America II
| Other names | Fiddler (US 46) |
|---|---|
| Yacht club |
 New York Yacht Club
|
| Nation |
 United States
|
| Class | 12-meter |
| Sail no | US 42, US 44 & US 46 |
| Designer(s) | M. William Langan, Sparkman & Stephens |
| Builder | Williams & Manchester Shipyard |
| Launched | 1984, 1985 & 1986 |
| Owner(s) | US Merchant Marine Academy Foundation, Manhattan Yacht Club Syndicate, New York Harbor Sailing Foundation |
| Racing career | |
| Skippers | John Kolius |
| Notable victories | 1985 Cadillac Cup Regatta |
| America's Cup | 1987 |
| Specifications | |
| Type | Monohull Sloop |
| Length | 20.14m (LOA) |
| Beam | 3.70m |
| Draft | 2.74m |
| Notes | |
|
Aluminum alloy construction Built according to the Third International Rule America’s Cup |
|
America II is a racing sailboat and one of the final America's Cup 12 Meters. There were a total of three America IIs commissioned for the New York Yacht Club's challenge in the 1987 America's Cup. These were US 42, 44 & 46 and all boats were named America II.
Aluminum alloy construction
America II (US 46), skippered by John Kolius, competed in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup which was held in Freemantle, Australia running up to the America's Cup. The New York Yacht Club syndicate, competing as US Merchant Marine Academy Foundation, were the first to arrive in Freemantle in 1984. It had two 12-Meter boats, US 42 and US 44 (both named America II) sailing in the following year. A third sister boat, US 46 arrived shortly after. The challenge cost the NYYC and their partners $15 Million USD. The America II Challenge was a partnership of the America II team, the New York Yacht Club and the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and included 34 affiliated U.S. yacht clubs, three corporate sponsors and over 115 corporate contributors.
America II (US 42), competing at Fremantle, was the first of three new 12-meters that represented the syndicate and has seven sets of wings that can be snapped on and off her keel at will. "We've probably imported more lead into Western Australia than anybody else," said Kolius.
America II (US 42) competed and won in the inaugural Cadillac Cup Regatta 2-1 and appeared as an early favorite for the America's Cup Challenge. John Kolius' team raced Tom McLaughlin and his team in the two day event. The regatta took place July 27–28 in Newport, RI and marked the culmination of America II's Summer Training. On August 7, shortly after the Cadillac Cup, US 42 and US 44 we shipped via container to Perth, Australia to begin a second full season of training on October 5, 1985.
John Kolius and his America II (US 42) team finished third and was the top American contender in the World Championship races which ended February 18, 1986 in Perth, Australia. However, many of the American teams did not participate in the regatta either for strategic or logistical reasons.
The crew was plagued with bad luck on the water and a bad press on land. A bungled jibe that mangled a spinnaker, a split mainsail and a man overboard made her race results worse than her sailing performance actually was. She led the last race until the final leg and in other heats she was able to close in on the leaders, but she couldn't pull out a win.
Thomas Ehman Jr., executive director of the America II syndicate, said the America II team entered US 42 in the competition because they saw it as the slowest of its new boats.
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Wikipedia