12-17-2020, 10:21 AM
I'd have to go back 30+ years in the memory bank, but I believe it was the Aussies that were first to play a little more loose with the Deed of Gift than the Yanks. The winged keel that they used to win the Cup should have been banned as non-conforming to the 12M class. It was a loophole in the class rules that allowed it in, if I recall. I'm perfectly willing to be corrected on the facts, but my opinion that the winged keel should not have been allowed will remain my opinion. Interestingly, though, it was this controversy and the Aussie victory that brought the America's Cup competition into public. I thoroughly enjoyed watching those races and the challenge races that lead up to them. We even had a challenger from Lake Michigan The Heart of America Challenge. The skipper was Buddy Melges a small boat builder and racer who allegedly said he sails best with a hangover because his head only stops pounding when the boat is in perfect trim. (I feel that way about motorcycling, by the way)