Australia II is an Australian 12-metre-class America's Cup challenge racing yacht that was launched in 1982 and won the 1983 America's Cup for the Royal Perth Yacht Club.
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12 Facts About Australia II
2.
Australia II was designed by Ben Lexcen, built by Steve Ward, owned by Alan Bond and skippered by John Bertrand.
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3.
Lexcen's Australia II design featured a reduced waterline length and a short chord winged keel which gave the boat a significant advantage in manoeuvrability and heeling moment but it was a significant disadvantage in choppy seas.
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4.
Australia II sported a number of other innovative features that contributed to her success, including radical vertical sail designs, all-kevlar running rigging and a lightweight carbon fibre boom.
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5.
Australia II dominated the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup before defeating Azzurra in the semi finals and Victory 83 in the final to win the trophy and earn the right to challenge for the America's Cup.
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America's Cup Perth Alan Bond Louis Vuitton Rhode Island Sydney Western Australian Fremantle6.
Australia II, bearing sail number KA6, represented the Royal Perth Yacht Club of Australia in its September 1983 challenge for the America's Cup.
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7.
Australia II, skippered by John Bertrand, faced Dennis Conner sailing the 12-metre Liberty in the ocean off Newport, Rhode Island.
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8.
The achievement was underscored when Australia II was awarded the ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year for 1983.
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9.
Australia II was lent to the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney for display in 1991.
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10.
In 2000, Australia II was removed from the National Maritime Museum and transferred to the Western Australian Maritime Museum in Fremantle.
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11.
Australia II was returned to the Western Australian Maritime Museum, where she is on permanent display.
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12.
In 2017, the Team of Australia II were among the inaugural inductees to the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame.
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