This 12-Metre proved a breakthrough in design and Olin Stephens regards ‘Intrepid’ as his “most innovative twelve”.
She was the first to separate the rudder from the keel, include a ‘bustle’ or a ‘kicker’ and use a trim tab. The steering system involved two rudders in tandem, a deep one on the keel and a shallow one on the skeg. This was used to drive the boat to windward and enable a quicker turn when tacking. Stephens’ design also involved locating all the winches below deck allowing the ‘kicker’ to hold the boom down low which in turn reduced the “induced drag”.
The design was so successful that ‘Intrepid’ successfully defended the America’s Cup twice, in 1967 and 1970. By 1974 the newer and lighter Stephens design, ‘Courageous‘ took on the defenders role.
12-Metre World Championships, 2019
