The RPA YC challenger . Pacemaker . overtakes
Maybe XII to windward in Ll1e 1979 Alfred ' s challenge in Sao Francisco for the AmAusCup .
For the record , Georgina held the cup in 1959 and 1964 for the Royal Brighton Yacht Club . The in · between years of 1962 and 1963 . Ve11ger ( fonnerly
Avenger ) held the trophy for the Royal Geelong Yacht Club .
John Taylor , with Len & daile as helm .~ man , and Barry Kendall , Len Junior and John Ashcroft crew . trucked Yeoman to Melbourne in 1965 and was able to wrest I . he cup for I . he Alfreds for the first time since 1931 .
In 1967 John commissioned Olin Stephens to design a 6 metre which was named Toogooloowoo IV . Yeoman was chartered to the CYC with Trevor Gowlaod as helmsman and the Northcote Cup was resurrected for a challenge in 1968 . Yeoman created an upset by beating roogooloowoo IV and Venger , sailed by David Pelley representing the Royal Brighton Yacht Club . However . Esdaile and Taylor reversed tha1decision in 1969 when Toogooloowoo ! Vcapruredthecup for the Alfreds and it has not been competed for since . The cup is on display in the club ' s trophy cabinet .
THE AMAUS CUP
After 61 years of compel . ii . ion for the Northcote Cup it would seem Iha ! the days of the 6 metres were coming to ao end . This was not to be the case . A 6 metre fleet was very active in the Puget Sound in Seaule , Washington , and the NorthAmerican champion , Sunny Vynne , visited Australia on a business trip . He sought out John Taylor and convinced tiim that a challenge should take place between the two countries . San Francisco Bay was chosen for the venue , being neutral territory , and Toogooloowoo IV was shipped to San Francisco in 1969 .
Back in Seattle , Vynne ' s 6 metre Maybe Vil was defeated by Goose for the right to compete . Built before World War 0 , the Sparkman and Stephens ' designed Goose had been one of the most successful
6 metres of its era . Jo 1969 . io the hands of her Seattle owner , Brian Wertheimer . she met the Australian boat , skippered by Len Esdaile , whom she defeated .
Toogooloowoo ! Vis remembered as a faster boat , but was hampered by wheel steering and was up against a detennioed team with years of experience .
The contest created a great deal of interest in San Francisco , particularly with a group of senior mem · bers of I . he St Francis Yacht Club . It was during this sen . es that Neil Armstrong stepped OD to the moon and the Americans were jubilant with this achievement . A group of members formed the Apollo syndicate , after the moon mission , and purchased Too ·
g {)( Jloow ( I (> IV from John Taylor on the understanding that he build another 6 metre on hjs return to Australia . The Apollo syndicate renamed Toogooloowoo IV , St Francis IV and engaged the Califomjan naval architect , Gary Mull , to modify her steering and deck layout .
Discussions took place between the Flag Officers of the St Francis Yacht Club and lhe Alfreds which resulted in a deed of gift being agreed 10 , and the American Australian Joteruational 6 Metre Trophy Cup was born . Lloyd Burgess purchased a cup from Hardy Brothers , Sydney jewellers , from money donated equally by both clubs .
For the inaugural Challenge Cup series in November 1970 , Joho Taylor had a new 6 metre built by Bill Barnett , designed by Sparkman and Stephens on the theme of their 12 metre Valiant , which he named Toogooloow (){) V .
The series sailed off Palm Beach in light t0 moderate breezes proved to be ideal for St Francis
IV , winning four races in a row in a very convincing manner . Toogooloowoo V was a big 6 metre with a large displacement and never seemed 10 enjoy the conditions as well as her predecessor . Tom Blackaller , with such identities as Gary Mull , Warwick Thompkins , Ed Bennett crewing and Malin
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