) was an Australian TV miniseries that was more of a straightforward adaptation with actors playing the real people.
@@zoepaulastrassfield2664 That movie was a disgrace with barely concealed allegations that somehow we cheated. A complete re-write of history that drew harsh criticism when it was released here. We beat the Yanks fair and square at their own game and they just couldn't admit it.
As a young kid i woke up early in Australia to watch the deciding race on the black and white tv my parent's gifted me. Was not allowed to watch it after bed time or i would lose the tv. Was glad i risked it.😛
Back in '83 it felt like everything was possible - not only was the challenger for the America's Cup from Australia, it was from Perth! Nothing ever happened in Perth! (still doesn't). Our primary school teacher wheeled out the TV in the afternoons so the class could watch the races. Exciting times and the whinged keel was extraordinary in those days. Now the AC75's fly more than they sail and the winch power comes from cycling rather than grinding.
You really have to give Dennis and his crew credit that they took a best of 7 against a much better boat to race 7.
I saw this yacht at the western Australian maritime museum in Fremantle Australia
Just like with the moon landing Australia stopped to watch this event on TV, it not only filled us with pride but gave us a belief that everything was in our grasp if we just set our minds to it. Sadly I see that spirit being destroyed by university elites, disgraceful education systems and amoral politicians.
Okay Pol Pot
Oh My...I never knew I was on film! During this wonderful year...
Me: *watching video*
Lady at 0:30 : *stupid jingoistic quips*
Me: “Yeah, this is why they hate us in other countries, isn’t it?”
😂
The funny part is that she didn't care where the coffee she was actually drinking came from, just the cup she was drinking it from 😂
No, we admire patrioots, we only look down on self-hating gutless people like you.
Well, the whole .. "we are the greatest country in the world mindset" .. is irksome. When clearly as a nation you have some issues
@@FastForwardSailingAlso hate is a bit strong .. pity is closer .. apart from those countries where your government supported dictators of course .. they hate you
AUSTRALIA II was being used in a competition race against STEAK n KIDNEY in a commercial venture in Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia.
Got to sail this vessel as a tourist...grinding away...not the pleasure cruise I'd expected.
You can't have been on Australia II it is in the Maritime Museum in Perth, what you were sailing was the 1980 Cup Challenger which was called Australia
They didn't have cyclors back in 83. Would've been a big help.
The Americans just couldn’t dig the Aussie’s cheek, sense of humour and toughness. The American’s weakness is their self seriousness!
The winged keel was thinking outside the box win. That was the only reason they won. Nothing to do with personality.
they think only about guns, for this they are ameriguns
I went to school with a guy called Sean. His Father had salvaged one of the Ragamuffins that got wrecked on a reef near Fiji (I think). That boat was my first experience of sailing out of the heads of Sydney Harbour. Epic memories.
i've never heard an explanation of why John stopped covering Dennis in that last race. i also read years ago and it isn't mentioned nowadays that it was Tom Schnackenberg's spinnaker that won the last downwind
It’s a weird comment in the video. You don’t cover when sailing downwind. The boat behind you can blanket your wind. Covering is an UPWIND manoeuvre.
@@Lozzie74 yeah, but to the same effect, when in front in a match race, keep yourself between the finish and your competition. Don’t let them split from you downwind in case they pick up more favorable air on the other side of the course. Keep yourself between the leeward mark/finish and the competition
The spinnaker was a very modified Sobstad spinnaker which had a very narrow wind range, Dennis Connor gybed away about 8 minutes after rounding the top mark when he got a small wind shift to try and protect (what he thought) was the favoured right side of the course, Phil Smidmore the mastman on Australia II said there was more wind on the left side of the course so Australia II continued on starboard gybe and when gybed back later was neck and neck with Liberty when the boats met 2/3rd down the 4.5nm leg. The crew on Liberty were not as good at light air downwind sailing as the Australia II crew and A2 was very slightly quicker. In addition the spinnaker on A2 was slightly smaller and more suited to the winds on the downwind leg than the Liberty spinnaker..
