We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. America’s Cup and offshore legendary sailor Dawn Riley nominates the IACC yacht America True.San Francisco Yacht Club’s “America True” rounds the windward mark ahead of France’s Le Defi syndicate’s “6 sens” on race day ten of the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger semi-finals on the waters of New Zealand’s Hauraki Basin, Auckland, 13 January 2000. Le Defi passed America True in the fourth leg of the match and went on to win by one minute and 14 seconds.
\nAFP PHOTO (Photo by DEAN TREML \/ AFP) (Photo by DEAN TREML\/AFP via Getty Images)America True was a ground-breaking campaign for the 2000 America\u2019s Cup. Created by Dawn Riley, it was the first America\u2019s Cup syndicate to be headed up by a woman, and the first mixed team in the Cup. John Butler was racing helmsman.\u00a0
\nThe team out-performed many expectations, getting through to the semi-final stages of the 11-team Louis Vuitton Cup, then raced in IACC yachts, and taking race wins from such heavyweight contenders as Dennis Connor\u2019s Stars & Stripes. \u00a0
\nDennis Conner\u2019s Stars & Stripes\u00a0racing America True\u00a0on day 9 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger semi-finals off Auckland in January 2000.\u00a0Photo: Dean Tremil\/Photosport\/AFP via Getty Images
\n\u201cAmerica True was the best bright yellow boat designed by Phil Kaiko and an excellent team who are still designing Cup boats,\u201d recalls Riley. \u201cBut she meant so much more than just a race record as we were \u2018rocking the boat\u2019 and doing things differently.\u201d
\nThe America True Foundation also had a key remit of making sailing accessible through youth involvement programmes.
\nIACC America True Stats rating:
\nTop speed: 17 knots
\nLOA: 25m
\nLaunched: 2000
\nBerths:\u00a00
\nPrice: $10m
\nAdrenalin factor:\u00a070%
\nDawn Riley
\nUS sailor Dawn Riley was the first woman to manage an America\u2019s Cup sailing team. She raced on four America\u2019s Cup and two Whitbread Around the World Race teams, was named Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year and inducted into the America\u2019s Cup Hall of Fame. She heads up Oakcliff Sailing, a competitive sailing training centre in Oyster Bay, New York.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWorld\u2019s coolest yachts: Superyacht Heitaros<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI first saw Heitaros sailing in St Barth and thought it was a beautiful 60- or 80-footer but, as we\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWorld\u2019s coolest yachts: USA 17<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cI\u2019d have loved to sail on the America\u2019s Cup AC72 cats in San Francisco in 2013, they were so invigorating.\u2026<\/p>\n
If you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/p>\n
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We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. America’s Cup and offshore legendary sailor Dawn Riley nominates the IACC yacht America True.San Francisco Yacht Club’s “America True” rounds the … <\/p>\n