Anticipation (Lexcen 50)

Anticipation was a 50-foot Ben Lexcen design, commissioned by Don St Clair Brown who was widely regarded as the Father of New Zealand yachting. Don had sailed several Flying Dutchman and Dragon class yachts and a Tornado, before eventually building Anticipation (in aluminium) in 1975 where he left his greatest mark on New Zealand's ocean racing scene. Anticipation was of moderate displacement for the period and masthead rigged, and with her distinctive broad yellow stripe she was a feature of the New Zealand keelboat scene for many years, and Don campaigned her in most of the major Pacific ocean races including the Clipper Cup and Sydney-Hobart as well as local New Zealand regattas.

Anticipation in her early days

Anticipation, with her original rating of about 40.3ft IOR was a strong performer in the New Zealand 'B' team in the first Clipper Cup in 1978, alongside Lovelace (Farr One Tonner) and Inca, an S&S 46 footer). 

Anticipation during a local Auckland race in 1979 (photo Maritime Museum)

During the 1979 Southern Cross Cup trials

Anticipation at the start of the 1979 Auckland to Suva race (photo Maritime Museum)

With the benefit of an age allowance, she again sailed strongly in 1980, even though winds were lighter than ideal for her, with results of 5/2/5 in the first three races to initially lead such famous new yachts as Challenge, Ragamuffin and Shockwave.

Anticipation during the 1980 Clipper Cup (photo Phil Uhl | Facebook)

Anticipation with spinnaker and blooper in excellent trim (possibly during the 1980 Clipper Cup)

Although now seven years old, Anticipation finished in fifth place in the New Zealand trials for the 1982 Clipper Cup, now with a lower 38.5ft rating, and formed part of the New Zealand 'Red' team (alongside Bad Habits and Solara). The 'Red' team finished in sixth place (ahead of the smaller yachts making up the 'Green' team in 9th), where she finished 17th overall with placings of 20/21/18/27/18.

Anticipation fully pressed on a tight reach during the 1982 Clipper Cup (photo Phil Uhl)

Powering along upwind during the 1982 Clipper Cup (photo John Malitte | Sea Spray)

Anticipation again made the running in 1984, further benefiting from the IOR age allowance with a rating of 37.9ft, and was part of the seventh-placed New Zealand 'B' team (with Black Sheep and Blast Furnace). She outperformed both of her team-mates to finish 18th overall.

Anticipation off Molokai during the 1984 Clipper Cup (photo Phil Uhl)

Charging along downwind, possibly during the 1984 Clipper Cup (photo Facebook)

While Don owned and continued to race Anticipation until his death in 2008 (at 94), he also commissioned Thunderbird, a Farr 43, in 1984 in which he sailed in the 1985 Southern Cross Cup and went on to win the 1986 Kenwood Cup (the former Clipper Cup) alongside Equity and Exador. 

Anticipation soon after the start of the 2006 Coastal Classic race (photo Richard Gladwell | Sail World)

Anticipation competing in an Australian regatta, date unknown

Anticipation is sadly now languishing as a houseboat of sorts in Mooloolaba, Australia (photo below from 2022, Facebook).

Article updated September 2024