GRETEL II
Gretel II is an Australian International 12-metre class racing yacht built for the America's Cup challenge series in 1970. She was designed by Alan Payne and built by W.H. Barnett for Australian media tycoon Sir Frank Packer.
GRETEL II
Year 1970 February Current Sail Number KA 3 International Rule Third Rule AC Current Location Sydney Current Country AU Designer Alan Payne Builder William H. Barnett Pty. Ltd. Length Overall 19.81 m. Waterline 14.02 m. Beam 3.66 m. Draught 2.74 m. Displacement 29.2 t. Sail Area 187 sq.m. Original Owner Sir Frank Packer Original Name GRETEL II Original Country AU Original Homeport Sydney Original Sail Number KA 3 Owner Details & History Built according to the International Third Rule America's Cup
1970 - 1973 Sir Frank Packer - name: Gretel II - homeport: Sydney (Australia). Challenger for the 21st America's Cup Match. Alan Payne second Gretel is again an innovative yacht. She is a very fast boat with better dynamic performances than the America's Cup yachts and with very advanced hull forms; she has also a bendy riveted mast with turbolence stimulators in order to increase aerodynamic efficiency and the first twin wheels to grant the helmsman with a better visibility when sailing windward. She is the last Twelve in wood to race the America's Cup. She easily won the Challenger Trials with a score of 4-0 to France. Skippered by James "Gentleman Jim" Hardy, she lost by 4 to 1 to Intrepid, skippered by William "Bill" Ficker.
1973 - 1974 Yanchep Estates Pty. Ltd - homeport: Perth and Yanchep (Australia). Altered in 1973. Trial-horse of Southern Cross in 1874.
1975 - 1976 The Southern Cross America's Cup, Challenge Association Ltd. - homeport: Yanchep (Australia).
1976 - 1978 1977 America's Cup Challenge Association, Inc. (Gordon W. Ingate) - homeport: Sydney (Australia). Altered by Alan Payne in 1976 she enters in the Challenger Trials for the 1997 America?s Cup.
1979 - 1980 Gordon W. Ingate.
1985 Altered to enter in the Class Worlds of 1986 in Perth (Australia).
1987 - 2005 Sydney Maritime Museum - home port: Pyrmont (Australia). Sailing under the Sydney Heritage Fleet. Due to lack of funds, in 2004, Gretel II is for sale at the price of $ 200,000.
2006 - 2009 Michael Maxwell - home port: Sidney (Dibley Marine). She has undergone important works in New Zealand with her interior redesigned for overnight acomodation, a new deck layout and new rig. Relaunched in February 2009.