@@skiplissiman THANKS FOR THE DETAILS
@@skiplissiman are you the Skip Lissiman who was port trimmer on A2? If so congratulations and deep respect on the achievement.
The gamesmanship of this series was unmatched in its humour and its ruthlessness. I remember Team Australia painting the keel to camouflage its underwater shape. There were attempts to get pictures from a helicopter in the hope that the secret might be revealed. I think the Americans had a pretty good idea of what it looked like but not with sufficient clarity. I certainly remember them trying to bolt ‘wings’ onto the end of their keel.
After they beat Peter de Savary’s challenge, as Australia II was being towed back into the marina, they passed the American crew standing on the dock. A chant went up from the Aussies, ‘You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!’
Then there was the chrome spanner that the Australians kept waving at the Americans. It was rumoured that the cup was bolted down.
Lexcen’s sense of mischief was evident again when he said that as soon as the racing was over, he’d take the cup out into the street, run it over with a steam roller and rename it ‘the Australia’s Plate’.
There is a suburb in Adelaide called North Haven upon the marina that have street named after all the Yachts in that race . Australia II runs up the middle as the main street. Liberty goes left to a gated Unit Community - represents the NYYC very well
I, like many Australians, were late to work that day ;)
@@mozofoz i thought Bob gave uou guys the day off
@@peterfisher541 Kind of ... what he said was any boss who sacks a worker today is a bum lol ... I didn't see that til I had already arrived at work anyways.
Gretel was good enough to win but like Endeavour the crew just wasn't quite good enough. But Australia 11 won with a crew that exhibited great tenacity and skill and a very good boat. And the right wind. Kookaburra III was designed for heavier winds that simply never came. If they had we would have won for sure at Fremantle. Well maybe.
i remember it .bondy made history even though he was a scoundrel. often thought we should have honoured bondy for this magnificent historical effort,by giving him a free pass for his sins .but then maybe i should have asked the people he short changed whether they agreed. still he'll go down in history for what he pulled off.bondi gave us a magnificent feeling as a country to beat the yanks .it just felt SO good.
bob hawke who was PM at the time was a bit of a hero as well because he was in the Guinness book of records for sculling beer .being in senior school and competitive on sat night after the pictures at school we'd duck out and run down to the pub with o stop watch to try and beat his record .we couldn't get near it but were well and truly pissed from our effort
Grew up watching the twelves but it looks like slow motion now.
8:47 That's a proper Aussie interview.
The irony of Men at Works 'land down under' being used by the corporation's went right over the heads of most people.
Plz explain
I watched this live at the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron.
Bit of a shame they never won it since. The Aussies, I mean. That Slingsby bloke seems to know his way around a race track.
..you’re such an Aussie fanboy..
Bit like taking a virgin
we I believe were on track in 1995 to potentially win it but then the Fast One Australia boat led by the great John Bertrand sunk and so did the chances. But lets never forget in 1995 we were the only one's truely able to match and beat Team New Zealand
@@bmrcoachingacademy8531 In the newspapers at the time, everyone thought 1995 would be a climactic Conner vs Bertrand rematch- in part because Team New Zealand had spread rumors that Black Magic I and II were flawed to encourage others to underestimate them. OneAustralia probably were the strongest challenger aside from Team NZ, so it was a reasonable assumption to make!
@@kaiyves957 pretty much think that is what I was saying but thanks for stating the obvious
Australian here. I was 17 at the time and this was huge news. The euphoria at the time was amazing, Allan Bond, John Bertrand, Australia II, and no internet, just all over the news. And my boss won big on a bet, bought his wife a new car and gave me 2 days off. Win, win. (We closed up the shop, a saw repair/sales business, just the 2 of us working, and his wife did the accounting). And that keel,😂😂😂😂
Got up in the early morning to watch the final race. Living in Coffs Harbour NSW. Took my wife for a good lunch then was told by the boss to b-off for the afternoon. So down to the yacht club. I was pretty late arriving but what an afternoon/evening.
