Courageous Is Making Its Last Stand at Freemantle

The old war horse Courageous, veteran of five America’s Cup campaigns and twice a successful defender, now is easy pickings for other challengers.

Hopes of recapturing the cherished trophy with the old yacht that turned back Australian challenges in 1974 and 1977 with 4-0 shutouts are crumbling on the Indian Ocean course.

“This is the end of an era,” says skipper David Vietor, who carried on the vision of a last stand by Courageous after two other skippers quit amidst massive crew defections. “She’ll leave the stage she served so well.

“If we don’t get $250,000 worth of sails and other equipment in the next two weeks, we’re out. We knew from the very start that our chances of doing well were very limited, given that our boat is old and outdated. But we were all touched by a dream, that she could come back and win again.”

Reality has been harsher than anticipated. No one envisioned such devastating losing margins as 11:33 to the New York Yacht Club’s America II, 10:45 to the Newport Harbor, Calif., contender Eagle or 8:25 to San Francisco’s U.S.A. Even Canada II, the only other redesigned 12-Meter, thrashed Courageous by 3:53.

By last Wednesday, Courageous was 0-8 in round robin trials for challengers--the only one of 13 boats without a victory.

“We thought we’d be off the pace, but we didn’t realize by how much,” Vietor says, contending withdrawal is far more honorable than waiting for elimination at the end of the three round robins Dec. 19.

“If this is a failure, than we have to be as professional about it as we can. We don’t want people feeling sorry for us, and we don’t want to waste the time of the other boats. If we can’t compete at all there’s no way we’re going to continue. After all, we did come out here to win races.”

While the quarters of his well-financed competitors sprawl along the waterfront, Vietor’s office with scant furnishings and bare floors was hastily erected by the crew.

“Our guys didn’t find everything waiting for them. They built this themselves,” Vietor says.

Inadequate money for extras such as blazers, hospitality suites, public relations staffs and sumptuous press breakfasts does not bother them. What does are the pitifully few sails, the failure of the third rekeeling, the blow to their pride and the legacy of the veteran of five Cup campaigns.

The two-time Cup victor has a history of top-notch skippers, including Ted Hood in 1974, media tycoon Ted Turner in 1977 and 1980 and John Kolius in 1983, now the skipper for the New York Yacht Club’s America II campaign. The aging boat was eliminated in the 1980 and 1983 defender trials.

Courageous, challenging through the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club, got off to a fast start as the first challenging syndicate with a boat in the water. Although the coffers were emptying fast, needed gifts such as hotel and boat facilities in Bermuda and Boston, free shipping to Australia and then free airline tickets for the crew kept spirits high.

But the bludgeoning on the seas has been too much. Vietor doesn’t want the image of the grand dame of 12-Meter racing, one of the most decorated yachts in the world, to be irreparably tarnished with sailing buffs guessing by how much she’ll lose her next race.

Fund-raising efforts failed to spark the avalanche of dollars that poured in for other teams. But Syndicate Chairman Leonard Greene’s abandonment of plans to build a new yacht and decision to use the old boat left the crew reeling.

Peter Isler quit as skipper to join Dennis Conner, following the earlier exit of Tim Stearn. There was no one left with big boat experience but Vietor.

“I thought seriously about leaving,” said the helmsman from Marblehead, Mass. “But I’m old-fashioned. I just couldn’t walk away. It came down to quit or make do, so I decided to make do.”

Courageous was 12th among 14 boats entered in last February’s 12-Meter World Championships, but Vietor hoped extensive modifications conceived by Green would help. The bow was reconstructed, the sails moved forward, the boat rebalanced and the huge wings reduced.

Three rekeelings designed by owner Greene, an authority on marine and aerospace design, failed to improve the speed.

“We don’t accelerate upwind,” Vietor says. “The keel needs reworking, we must have as least 60 instead of 20 sails, but all that means big time money.

“I would give my eye teeth to be out there in a boat like New Zealand,” Vietor says of the fiberglass marvel.

Despite the few options left, Vietor is proud of his crew, with many rookies who have never sailed a 12-Meter before.

“You have to give these boys credit because it takes a lot of spirit and character to keep giving your best even though you know you are going to get hammered,” he said. “It’s satisfying to know that out of their ranks will probably come some pretty talented sailors for the next America’s Cup.”

Vietor admits he’s still clinging to a thread of hope.

“Germany had all the guns in World War II and England didn’t give up,” he said.

And for those who are laughing, Vietor recalls how everyone laughed at Alan Bond’s challenge for the Cup in 1974 with Southern Cross, which was soundly beaten back by a then modern Courageous.

“Bond, with perseverance, came back to win. People’s fortunes can change.”