America³ (1992 yacht)
USA-23 and crew of America3 returns to America's Cup Harbor in 1992 after successfully defending the America's Cup, defeating the Italian challenger Il Moro di Venezia. | |
| Yacht club | San Diego Yacht Club |
|---|---|
| Nation | United States |
| Class | International America's Cup Class |
| Sail no | USA–23 |
| Designer(s) | Doug Peterson, Jerry Milgram, Vincent Moeyersoms, Heiner Meldner |
| Builder | Goetz Custom Sailboats, Inc. |
| Launched | 1992 |
| Owner(s) | America³ West Palm Beach, FL, USA |
| Racing career | |
| Skippers | Bill Koch Buddy Melges |
| Notable victories | 1992 Citizen Cup 1992 America's Cup |
| America's Cup | 1992 America's Cup |
| AC Defender Selection Series | 1992 Citizen Cup 1995 Citizen Cup |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 23.77 m (78.0 ft) (LWL) 18.29 m (60.0 ft) (LOA) |
| Beam | 5.45 m (17.9 ft) |
| Sail area | 298 m2 (3,210 sq ft) |
America3 (USA–23) (pronounced "America cubed") was an American International America's Cup Class (IACC) yacht that successfully defended the 1992 America's Cup challenge from the Il Moro Challenge racing syndicate.
America3 was one of the yachts built for the America3 Foundation racing syndicate, headed by American businessman Bill Koch, for the 1992 Citizen Cup. Four IACC yachts were ordered:[1]
- Jayhawk (USA-9)
- Defiant (USA-18)
- Kanza (USA-28)
- America3 (USA-23)
The yacht selected for competition, America3, was fastest.[1] It was launched in 1992.[2]
America3 won the Citizen Cup, then successfully defended the America's Cup against the challenge of the Italian yacht Il Moro di Venezia V (ITA-25), winner of the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup. Koch was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993.[3]
The America3 Foundation racing syndicate entered the 1995 Citizen Cup with an all women's programme. The team sailed America3 in the first three stages of the Round Robin, then switched to their newly delivered yacht Mighty Mary for the remainder of the event.
In 2005 America3 and Il Moro di Venezia V were on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.[4] Defiant is on display at the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island.[5] Jayhawk is on display at the Wichita Boathouse in Wichita, Kansas.[6]
References
- ^ a b "America3 (USA-23) defended successfully the America's Cup 1992". America’s Cup History 1983 - 2013. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ "Storia della Coppa America 1992" [History of the America's Cup 1992.]. www.ali6.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Induction Class of 1993: William I. Koch". Herreschoff Marine Museum. Bristol, RI. 1993. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Koch exhibit anchors at Boston's MFA". Sail Magazine. September 2, 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "About Us". Herreschoff Marine Museum. Bristol, RI. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Wichita Boathouse is getting new life as well-known party planners take over running it". Wichita Eagle. August 14, 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
Further reading
- Heyman, Gabriel (1995). Of Flying Foils and Winning Wings (PDF). Looking at the America’s Cup boats in a different perspective (Report). Frolunda, Sweden: Heyman Yachts AB. Retrieved 31 August 2025.