16:54 Americans love an underdog. That, and I've always thought Australia is awesome 😊
ETNZ, coming from Australia’s “little brother”, New Zealand having just won our 3rd consecutive AC; (2 of them defended), I’d love to know what both the NYYC AND Australia thinks of this achievement, considering NZ now hold the unique record of being the most successful nation other than the US, in the history of the event.
Question should be: How did Australia lose the America's Cup? They are not even competing now. At least America is still interested and a big influence.
Did anyone know that Alan Bond's wife Rolex watch was stolen & he offered $10,000 for the return with no questions asked? To get John Bertrand to the press conference after he had won. He had to ride on the back of the Newport police motorcycle. The people outside the Armory & on Thames street was massive.
Yes - Eileen Bond had her watch taken off her wrist in the crowd mass outside the armoury where the press conference was and she got the watch back some weeks later. John B and the crew walked to Armoury from the dock - about 300m away and it was SCARY with the mass crowd squashing in.
It's pretty simple really, the Seppo's could no longer cheat...
Beginning of the end of the 12 meter era. Such a shame, the modern AC with foiling boats is closer to Formula One than sailing. I mean, crash helmets and flipping boats at the mark?
Nothing wrong with safety or speed
@@UMBERRRTO1 I agree, but it's a non-sequitur. My point was that the modern AC boats bear more affinity to the thrills and risks of high-speed motor sports than to the art of sailing. Nothing against Formula One or other similar events; I enjoy them myself. But I am nostalgic for the supreme demonstrations of skill and determination of the 12-meter era, with lovely seaworthy boats that weren't prone to pitch-pole in 4' seas.
@michaelbaughman8524 I think your comparison with f1 is quite fitting. And I also understand your nostalgic feelings for the classic yachts. But isn't it amazing to see how technology advances and what can be achieved on the water only using the wind as an accelerating force? I think events like the americas cup are important to show people that sailing isn't just an outdated and old fashioned way of travelling on water, it's still advancing in the 21st century and it's faster than ever.
@@Elias-eo1vh I do agree that the tech advances are truly amazing, and fun to watch too. Pretty cool that a sailboat can do almost 50 kts. But it's a different sport than "classic" yacht racing, of which the America's Cup used to be the epitome. I was just watching an old race where one boat tacked over the lay line and pointed low to gain speed and gain a leeward position to force the other boat past the windward mark - but the other skipper instantly put his helm down too and used the starboard tack to turn the tables and force the other to give way. Such tactics aren't possible with the new format.
I agree, but for a different reason, Previously, the race was something the everyday amateur sailor could easily relate to. It was close. If you watch a PGA tournie and play golf, you can relate. Same game. Now? Who can relate to watching a rocket launch?
I was steering a yacht last year in a race and it had a winged keel. They are different and you do have to adjust your technique. 🐟
Those USA sailors were so good. they were up against a much better opponent and still won 3 times - amazing respect!
I really want to watch the actual races from 83, do they exist anywhere online? All i can find are highlight reels
I must have aged 10yrs during that last race. Like most of Australia we stayed up all night to watch that final thrilling tacking duel, hoping against hope that the lightly built Australia 2, with it's inverted "Spitfire-wings" keel could somehow stay together and reach the finish line in front.
The Gods must have been smiling on us that day, especially since they took A2 out for a sail the next day after winning The Cup and the mast snapped on the first tack.
That would have been the end of us but somehow it stayed together during race 7 until victory was ours. It remains, to this day, our country's finest sporting achievement.
So if Conner had just rolled the dice one more time ...
@@HBr-j7c Yes...
@@HBr-j7c Yep...
Ohh, I reckon the underarm bowl against the Kiwis was and is pretty famous.
Such a tragedy Bondy’s outrageous financial dishonesty destroyed the legacy of his America’s Cup success.
I remember this day well. My family all got up early to watch the race. I was told by my sister that we were losing. Then a bit later I heard them in the living room getting that bit louder and being very tense. And then there was this almighty yelling and screaming and we'd won. I got up after that. Still had to go to bloody school that day though.
Yeah you had to give the Americans and Dennis Connor their dues though, got very close in a boat that was almost there. To be honest I think it was the crew training the Australians had under their belt by that time that was at least 50% of the win. The Americans were a very good crew, and so were the Australians.
