Ben Lexcen facts for kids

Benjamin Lexcen (born Robert Clyde Miller, 19 March 1936 – 1 May 1988) was a famous Australian sailor and boat designer. He is best known for creating the special winged keel design. This design was used on the yacht Australia II. In 1983, Australia II made history by winning the important America's Cup sailing race. It was the first time in 132 years that a non-American boat won this trophy.

Early Life and Boat Designs

Ben Lexcen was born in a small town called Boggabri, New South Wales, on 19 March 1936. He had a challenging childhood. He left school when he was 14. He first wanted to be a mechanic, but soon became very interested in sailboats.

When he was just 16, Ben designed his first sailboat, called The Comet. He worked with his friend William Bennett. He quickly became known for his skills in local sailing races. He also learned how to make sails.

Ben's boat designs were very new and clever. His boat "Taipan" changed the way 18-footer boats were designed in 1960. He even won the World Championship in 1961 with his next boat, "Venom".

Later, he started a company with his friend Craig Whitworth. They built boats, made sails, and sold boat supplies. Ben also designed boats in his free time. One of his most successful early designs was the International Contender dinghy. This small sailboat was chosen in 1967 as a possible future Olympic boat. Today, the Contender is sailed in many countries around the world.

Ben Lexcen also competed in the Soling class at the 1972 Munich Olympics. He represented Australia in sailing.

The America's Cup Journey

Ben Lexcen began working with a businessman named Alan Bond. Bond asked Ben to design a racing yacht called Apollo. This led to a long partnership.

In 1974, Alan Bond challenged for the America's Cup for the first time. Ben designed the 12-metre class yacht Southern Cross for this race. They did not win the Cup that year. However, Ben continued to be the main designer for Bond's future yachts. All these boats were designed for the 12-metre class rules used in the America's Cup.

Around this time, Ben changed his name from Robert Clyde Miller to Benjamin Lexcen. He wanted to avoid confusion with his old company. He chose "Lexcen" because it was a very rare last name. "Ben" was the name of his dog.

Bond challenged for the America's Cup again in 1977 and 1980. Ben designed the yacht Australia for these races. They raced against famous American sailors like Ted Turner and Dennis Conner. But they lost both times.

The Winged Keel and Australia II

The special winged keel of Australia II

After the 1980 race, Ben Lexcen realized they needed something truly special to win. He knew they had to beat the American team, who had won the America's Cup for over 100 years!

His next design was for Australia II. This boat had many new features. The most famous was its revolutionary winged keel. A keel is like a fin under the boat that helps it stay stable. Ben's winged keel was designed to make the boat faster and more stable in the water. It also helped the boat turn better.

The design of Australia II was very controversial. The New York Yacht Club, who held the Cup, argued that Australia II was not a legal 12-metre boat. They also questioned if the design was truly Australian. But after checking, it was confirmed that Australia II followed all the rules.

Winning the America's Cup in 1983

The 1983 America's Cup was a huge event. Ben Lexcen's Australia II, with John Bertrand as the skipper, raced against Dennis Conner and his yacht, Liberty.

The Australians were confident they had a fast boat. However, Australia II had some mechanical problems and the American team sailed very well. Australia II fell behind, losing the first two races. But the Australian team fought back, winning three of the next four races.

This meant the Cup would be decided in the very last race. The pressure was on! In the final race on 26 September, Australia II got an early lead. Liberty managed to overtake them for a while. But Australia II found better wind and sailed faster, taking the lead back.

Then, the two boats had an amazing tacking duel. They turned back and forth nearly 50 times, trying to get ahead. Australia II held its lead and crossed the finish line first!

This was a historic moment. Australia II became the first boat to win the America's Cup from the United States since the race began in 1870. Ben Lexcen was given the Order of Australia award for his amazing design.

After the Win

Ben Lexcen designed two more boats for Alan Bond for the 1987 America's Cup, Australia III and Australia IV. However, Australia IV was beaten by another Australian boat, Kookaburra III, in the trials. So, for the first time in ten years, an America's Cup race did not feature a boat designed by Ben Lexcen. Kookaburra III then lost to Dennis Conner's American boat in the finals.

Death

Ben Lexcen passed away suddenly in Manly, New South Wales, on 1 May 1988. He was 52 years old and died from a heart attack. He is buried at Frenchs Forest Cemetery.

Legacy

Ben Lexcen's impact is still remembered today:

• In 1989, the Toyota Lexcen car was named in his honor by Toyota Australia.
• In 1988, the University of New South Wales created the Ben Lexcen Sports Scholarships. These were the first sports scholarships offered by an Australian university.
• In 2006, Ben Lexcen was added to the America's Cup Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made a big difference in the America's Cup.

See also

• Sailing yachts designed by Ben Lexcen