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DD can remember Dennis Connor stripping the other 6 USA boats for the best parts.Tom Blackaller had twin rudders on his 12 metre yaught.He was also a sail manufacturer and also built + designed race cars.He was also a sailing work champion in heaps of different sailing classes.Sadly he passed away in 1989,just reading.
The New York Times called the Australia II technological victory in 1983 -The Sputnic of Sailing.They where also filthy the Russians beat them into space.

Tiger of old wrote: I remember it being the talk of the primary school playground the next morning, I didn’t watch it it was on at 2am or something, but even though I was a youngster I can remember the feeling of the whole nation hanging on it.
Four years later I really got into it, knew the name of every boat and every skipper, and religiously watched “Cupdate” at 6 30 every night. Also went down to the packed South Mole to wave off Kookaburra ll in one of those finals races against that Great villain of the time, the late Dennis Connor and Stars and Stripes. I thought Dennis Connor turned out to be a really quality bloke in the end. Apparently he was absolutely smashed in America for losing in 83 and then had to wait four years for redemption, which was clinical, and brutal. He saw off a really good NZ challenger, the plastic fantastic, to make the final and then Destroyed our Kookaburra ll. I remember him being a very humble winner at the end.
I haven’t had the slightest interest in sailing since.

Primary school playground in 83? Yer just a kid Tiger.

It really was an incredible time to be a West Australian and living in Perth during those 2 America's Cups 83-87.
As someone posted earlier the clean up of Fremantle city itself with a lot of the old buildings being restored, we also had in that Spring/Summer of 86/87 a number of America's Cup sporting events take place for good money back then including the Premiers Challenge between Subi & Hawthorn, the A/C ODI Cricket Challenge at the WACA between Australia, England, West Indies & Pakistan and a number of other sporting events at that time.
What a pity we couldnt go back to back and win it again off the Fremantle coast but it certainly was a great ol time in gods own country!

Beasley Hutton wrote: It really was an incredible time to be a West Australian and living in Perth during those 2 America's Cups 83-87.
As someone posted earlier the clean up of Fremantle city itself with a lot of the old buildings being restored, we also had in that Spring/Summer of 86/87 a number of America's Cup sporting events take place for good money back then including the Premiers Challenge between Subi & Hawthorn, the A/C ODI Cricket Challenge at the WACA between Australia, England, West Indies & Pakistan and a number of other sporting events at that time.
What a pity we couldnt go back to back and win it again off the Fremantle coast but it certainly was a great ol time in gods own country!

Also remember a horse race named in honour of the America’s Cup BH. The America’s Cup Stakes. 1800m won by my favourite horse back then Fimiston. Laurie Connell horse Fair Sir came second.

Yeah I remember that race at Ascot DD Fimiston & Fair Sir were very good horses.
There was also an Americas Cup trot race at Gloucester Park won by Raceaway Too for the legendary Fred Kersley who from memory beat the incredible WA champion Village Kid in the process.

Beasley Hutton wrote: Yeah I remember that race at Ascot DD Fimiston & Fair Sir were very good horses.
There was also an Americas Cup trot race at Gloucester Park won by Raceaway Too for the legendary Fred Kersley who from memory beat the incredible WA champion Village Kid in the process.

Ahh ok I don’t recall the trot race, and don’t recall Raceway Too. Must have been a good horse to beat The Kid but got lucky I reckon.