''Intrepid'' is a

12-metre class The 12 Metre class is a rating class for racing sailboats that are designed to the International rule. It enables fair competition between boats that rate in the class whilst retaining the freedom to experiment with the details of their designs. ...

racing yacht which won the

America's Cup The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one f ...

in 1967 and again in 1970.

Design

''Intrepid'' was designed by Olin Stephens, and was built of double-planked

mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...

on white oak frames. She featured important innovations both above and below the waterline. The rudder was separated from the keel and a trim tab was added. This new general underbody type, with relatively minor refinements, was used on every subsequent Cup boat until the 12-metre ''

Australia II ''Australia II'' (KA 6) 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. Skippered by John Bertrand, she was the first successful ...

''s winged keel of 1983. Above decks, ''Intrepid'' featured a very low boom, made possible by locating the winches below decks. The low boom caused an "end-plate effect", which allows a smaller amount of air to circulate around the boom and making the lower part of mainsail more efficient. The success of Intrepid was also the cause of some completely new technical features such as separate keel and a rudder to become popular in many production yachts such as Swan 36.

America's Cup

In 1967 ''Intrepid'' was skippered by Emil "Bus" Mosbacher, and defeated

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n challenger '' Dame Pattie''. Redesigned in 1970 by

Britton Chance, Jr. Britton Chance Jr. or Britt Chance (June 12, 1940 – October 12, 2012) was an American naval architecture, naval architect who developed core elements of three yachts that won the America's Cup and won the World Championship six times. ''The ...

and skippered by

Bill Ficker William P. "Bill" Ficker was an American sailor in the Star class. He won the 1958 Star World Championships together with Mark Yorston and finished third in the 1959 edition. Subsequently, Ficker was the skipper of the successful 1970 America's ...

that year, she defeated another Australian challenger, ''

Gretel II ''Gretel II'' (KA-3) is an International 12-metre class racing yacht built for the America's Cup challenge series in 1970. She was designed by Alan Payne and built by W.H. Barnett for Australian media tycoon Sir Frank Packer. Packer had fir ...

''. Intrepid remained competitive even against aluminum 12-metre yachts. Redesigned again, this time by her original designer Olin Stephens, ''Intrepid'' was back again for a third time in 1974, skippered by Gerry Driscoll. ''Intrepid'' came within one race of becoming the only three-time America's Cup defender in history, but lost the final race of the defender trials to '' Courageous'', which would go on to win the Cup that year with Ted Hood at the helm. Ted Hood sold ''Courageous'' to Ted Turner who went on to win the

1977 America's Cup The 1977 America's Cup was held in September 1977 at Newport, Rhode Island. The US defender, '' Courageous'', skippered by Ted Turner, defeated the Australian challenger, ''Australia'', skippered by Noel Robins, in a four-race sweep. ''Courageous ...

with her.

Restoration

''Intrepid'' underwent a two-year structural restoration, the bustle area was reframed, the bottom replanked for several feet up from the keel, and the deck and deck beams were replaced. Today ''Intrepid'' is available for charter out of Newport, Rhode Island along with fellow America's Cup winner ''

Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...

'' and challenger boat ''

Weatherly Weatherly or Weatherley may refer to: Weatherly * Weatherly, Pennsylvania, a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, USA ** Weatherly Area School District, a public school district in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, USA * Weatherly, in sailing, (of a ...

''.

References

External links

Design Firm: Sparkman & Stephens

Current owners and charters
{{American 12-metre class yachts America's Cup defenders Individual sailing vessels 12-metre class yachts Yachts of New York Yacht Club members Sailboat type designs by Olin Stephens Sailboat type designs by Sparkman and Stephens 1960s sailing yachts Sailing yachts built in the United States 1970 America's Cup 1967 America's Cup