25th AMERICA's CUP 1983 Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Yacht / Country : Courageous 1974 / USA
Sailnumber : US-26
Syndicate : People to People
CEO : Charles E. Kirsch
Yacht Club : NYYC
Design : William Langan
Boat Builder : Minneford’s Yacht Yard Inc.
Skipper : John Kolius
The top designer William Langan was a partner
of Olin Stephens (1908-2008) at Sparksman &
Stephens.
Courageous was the successful defender of the
ACs 1974 and 1977. She was the first contender
which was built in aluminium alloy, the new
construction material for the coming AC
generation.
After a substantial reconstruction she became a
fast and ambitious defender in the defender or
trial series arranged by the dominating NYYC.
She sailed in the package Courageous / Defender
versus Freedom / Liberty .
In the hands of the skipper John Kolius she
proved to be a fast 12 m in all kind of winds and conditions.
She put a lot of pressure both on Defender and Liberty. But as she was an over-aged yacht a
lot of decision makers did not want to see her as an official defender.
US-26 Courageous 1974 / USA
and the “Defender Selection Series” 1983
Courageous was the successful defender of the
ACs 1974 and 1977. She was the first contender
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
