Yacht / Country: Wight Lightning, GBR 70*
Wight Magic, GBR 78*
Sailnumber:
GBR 70 and 78
Syndicate/Team: GBR Cballenge / Great Britain
CEO:
Peter Harrison
Yacht Club: Royal Ocean Racing Club
Design: Derek Clark
Boat Builder: Jason Akers, B. Linton
Skipper: lan Walker
The British computer entrepreneur Peter Harrison,
who was also known for his generous endowments
for handicapped and underprivileged children, led
the first British challenge since 1987 (White
Crusader). Given the lack of experience, he bought
from Nippon Challenge, immediately after their
announcement, not to participate in the Cup, as he
said, "as start kit" the yachts JPN-44 and JPN-52.
The Japanese shipped in the containers
unexpectedly over-complete accessories, such as
tools, sports equipment etc.
Harrison employed additionally the designers
Akahiro Kanai and Taro Takahashi. The British
designer Derek Clark was among the small group
who had created the IACC formula around 1990
and the designer of Blue Arrow (s. AC 1988.)
A striking feature of the two new constructions
GBR-70 and GBR-78 were the stern parts covered
by a deck with a small cockpit. In this cockpit the
crew placed a plastic garden chair for Harrison, if
he was as a guest and 17th crew member on
board.
GBR-78 received a tandem keel, which was supposedly similar to the NZL-20/1992. There have been
never photos published. GBR-78 was not used in the LVC.
The team lost in the quarter-finals of the repêchage against Team Dennis Conner and had to leave the
LVC..
Wight Lightning, GBR-70 challenger of the Louis Vuitton Cup 2003
The British computer entrepreneur Peter
Harrison,led the first British challenge since 1987
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
