Yacht / Country: Stars & Stripes / USA
Sailnumber:
USA-66 and USA-77
Syndicate/Team: Team Dennis Conner
CEO:
Dennis Conner
Yacht Club:
New York Yacht Club
Design:
Reichel-Pugh
Boat Builder:
New England Boatworks
Skipper:
Ken Read
This LVC was Mr. America's Cup (other variants: Big
Bad Dennis) ninth but last participation. 4 times he
won the AC (1974, 1980, 1987 and 1988) and 2 times
he lost it (1983 and 1995).
The billionaires pay a participitation in the AC more or
less out of the petty cash, but for Conner it is a tough
business to raise funds and sponsors. This cup was
particularly difficult to motivate sponsors, which some
attributed to the cautious attitude after the 9/11
attack.
Conner managed anyway to win with Reichel Plug
famous designers and with Ken Read a top skipper.
The team trained for cost reasons only a short time in
New Zealand. The main boat USA-77 sank in 50 feet
deep waters after the rudder broke, damaging the
surrounding hull segment. The yacht has been raised
and repaired immediately.
Critics then classified it as worthless, as the ton heavy
boat must have structure damages after it clashed to
the sea ground.
Ironically the team, that intervened most violently at
the Arbitration Panel to eliminate OneWorld Challenge
immediately from the LVC, was thrown out by OWC in the last race of the
Quarter-finals Repêchage Round.
USA-77 Stars & Stripes lost the Quarterfinal's Repechage Round
of the Louis Vuitton Cup 2003
The main boat USA-77 sank in 50 feet deep waters
after the rudder broke, damaging the surounding hull segment.
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