Who remembers the Courageous beer Alan Bond brought to Ida Lewis?
I think it was Australia II, Hawthorn in the VFL GF and Pat Cash at Wimbledon. 🇦🇺👍🍺
No, it was the Rugby World Cup win in '83.
Aussie 2, Pat Cash and the Rugby win if I recall in our greatest year 1983. Also Paul Keating was named International Treasurer of the Year. What a year :))
I went to Australia to travel and went across the desert to Fremantle for that one. I was a young sailor at the time.
These boats were the best. Modern multi hulled AC boats are just not the same
Amen
Truly agree.....who could have imagined that they would be sailing in a couple decades a boats that could exceed 50 knots !!!!
Are there comfort stations available ?
It's called an ocean...
They lost ! Why ? They were crushed by a better team and boat !
Live with it ! !
Not a well-founded perspective. Dennis and crew sailed the hell out of a slower hull and nearly won. Bertrand got his hat handed to him in several races (port tacked twice by a few feet) and it was only his good luck to find better wind on the last downwind leg. 4-3 is hardly "crushing it." But have your fun.
And then Dennis showed up in a multihull.
As it happens, just released a video on that th-cam.com/video/Zw_5FxQzW6I/w-d-xo.html
17:00 everybody likes an underdog
No-one has lived off a last name more than Halsey
They wanted both boats to be fair!! Just like when Dennis turned up in a catamaran against a monohull!!!
I kinda like Dennis but the double standards are crazy. Got a video coming up on 1988 this weekend
Maybe I`ve got that wrong, but doesn`t the race usually takes place in the country of the defender? Wouldn`t that be in Australia? Why now in Barcelona? That made sense when Allinghy was the defender once, since there are no huge lakes in Switzerland (except for the Bodensee. That would have been big enough, but the winds there are not really reliable for such an event). What have I got wrong?🤔
Was this the first real “bow down” boat to get the lift?😊
How god would it be to reenact all the races in that series if they had GPS tracking? Where you can truly realise how great the racing was.
Bad sports being bad sports? Nothing new
I have a Tie with all the challengers on it that Narragansett clothing did.
"Americans can be very chicane" Thomas Jefferson.
I've watched this show several times over the years, living in several different states.... this is really a fun tale. hip hip hurray!! Aussie spirit!
Connor lost that regatta in several races. The Australians were remarkable and capitalized on every mistake. Why did Connor fail to cover Aus on the Downwind leg in the 7th race is the question???? Arrogance led to his loss
No - Liberty's crew lack of light air downwind skills lead to the loss - Dennis mistakenly believed Australia II was a rocket downwind when it was slow (against the other challengers) and in Aug 1983 the crew spent 2 weeks solid turning that downwind weakness into a strength
I was in Newport then as Bartender at Ida Lewis...
What a great race
Too bad Connor lost.
I find this more enjoyable to watch than these computerized racing machines flying on foils.
Once NZ and Australia get involved in anything they are hard to beat probably the best sporting nations in the world per capita
This is not How America lost the Cup, this is How Australia won the Cup thats what the title should be, let me guess this has been posted by and American
Nope a Brit. 😉 I get what you are saying and realised it when planning the title but it just wasn't as catchy.
@@FastForwardSailing lol what ever you reckon, I just think the title cheapens what the Australians did, they won this Cup
@@bmrcoachingacademy8531 I totally get your point. The second part of the title does imply it was the efforts of Aus. But I think of all my video titles in terms of what would get a person who doesn't know much about the cup interested. That after all is a big part of the purpose of sport
@@FastForwardSailing yeah whatever
@@bmrcoachingacademy8531You stOLE oUR MOMENT. THE TIETLE MAKES me so SAD for all of the sacrifices of the auSTRLAIALANS. I'm going to CRY.
Do not forget that your sailmakers were KIWIs
Yes, Tom Schnackenberg in particular was behind the scenes of a lot of America's Cup victories
True. But it’s like saying kiwi bricklayers slapped concrete into the Opera House.
