Kookaburra III (KA 15) is one of those boats that you can’t forget, even after 35 years! She was in fact the 12-metre Australian yacht led by Iain Murray in the 1987 America’s Cup held in Fremantle, Western Australia. Murray won the Defender Selection and Kookaburra III represented Australia in the following America’s Cup, where she lost the Cup, hard won four years earlier in Newport by Australia II, against the American challenger Dennis Conner aboard Stars & Stripes 87. Thanks to a major refit, Kookaburra III is now equipped with Armare Ropes, supplied by Wave Professional Sailing Equipment by Daniele Augusti.
The Kookaburra III project and her history
In preparation for the defence of the America’s Cup, Alan Bond expressed concern that there was no adequate competition in Australia to prepare for the event. Alan Bond was Australia’s best-known personality at the time, having led the Australian challenge to win the America’s Cup from the New York YC on the fourth attempt in 1983, ending the longest-running series in sport. Business rival Kevin Parry took up the challenge. Bringing together top sailors from across Australia, Parry’s Taskforce 87 syndicate generated a high-level campaign, which included an investment of around A$28 million.
Kookaburra III was built in Perth, Western Australia by Parry Boat Builders. She was the third of the syndicate-built Kookaburra boats, all designed by Murray and Swarbrick themselves. The gold-hulled Kookaburras proved to be fast and largely equal in performance, particularly Kookaburra II and Kookaburra III. Kookaburra II was intended to be a benchmark boat and was left unchanged from May 1986 onwards, while significant changes were made to the hulls and keels of Kookaburra I and Kookaburra III. Throughout her time Kookaburra II remained a very fast sailing boat and Iain Murray believed she was the fastest in the syndicate. This belief remained until the finals to select a defender, when Kookaburra III finally proved faster, as a result of a keel modification, and was chosen as the hull for the next America’s Cup campaign.
America’s Cup Defeat
The story of that challenge against the Americans and the resulting defeat is quite simple. The modified keel had given Kookaburra III a clear advantage in terms of speed over Australia IV, allowing her to emerge triumphant from a close and controversial series. After months of intense racing, the defense of the Cup was finally in Kookaburra III’s sights. The boat had to be sailed aggressively and was thought to have an advantage in light airs. But from the first day of the Cup racing it was clear that things were different. The first race in fact seemed to be a good day for the Australians, with light airs around 10-12 knots. However, Dennis Conner, after rounding the first mark in the lead, led for the entire race, without ever being seriously threatened. This first race was in fact a harbinger of all the others to come. It was clear that Stars & Stripes 87 had a clear advantage upwind, even in light air, and could hold her own downwind. In the stronger winds there was an even greater difference in boat speeds. The Australians tried hard, but simply did not have the boat speed to keep up with Stars & Stripes 87, who showed a consistent twenty-second lead on every beat to quickly win the series in four races.
The 2024 rigging intervention
Today this legendary sailing vessel is owned by the shipowner and collector Maurizio Vecchiola, who also purchased Italia II and Moro di Venezia II. For the supply of the ropes of Kookaburra III, one of our reference rigger, Daniele Augusti, took into account the particularities of the deck equipment of the vessel, as the boat is about 35 years old. The high loads are characteristic of the 12-meter AC Class boats, heavily rigged and with highly aggressive winches. For this reason, mainly technical ropes with Dyneema® SK78 HPS cores were chosen, that is, heat-treated, to reduce elongation and impregnated with special water-based resins. The protective covers were designed to make them very similar to those of the time, while guaranteeing the technical requirements of the professionals who will race in very demanding circuits. A particular and suitable mix of fibers, including High Tenacity Polyester and Cordura®, make these ropes very resistant to fast manoeuvres and continuous rubbing under load.
Kookaburra III (KA-15) – Main technical specs
Project: Iain Murray & John Swarbrick
Boat bulider: Parry Boats Builder, Australia
Year: 1986
Length: 20,20 m
Beam 3,81 m
Draft: 2,80 mDesign: Sloop
Construction: Steel