Oldest videos of 12 Metre class yachts sailing - Part 2
by Magnus Smith 25 Aug 12:00 BST
Start of Race 1 - 1983 America's Cup - Newport RI © Paul Darling Collection
Some America's Cup fans still wish the event was contested in 12 Metres, but time marches on, and we are in the foiling age now. However, whatever class you think should be used to contest the Cup, it can still be wonderful to look back at the beauties of the past.
In Part 1 we looked at videos from the 1930s to 60s, and now we will cover the 1970s to 1980s, in our extensive video archive...
1970s
We start with a pretty good documentary of the 1970 America's Cup. It is a good 40 minutes though (as is another documentary from the same year which concentrates more on Bill Ficker, the US skipper).
From the 1974 event, The Grandest Prize tells the story in a similar fashion.
We now see how 1979 was for Sir James Gilbert Hardy preparing for the 1980 America's Cup. This is only 5 minutes so there are not as many 12 Metre shots as we might like.
Early 1980s
With some poignant interviews, here is an Aussie point of view of the America's Cup 1980 referenced above.
Now we move on to that most exciting of years: 1983! Finally the Americans have to hand over the Auld Mug to another nation. The main documentary is Australia II and the 1983 America's Cup Victory.
'The Challenge' (part 1) and part 2 is a re-enactment of the 1983 America's Cup with actors. It is not as terrible as you might expect!
Let us not forget how Canada entered the fray that year too. Challenge of the North tells that story. The Challenge 12 syndicate made a commemorative video too.
Late 1980s
For a taste of something very different indeed, hear the Stars & Stripes crew sing about their campaign in 1986 !
1987 America's Cup is interesting as it includes some detailed focus on the technology on the boats - at 24m00s a trip up the mast sees the spreaders are examined in detail.
You need to save The Best of the America's Cup 1987 for when you have 90 minutes free!
To watch just pure racing from the 1987 America's Cup there are lots of choices at youtube.com/@SecretSailing
Although the Twelves were not used for the America's Cup after 1987, the class carried on racing, and still do today - see the photo below!
What of the other decades?
Do you know the location of any other 12 Metre videos from before the year 2000 when everything went digital? We would love to share these with other sailors. You can submit video links to us for immediate review.
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