Page 29 - Mark Chews Forty Two Australian Wooden Sailing Boats Sept 17 2020

Given Australia’s pivotal role in the history of the Americas Cup it would be wrong
not to include a 12 metre in the list. Which one? She has to be wooden so there’s
only three to choose from… GRETEL II wins out as she is the last timber 12m ever
built and she came closer to winning the Cup than DAME PATTI or GRETEL and what
is more she is now fully restored and sailing in Australia.
Frank Packer had first challenged for the America's Cup in 1962 with the GRETEL,
which was named after his wife. GRETEL was competitive but lost that challenge 4–1.
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. She 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.

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. 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.

She underwent a major refit in New Zealand in 2009 and was relocated to the Royall
Yacht Club of Tasmania , as the open waters of the River Derwent were considered
more suited to sailing a 12-Metre than Sydney Harbour.

CYAA Magazine Issue 43 September 2020 Page 29