By GORDON F. HOOPER Victoria Weeklies Contributor eople travelling on, Store Street in Downtown Victoria, will be greeted by a full-size replica of a 12 metre racing yacht in the near future. In 1983 Australia did the unthink- able and won the America’s Cup from; the USA. In 1985, Harold Aune did| the unlikely and built a full size. replica of the Australia IJ. It was; built in his boatyard, Whitehall. Reproductions, where he normally; builds fibreglass replicas of the, clinker built boats of earlier times. Soon a full-size replica of the 12 metre racing yacht will be erected near Aune’s Store Street boatyard. The original was designed by Ben Lexcen and commissioned by Alan Bond, both of Australia. At the time it won the America’s Cup the yacht was distinguished by the fact it employed a hitherto unused “wing” at the bottom of the keel, designed to do in water what aircraft leading edges do in air. This had been tested for the nauti- cal equivalent of aerodynamics with 22 foot wooden models in Wagenin- gen, Holland at the Netherlands Ship Model Basin. This is one of the big- gest tank test facilities in the world. The ideas that came tumbling out of the brain of Lexcen were put through a computer at the Dutch In- ternational Aerospace Laboratories in Amsterdam and it was confirmed the wing comprised a quantum leap that would be a major breakthrough in hull design. It was in fact the hull design made possible by the revolu- tionary winged keel and not the foil - configuration itself that proved the winning edge. The idea was such an innovation that the Australian team had the keel enshrouded with canvas even while it was being built. This was con- tinued as it was hauled from the ocean in Newport, R.I. during the races that it eventually won, for the daily maintenance so necessary to these Grand Prix racers of the yacht- ing world. The Aussies even painted the winged part of the keel blue so that it would not show in pictures taken from hovering helicopters, of which there were an abundance when the races started. The radical keel was cast in lead, which added three tons to the vessel. 5 A Page 10 June 17, 1992. Into the Deep Blue, Victoria Weeklies ah Se F\S sa Ehacres: 5 < 1 an World’s largest sailboat model to be erected near waterfront Victoria. This lowered the center of gravity 37 inches compared with the customary 12 metre. She would also sail closer to the wind, accelerate out of tacks faster, and because of the slender hull was active and brisk sailing. The Australia IPs unconventional design was not all sweetness and light, however. During one of the run-. up races against the Italian entry they dragged a lobster pot, neces- sitating the designation of a lobster SPORTING A WINGED KEEL, the controversial Australian eniry did the unthink- able, winning the America’s Cup in 1985. The model shown here at the Ausiralian Pavilion during Expo “86 in Vancouver willbe erected in downtown pot watch which resulted in a lot of - extra-curricular bobbing and weav- ing around buoys. The major upheaval caused by the winged keel provoked the New York Yacht Club, holder of the America’s Cup, to call it into disrepute. Despite Australian yachting commentator Bruce Stannards observation that the NYYC had a “quite legitimate and logical” view, the keel was finally allowed, bringing about one of the biggest upsets in sporting history Rowboats - Sailboats - Fishing Skiffs Dinghys - Beach Hauler Skidway Tracks _ xMarine Paint _ xlarps xDeck Hardware foun Fishing SHOP CAPITAL IRON FOR ALL YOUR FISHING, MARINE AND CAMPING SUPPLIES. and giving Australia II a place in yachting annals forevermore. After the win and when Perth had been designated| as the site for the next challenge, the Australian government envisioned a model of the yacht to be\displayed at the World’s Fair in Vancouver, The ex- hibition of Australia IT at Expo 86 was designed to attract people to the running of the America’s Cup to be held outside U.S. waters for the first time in 132 years. Harold J. Aune dae Hutchin-- son, partners in Coastal Seahomes and Whitehall Reproductions, two Victoria boatbuilding|firms, bid on the contract being offered by the Australian government for the con- struction and maintenance of a replica. Building began\in January, 1985 at their boatyard in Victoria. Plans for the replica were provided by the original designer, Ben Lexcen, and were “very close to the original plans”, said Aune. Building con- tinued for a three month period. with microballoons, a tough epoxy paste. Aune built the replica \ 6,000 board feet of clear air-dri western red cedar. This was th covered with fiberglass in conve tional boatbuilding methods. As the boat was to be displayed on dry lanl and standing alone, a gridwork of steel was installed in the interior SO} as to support it when it was displayed \ at Expo 86. It was supported in mid- \ air by six stainless steel rods. \ Aune estimates the Australian government spent $500,000 in preparing the replica and displaying it at Expo. It is arguably the world’s largest model ofa sailing yacht. Aune ended up with the boat after Expo 86 as the Australian government didn’t start to make arrangements for its disposal until two months before the end of the fair. This didn’t give them enough time and they offered it to Aune on the condition it be removed from the site on False Creek. Harold Aune has had the yacht sit- all ting in his boatyard since the end of Expo 86. His original plan was to sell it to a restaurant or marina as an eye-catching form of advertising. The plan now, however, is to suspend it in mid-air, as it was in Expo, as an ad- vertisement for his own boatyard. It will soon be visible Gncluding the famous winged keel) from Store Street behind Capital Iron. & Marine Store! xStainless Steel Hardware Fishing Licences _ Mustang Floaterwear xTents Beacon life Jackels Sleeping Bags x Camping Supplies xFishing Rods, Reels and Tackle 1900 Store St., Victoria 385-9703 2353 Bevan Ave., Sidney 655-7115 770 Goldstream Ave., Westbrook Cnt., Langford, 474-5601 eg i as