AMERICA’S CUP UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Conner’s Backing From People Might Come Out in the Wash

Signs of the times:

Dennis Conner has been hustling corporate America for support, but has he tried one of the best grass-roots fund-raising schemes of all: a car wash?

A group of Coronado volunteers will scrub cars next Saturday at the Brigantine parking lot, 1333 Orange Ave., from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost will be $7, plus whatever the washee cares to donate to the cause.

All proceeds go to Team Dennis Conner.

The wash was organized by Vicki Vlahovic, manager of Bula’s, the restaurant where several of the syndicate folks hang out.

“This is something the residents wanted to do,” Vlahovic said. “Business may not be backing Dennis Conner, but the people are.”

This may be just what Conner needs to put him over the top for that second boat.

Tom Ehman, executive vice president/general manager of the America’s Cup Organizing Committee, has been doing radio-type commentary for the defender trials over an open communications channel.

At one point he described the new graphic on Defiant’s hull as some sort of red and blue bird.

Quickly, a voice broke in to inform him it was an eagle.

“Is this Bill Koch’s ‘subordinate?’ ” Ehman asked, referring to a certain America 3executive.

“Yes,” the voice replied. “Is this (ACOC president) Malin Burnham’s subordinate?”

“Roger that,” Ehman answered.

Sweden’s boat was launched Saturday, a week before the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger trials and no more than a year or two behind their strongest rivals. That should be enough time to catch up.

The boat is named “Tre Kronor,” which means three crowns--the national symbol of Sweden, as displayed on the flag.

This is a low-budget campaign, but they used Moet champagne for the christening, sparing no expense.

The team, headed by skipper Gunnar Krantz and helmsman Olle Johannson, will have a few days of practice, which is about all Dennis Conner had before starting the defender trials.

By the way, if the Swedes need a flag, they could probably borrow one from Conner. He might even loan them the blond wig.

Challenge Australia trained with two 40%-size models of its IACC boat until the real thing was completed last year, and syndicate chief Syd Fischer brought the models to San Diego, where they have been sailing around the bay.

“We call ‘em Minacs--mini America’s Cup boats,” Fischer said. “We’re actually producing them in Australia now.

“They’re bloody good little boats. Quick . . . blew an Etchells to death.”