America’s Cup Update : New Zealand’s KZ7 Passes Its Biggest Test: a Hull Inspection

Michael Fay, the New Zealand syndicate chief, said holes would be drilled in KZ7 over his dead body.

Well, the controversial fiberglass 12-meter has survived exploratory surgery, Fay is fine and “glassgate,” he hopes, has been laid to rest.

Fay disclosed Monday he had laid down on the dock “in a small ceremony” Sunday so a Lloyd’s surveyor could step over him and have at the controversial fiberglass 12-meter before the once-beaten boat starts competition against French Kiss in the America’s Cup challenger semifinals next Sunday.

No core samples were cut out but, at Fay’s request, it is believed at least seven small holes, 3/16th of an inch in diameter, were drilled so the thickness and composition in various parts of the hull could be determined.

Fay does not lack a sense of humor, but after it was all over he made it clear that his patience was exhausted.

“This matter has gone on for long enough,” he said. “I would like to think the New Zealand position has been one of tolerance over the last three or four months. Some of the comments made are lunatic. Some of the attitudes and one or two of the actions are verging on irresponsible.

“In some instances designers’ and boat builders’ reputations have been called into question. I have seen transcripts of certain conversations with my lawyer that are very close to libel.

“Our attitude from this point in time will not be as tolerant. If people have questions on the Kiwi boat in the future, they should instantly pursue them in a formal protest hearing, and if those sort of accusations are (directed) at builders and designers again, I would imagine they’d presently end up in court.”

The inspection was part of the resurvey by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, Yachts and Small Craft Dept. to make sure the four semifinalists still conform to Lloyd’s construction scantlings and weight distribution requirements. They do.

The fiberglass boat was found not illegally light in the ends, unfairly enhancing its speed, and was not in violation of the rule prohibiting a more beneficial weight distribution than an aluminium yacht.

All boats also will be remeasured to see if they still conform to the 12-meter measurement rule. They will.

Rules provide for representatives of the other syndicates to be present for the latter process but not for the former.

The aluminum boats--Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes, Tom Blackaller’s USA and Marc Pajot’s French Kiss--were checked with ultrasonic sensors. A gamma photon back-scatter was used for KZ7, but Fay also wanted holes drilled so there would be no doubts.

The drilling was supervised by Lloyd’s principal surveyor, R.J. Rymill, assisted by Lloyd’s surveyor Paul Wilson-Mitchell of Fremantle, with measurer Ken McAlpine monitoring the procedure for the trials organizers, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

“Those tests were satisfactory to Lloyd’s,” Fay said. “Lloyd’s and Mr. McAlpine were prepared to issue the reclassification certificates on the basis of those tests.

“I asked Lloyd’s to undertake further physical tests in view of the somewhat ridiculous comments made from time to time about the boat over the last few months. I felt it was time that this issue was put to rest once and for all.

“The boat was drilled and physical measurement of (the thickness of) the hull was undertaken, and those tests again confirmed Lloyd’s testing methods.

“We will not comment how many holes were drilled, nor will I comment how big they were. (That) was left entirely to Lloyd’s. I just said the number must be able to be divided by seven.”

Seven is Fay’s lucky number, as well as that of the boat.

Costa Smeralda Commodore Gianfranco Alberini said: “I’m very happy that some rumors or gossips that we had in this field now have no more reason to go on.

“Protests can always be submitted, but after such a complete report and a complete process of remeasurement and resurvey that we have executed, I don’t see any reason unless new facts or new events or new modifications to the yachts are executed.”

Even Conner’s Sail America syndicate, which first raised the issue in September that KZ7 might be illegally light in the ends, seemed to be satisfied.

Conner was out sailing with his new keel, preparing for his best-of-seven series against Blackaller starting Sunday.

But design test manager Robert Hopkins said: “We did immediately radio out to the guys on the water and they were happy to hear the results that their boat’s legal and everybody else’s is, too. We feel that it’s a very thorough test. We’re happy that Ken McAlpine was there to observe the procedures.

“I can’t imagine what possibly could be wrong now. Not only is it the end of glassgate for us. I think that if that boat leads the challenger trials, they will be bulletproof from any protests by an Australian boat.”

Fay said: “About 3.4 million Kiwis want to see a photo of their boat to make sure it looks just the same as it did before and to reassure them after comments that it looked like a piece of Swiss cheese.”

Earlier Monday, Fay’s wife was in a car accident in Fremantle. She wasn’t hurt but the car was “a write-off,” Fay said.

“It was too much when the tow truck driver asked me if it was made of fiberglass,” he said.

America’s Cup Notes French Kiss, relatively unchanged since the world 12-meter championships in Fremantle last February, is having its stern and keel altered for the semifinals in hopes of upgrading its steady but unspectacular performance. . . . The Royal Perth Yacht Club responded to a strong appeal by Syd Fischer of Steak’n Kidney to eliminate points before the defender semifinals starting Saturday. The committee said it already had increased the point value for wins from 5 to 6, and that was enough. . . . The wind has been 15 knots or less on the race courses for a week, dangerously near the bottom end of Dennis Conner’s preferred scale. Also, the seas have been smooth, which USA prefers.