America II
America II is a racing sailboat and one of the final America's Cup 12 Meters. There were a total of three America IIs commissioned for the New York Yacht Club's challenge in the 1987 America's Cup. These were US 42, 44 & 46 and all boats were named America II.
| Yacht club |  New York Yacht Club |
|---|---|
| Nation |  United States |
| Class | 12-meter |
| Sail no | US-42, US-44 & US-46 |
| Launched | 1984, 1985 & 1986 |
| Owner(s) | US Merchant Marine Academy Foundation |
| Racing career | |
| Skippers | John Kolius |
| America's Cup | 1987 |
America II (US 46), skippered by John Kolius, competed in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup which was held in Freemantle, Australia running up to the America's Cup. The New York Yacht Club syndicate, competing as US Merchant Marine Academy Foundation, were the first to arrive in Freemantle in 1984. It had two 12-Meter boats, US-42 and US-44 (both named America II) sailing in the following year. A third sister boat, US-46 arrived shortly after. The challenge cost the NYYC $15M.[1]
1987 Trials Round Robins
The regatta was staged in three round-robin stages, with points awarded on an increasing scale the later the round in an attempt to award the fastest boats at the end of the series. The top four boats were then placed in an elimination series to select the challenger. The first round robin saw three boats standout, America II of the New York Yacht Club, Stars and Stripes 87 and the surprise of the regatta, KZ 7, all of which finished the first round robin with 11-1 records. The second round saw Stars & Stripes struggle. Conner's boat was optimized for heavy airs, and suffered from a shortage of sails for lighter breezes. When a spell of Easterlies settled over Western Australia she was caught out of her element and dropped four races. She lost to Tom Blackaller and USA in 5 to 10 knot winds, and the following day to the Kiwis, even though the breeze had picked up to 22 knots. On the ninth day she lost again to the British team White Crusader in 4 to 6 knots breeze, and the following day to Canada II, whom she had led around the final mark but was caught out when the breeze died away.[9] The Kiwis continued to dominate the regatta, winning every one of their eleven match races, while America II continued to make a strong showing with a 9-2 record. The third round saw a change in fortunes. America II simply was unable to continue to improve her speed, while other boats were making improvements and getting faster. She struggled to a 6-5 record in the final round. What was a strong performance coming in simply was not enough by the third round, and their loss to KZ 7 placed them out of the running for the Semis. The loss meant the New York Yacht Club was eliminated for the first time in Cup history. USA with her unique design was finally showing her potential, as Tom Blackaller became better versed in handling the boat with the forward canard or rudder. Marc Pajot's French Kiss upset America II and found her way into the Semis.[10]
The 1987 America's Cup was eventually won by Dennis Conner on Stars & Stripes 87 (US 55).
Modern Day Racing
While 12 meters have been replaced by newer formats in the America's Cup they are still raced today. America II along with Australia II and all 12 meters built for the 1987 America's Cup are included in the Grand Prix Division.
Yachts in the Grand Prix Division race to the full Class Rule with no concessions, unlike their older peers. The generational divisions and 12-Meter-specific ratings system helps guide owners into the boat that best fits their objectives and budget. Given that the current Grand Prix division is made up of yachts designed for the heavy air of Fremantle, Australia they do not fair as well in less dramatic winds. To make them competitive in lighter-air venues like Newport, R.I., and the Mediterranean, owners may reconfigure the boats' rating trade-offs of length, displacement, and sail area. Additionally, advancements in hydrodynamic design require owners of Freemantle 12-Meters to fit new appendages in order to be fully competitive. Improvements in spars, hardware, and sails demand new purchases, as well. The cost of an unimproved Grand Prix yacht is only the tip of the financial iceberg, but a fully improved GP 12-Meter still offers good value for a 14-person, ~65-foot racing yacht.[2]
US-42
US-42 was the first America II built and was launched in 1984. US 42 portrayed Boomerang and later Platypus in the 1992 film Wind.
In 2015 the New York Harbor Sailing Foundation signed a deal to acquire US-42, the sister-ship to America II US-46. Once restorations to US-42 are complete there will be two identical 12 Meters sailing and racing in the New York harbor.
US-42 is dry docked in Newport with restoration ongoing.[3]
US-44
US-44 was the second America II built and was launched 1985. It now operates in Hawaii.
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US-46
US-46 was the final America II built and was launched in 1986. After the 1987 Cup, America II US-46 was shipped back to the United States. She was the star in the movie Wind as Radiance and later Geronimo, and then continued sailing in Newport under the name Fiddler.
A group of members at the Manhattan Yacht Club purchased her in 2007 to help celebrate the club's 20th anniversary. Then she was donated to the New York Harbor Sailing Foundation in 2012.[4] She is now operated by the New York Harbor Sailing Foundation and serves as a sailing ambassador and one of the flagships of the harbor.[5]
References
- ^ Reed, J. D. (1986-12-29). "Sport: Victory for Plastic Fantastic". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
- ^ "Three Reasons to Buy a 12-Meter". www.sailingworld.com. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
- ^ "Supporting & Preserving 12 Meter America II - NY Harbor Sailing Foundation". nyharborsailing.com. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
- ^ "History of 12 Meter America II (US 46) - NY Harbor Sailing Foundation". nyharborsailing.com. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
- ^ "History of 12 Meter America II (US 46) - NY Harbor Sailing Foundation". nyharborsailing.com. Retrieved 2016-06-13.