Extra Large Australia II America's Cup Wooden Sailboat Model 80"

Limited Edition XL Australia II Wooden Model Sailboat 80"

This high quality, highly detailed, expert level, Australia II Model is Brand New, fully assembled and ready for display (not a kit). Some assembly is required the masts are folded flat down for shipping.

This Australia II Model was specially designed & built by the plank on frame method (joining multiple small pieces of wood like Rosewood, Mahogany, Teak and other exotic tropical wood together on the hull). The sailboat model is built  exactly to scale and painted as the original Australia II was with many details. The task required skillful craftsmen hundreds of hours to accomplish.

This giant wooden model yacht is rested on a large painted solid wooden stand. Due to its gigantic size, the masts are fold flat down for easy shipping purposes and comes with an instruction guide. Assembly time is around 30 minutes.

Designed by Ben Lexcen, built by Stephan Ward, owned by Alan Bond and helmed by John Bertrand, the Australia II featured an innovative winged keel design developed by Lexcen. This helped to make it very fast and maneuverable in many conditions, and was the most notable and controversial design feature of the boat.

During the summer of 1983, as selection trials took place for the Cup defense that autumn, it was unclear whether the keel design was legal within the strict rules governing the 12-metre class. Questions also surrounded the Dutch involvement in the design of the keel, which under the rules had to be designed by an Australian. The keel design was eventually confirmed as legal while the keel origin controversy remains unanswered.

Despite being the first 12-metre to sport the new design, Australia II was not the first boat to have a winged keel, though her success did much to make the concept popular. Also helping the Australians was new sail technology, finally equaling or exceeding that of the Americans. Further, Bertrand made sure he and his crew was trained and refined to execute at the highest levels despite the pressure of this historical match up.

America's Cup: Australia II, bearing sail number KA6, represented the Royal Perth Yacht Club of Australia in its September 1983 challenge for the America's Cup. The defender, the New York Yacht Club, had held the cup since 1851, dominating challengers and sustaining the longest winning streak in sport.

The Australia II, skippered by John Bertrand, faced Dennis Conner sailing the 12-metre Liberty in the ocean off Newport, Rhode Island. Australia II came from behind to prevail 4 races to 3. The victory on September 26, 1983 was a landmark event for the nation of Australia, not to mention the Royal Perth Yacht Club, and it eventually earned Australia II the ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year for 1983.

Popular culture: The Boxing Kangaroo was the official mascot of the Australia II effort. The win was received with much enthusiasm in Australia, with the Men at Work song Down Under becoming the official anthem for the crew. In the film Wind, Australia II is portrayed as Boomerang.

Retirement: In the mid-1980s, Australia II was sent to the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney, Australia for display. For the 150th anniversary of the America's Cup, the boat was removed from the museum and shipped to the Isle of Wight, sailing with the original crew for several days of commemorative regattas. The boat has since been returned to Fremantle, Western Australia where it is on permanent display in the Western Australian Maritime Museum. Australia II is the first foreign boat to win the America's Cup in 1983.

The model measures a huge 80" long from bow to stern. It's a fabulous boat model that will be a conversation piece for any room, yacht club or office.

Highlights about this historic model sailboat:

• 100% hand built from scratch using “plank on frame” construction method
• Included with this intermediate level sailboat model is a solid wood base with a brass name plate
  
• Size: 80" overall length x 111" height x 15" width
  
• Condition: New (fully assembled)
• Hundreds of hours where required to finish this model sailboat
• Completed model contains thousands of details created by skillful master craftsmen.
• Made of finest wood like Rosewood, Mahogany, Teak and other exotic tropical wood.
• Chrome and brass fittings and ornaments constitute the excellence of this model
• Extensive research through original plans and pictures make this model authentic
• This model went through a demanding quality control process before leaving the workshop

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