Challenge Australia (AUS-17) was last after the RR3 of the LVC 1992

__________________________________________________________________________

Yacht / Country :  Challenge Australia Sail Number :       AUS - 17 Syndicate :     CEO :                 Syd Fischer Yacht Club:         Cruising YC of Australia Designer :           Dr. Peter van Oossanen Boat Builder :  Skipper :             Phil Thompson, Hugh Treharne

Syd Fischer, a builder-merchant and an excellent Offshore sailor (world champion in the one-ton class) nominated a "low budget" challenge, which he funded himself. Without billboards of sponsors his yacht is quite plain with only few published images. Designer of the AUS-17 is Dr. Peter van Oossanen, those expert in the testing laboratory in the Dutch town of Wageningen who tested the fin keel of Australia II. (He recently gave an interview to a boat magazine and claimed that he (and not Ben Lexcen) invented and built the fin keel and caused again the break out of an old quarrel that the yacht was  not purely an Australian boat obstructing the Deed of Gift. With this contention the  New York YC tried in vain to disqualify the yacht from the 1983 Cup. As Ben Lexcen died in 1989 and can not defend himself this matter is not cooked up any more.) The AUS-17 carried a mighty, heavy and rotating bulb on a fin. It should prevent the drift of the yacht but disturbed ultimately her straight travel property. The "Challenge Australia" reached  in the LVC after RR3 the last ranking. Soon after her rig and equipment have been removed.

Syd Fischer, a builder-merchant and an excellent Offshore sailor

AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013