Gretel II

Gretel II
Racing career

Yacht club	Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Nation	Australia
Class	12-metre
Sail no	KA–3
Designer(s)	Alan Payne
Builder	W. H. Barnett
Owner(s)	Sir Frank Packer
Skippers	James Hardy
America's Cup	1970

Gretel II (KA-3) is an Australian International 12-metre class racing yacht built for the America's Cup challenge series in 1970. She was designed by Alan Payne and built by W.H. Barnett for Australian media tycoon Sir Frank Packer.

Packer had first challenged for the America's Cup in 1962 with the yacht Gretel, which was named after his wife. Gretel was competitive but lost that challenge 4–1.

1970 America's Cup

In 1970 Packer returned to Newport, Rhode Island to challenge again for the 'Auld Mug' with his new 12-metre yacht Gretel II representing the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. This yacht was the last of the wooden-hulled America's Cup yachts.^[1] Gretel II was skippered by Jim Hardy with Martin Visser as tactician and starting helmsman and Bill Fesq as navigator. The crew included future Olympic Star class gold medallists David Forbes and John Anderson and future America's Cup–winning skipper John Bertrand as port trimmer.^[2]

After defeating Baron Marcel Bich’s France in the challenger selection series 4–0, the Australian yacht took on the American defender Intrepid, skippered by Bill Ficker in a best-of-seven race series.

Intrepid won the first race when Gretel II's David Forbes was swept overboard but managed to hang on to the sail and scramble back on board.^[3] Then in a controversial second race, Gretel II crossed the finish line 1 minute 7 seconds ahead, but due to a collision at the start the Australian challenger was disqualified. Intrepid won the third race but Gretel II recorded a win in the fourth race by a margin of 1 minute 2 seconds. Intrepid then took out the fifth race to win the America's Cup 4–1.

Many observers, such as 1977 America's Cup winning skipper Ted Turner, believed that Gretel II was a faster boat than Intrepid but that the tactical cunning of Bill Ficker and Steve Van Dyke and the performance of the American crew were the deciding factors in the Americans' victory.^[4]

1977 America's Cup

Gretel II served as a trial horse for Alan Bond’s Southern Cross in the 1974 America's Cup. In the 1977 America's Cup Gretel II, skippered by Gordon Ingate, was one of four yachts vying to challenge for the Cup. Her wooden decking was replaced with aluminium for the new campaign. Ingate had a veteran crew which earned them the nickname 'Dad's Navy'. The yacht was eliminated by their Swedish rival Sverige during the challenger selection trials. The new Alan Bond yacht Australia won the right to challenge but lost to the Americans.

Decades later, after falling into disrepair, Gretel II was restored by a group of yachting enthusiasts in 2009. She is currently in a private marina at Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia.

References

↑ 'A star reborn' - Sails (magazine) - October 2011 - Author: Peter Campbell
↑ 'Born to win: a lifelong struggle to capture the America's Cup' - John Bertrand and Patrick Robinson (Hearst Marine Books, 1985) - pg 271
↑ 'About the America's Cup' - Vernon Hines – (Bookcliff Publishing Company, 1986) – pg 82
↑ 'The America's Cup Yachts: The Rhode Island Connection' - Richard V. Simpson - (Arcadia Publishing, 1999) - pg 119

America's Cup defender and challenger yachts

Defenders	1851: 14 yachts 1870: 17 yachts 1871: Columbia & Sappho 1876: Madeleine 1881: Mischief 1885: Puritan 1886: Mayflower 1887: Volunteer 1893: Vigilant 1895: Defender 1899: Columbia 1901: Columbia 1903: Reliance 1920: Resolute 1930: Enterprise 1934: Rainbow 1937: Ranger 1958: Columbia 1962: Weatherly 1964: Constellation 1967: Intrepid 1970: Intrepid 1974: Courageous 1977: Courageous 1980: Freedom 1983: Liberty 1987: Kookaburra III 1988: Stars & Stripes 88 1992: America³ 1995: Young America 2000: NZL 60 2003: NZL 82 2007: SUI 100 2010: Alinghi 5 2013: Oracle Team USA 17

Challengers	1851: America 1870: Cambria 1871: Livonia 1876: Countess of Dufferin 1881: Atalanta 1885: Genesta 1886: Galatea 1887: Thistle 1893: Valkyrie II 1895: Valkyrie III 1899: Shamrock 1901: Shamrock II 1903: Shamrock III 1920: Shamrock IV 1930: Shamrock V 1934: Endeavour 1937: Endeavour II 1958: Sceptre 1962: Gretel 1964: Sovereign 1967: Dame Pattie 1970: Gretel II 1974: Southern Cross 1977: Australia 1980: Australia 1983: Australia II 1987: Stars & Stripes 87 1988: KZ1 1992: Il Moro di Venezia V 1995: NZL 32 2000: Luna Rossa 2003: SUI 64 2007: NZL 92 2010: USA 17 2013: Aotearoa

America's Cup

America's Cup	1851 1870 1871 1876 1881 1885 1886 1887 1893 1895 1899 1901 1903 1920 1930 1934 1937 1958 1962 1964 1967 1970 1974 1977 1980 1983 1987 1988 1992 1995 2000 2003 2007 2010 2013 2017

Challenger Selection Series (Louis Vuitton Cup)	1970 1974 1977 1980 1983 1987 1992 1995 2000 2003 2007 Acts 2013 World Series 2017 World Series

Defender Selection Series (Citizen Cup)	1987 1992 1995

Class	J Class 12-Metre yachts IACC yachts regattas AC72 AC45 AC50

see also: Deed of Gift Yacht clubs Wind

12-metre class yachts of Australia

KA–1: Gretel KA–2: Dame Pattie KA–3: Gretel II KA–4: Southern Cross KA–5: Australia KA–6: Australia II KA–7: Advance Australia KA–8: South Australia KA–9: Australia III KA–10: Challenge 12 KA–11: Kookaburra I KA–12: Kookaburra II KA–14: Steak 'n' Kidney KA–15: Kookaburra III KA–16: Australia IV

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