@@petesmith9472 no, more like saying that Kiwis built the Repco engines for Jack Brabham !!!
Distract em with our high drag keel... Win with our kiwi sails.... ;)
What is it with American TV ? It looks like it was filmed in 1910 . There quality is crap
It’s called NTSC colour system
As a long-time fan of America's Cup racing, this video is a bit disappointing for me. I really wanted to learn how the "slow" Liberty got to a 3-1 lead to begin with, if it was at such a disadvantage design-wise.
Yet her 2nd and 3rd wins were glossed over! And so were the 2nd and 3rd wins of Australia II! This should have been the meat of the video, instead... nothing! Why? You found so much archive footage, surely you could have given us some explanation (and footage) of what led to victory in these 4 races.
I am not sure if you listened to the Louis V lead up races and all of the cup races but the 3-1 lead was achieved because of continuing gear breakage and tuning faults….once the gear was fixed Australia was unbeatable
@@petesmith9472 Thank you for the info. It should be shown in the video.
Fairness in racing America?? Who turned up with a Catamaran?
Of course the Americans tried to cancel the racing...They are the only country in the world that has a "World" series and only has American competitors...Americas cup, Drag racing. American football etc etc...
It should have stopped at mono's. This is no longer a yatch race.
Then the Kiwis came along.....
the real name is the lipton cup, after the tea famly, who instigated the contest in the 1850s
And then came the Kiwis
Better sailing on the day won ,,and Team America ran out of cheat codes.
Got beat
Doesn’t make for as good a title 😉
Beat it beat it u all got to do is beat it...John Hancock
I never realised Warren called it at 4-3. Always great to beat the Yanks, especially when they start using their “tactics” as usual😂
predates cricket are you sure mate love the uk
So he lost crowd about it , tried to cheat to win and still lost how was that remote ok
"Tried to cheat to win"? Hmmm "The election was stolen. Let's have an unsurrection. I am ENTITLED to win". Sound familiar?
Shouldn't it be .. How Australia won the America's Cup.
Then the kiwi thought "what's the fuss?" Why the Aussies claim to be the best sailors in the world just because they won this thing.
3 campaigns later, the cup belongs to team NZ.
That was sailing - not sailing on stilts!
Australia has lost interest in the Americas Cup.
It was a contest between a nation's sailors and boat design funded by yachting obsessed multi millionares.
Now it's like F1 auto racing on water where the boats and crews represent a country in name only.
NZ started this trend by attempting to be more litigious than the Americans!!!
You lost it because the other team was better. Nothing else.
The Aussie boat was better, to be sure. Dennis outsailed Aus2 pretty handily though, and I was there all summer to see it. But the little boat bailed out Bertram on a few, key occasions. The rub, the asterisk, is that it now comes to light that a lot of the design of the keel was accomplished in Netherlands, by the Dutch. At least according to one of the Dutch engineers at the tow tank. If true, the '83 Cup Races were a sham and a farce. IMO the Club conducted itself honorably under the circumstances.
Yep, the Sepos sook and cry, try to make out that they were only beaten by the boat, but given the outright cheating for which the NYCC was famous for, changing rules mid stream, the Sepos are just sooks. I was there, Bertrand outsailed the Sepos just as much as thet did him. The dutch didn't invent the keel, it was an Aussie design. We spanked the Sepos. They are the mudguards of the world. Biggest sporting cheats in the world, just ask Lance or Floyd Landis!
Won it back in 87
"the other team was better. Nothing else."
'Better keel' is not 'nothing'. It was pretty much THE reason.
@@dap777754fair point.
I was there, amazing BRAVO what a lifetime memory
It predates cricket? Yes, as an international sporting event.
That lady's daughter now be like
"Get that cup from Temu, mom"
Australia can’t get it back off the Kiwis….not even close.
we haven't been in it for a while so bit hard, mind you plenty of Aussie sailors are part of the teams.
So tell me who drives the US boat? And half of the other boats? an Aussie that's who.
Jimmy Spithill hasn’t done too badly against the Kiwis over the years in America’s Cup races… He hasn’t won them all, but he’s won more than he’s lost…😉