America’s Cup Update : Some Strange-Shaped Boats Are in the Wind

A 12-meter sailboat with a rudder in the bow, another with a “double chin” and a “torpedo transom” are only a couple of the aberrations that may surface when America’s Cup competition starts off Perth, Australia, in October.

But who’s laughing? Remember the winged keel? Australia II used it in 1983 to finally take the America’s Cup away from the New York Yacht Club.

Gary Jobson, the world-class sailor who will be ESPN’s analyst for the America’s Cup, has toured the camps and says that the Golden Gate Challenge’s second new boat, due to be christened June 24, is the only boat that he knows of that is really different.

The nameless boat is designated R-1 or, playfully, R2D2. Not only is it rumored to have a rudder up front but, according to Jobson, a very different kind of keel.

Golden Gate General Manager Ron Young wouldn’t confirm or deny the rumors. He just laughed.

“But it is revolutionary, no question about it,” Young said. “Like nothing you ever saw. As high-tech as there is.”

Britain’s second Crusader is anything but conventional, however. An elongated, overhanging torpedo transom makes it 75 feet, about 10 feet longer than the usual 12-meter. The gimmick is that the overhang doesn’t count against the 12-meter rating because it’s not part of the waterline--until the boat heels going upwind. Then, theoretically, the longer waterline provides a significant advantage.

The boat, which also has what has been called a double chin for a bow, is due to be launched late this month. The skipper-tactician will be Harold Cudmore, who won the Congressional Cup off Long Beach in March.

But Jobson doesn’t believe that either Golden Gate or Crusader will reach next January’s final four round from the current field of 12 foreign challengers.

“You’d have to say Dennis Conner will be there,” Jobson said. “And probably John Kolius with America II (New York) because they’ve worked so long and hard. (Eagle’s Rod) Davis could make it, Buddy (Melges of Chicago’s Heart of America) could make it, and New Zealand has a good shot.”

Jobson rates Conner’s Sail America program slightly ahead of America II.

“Then there’s a gap, with Chicago, Davis and (Golden Gate’s Tom) Blackaller pretty close, with Blackaller maybe a little behind the others.”

Jobson gives Courageous, the highly modified defender of the Cup in 1974 and ‘77, little chance.

“Of the six American syndicates, five are doing great,” he said. “I’d put Courageous way down. The old boat bends so much on the water. (Skipper Peter) Isler is the strongest thing going for them.”

Isler believes he would have a better chance if his syndicate would buy one of the extra new boats from Conner or America II.

Jobson was Melges’ tactician until he resigned recently to work full time with ESPN’s advance coverage. Melges still hasn’t named a replacement, but Jobson thought Dennis Durgan would be an ideal choice.

Durgan, who was Conner’s tactician on Freedom’s successful defense in ‘80, recently resigned from Golden Gate.

“That’s exactly the kind of guy Buddy needs,” Jobson said. “Buddy’s good in heavy weather, but he’s new at keel boats and new at match racing.”

The French, Canadian and Italian syndicates also fall short in match racing experience, Jobson said, but that’s where New Zealand, with young Chris Dickson, and Britain, with Harold Cudmore, appear strong.

Conner has been keeping a low profile in Hawaii, but Jobson was impressed by his program, despite recent reports of dissension in the camp and a desperate appeal for funds mailed to members of affiliated yacht clubs last week.

Conner, asking for tax-deductible contributions of $35 and up, wrote that his third new boat, Stars & Stripes ‘87, due in July, “promises to be the fastest 12-meter ever built . . . (but) frankly, we don’t have the money to pay for her.”

This marks the moment of truth for all those 40-odd clubs that took a short-cut to be part of Conner’s America’s Cup campaign a couple of years ago.

Except for financing, Jobson said, “My impression is that Dennis is doing pretty well. I spent a day as his tactician. He seemed pretty relaxed. But his ’85 boat is faster than his ’86.”

As for the Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s hopes with Eagle, Jobson said: “I think this kid (tactician Doug) Rastello is a real plus, a good thinker.”

Rastello is 34, a year younger than Jobson.

“I just hope they’re not putting too much pressure on Rod Davis in trying to do too much with public relations, fund-raising, running the boat and sailing,” Jobson said.

America’s Cup Notes Gary Jobson, who was tactician on Courageous for Ted Turner’s successful defense in 1977, will defend his Liberty Cup match racing title in New York Harbor June 18-22. Eagle crewman Hart Jordan will be his bowman. In a preliminary celebrity event, Jobson will be tactician for the Chicago Bears’ Willie Gault. . . . Golden Gate’s first USA boat has been practicing on the open ocean outside San Francisco Bay. “It’s rougher than Perth out there,” General Manager Ron Young said. . . . The new Heart of America, distinguished by the wheat tip at the end of a red and gold stripe along the hull, arrived in Santa Cruz last weekend and hopes that Eagle will join it and the merged Canadian challenge for practice racing before the boats are shipped to Australia in July. Eagle’s director of operations, Gerry Driscoll, said: “It’s a possibility but not a likely possibility.”