Laurie Davidson (1926 - 2021)

New Zealand and the wider sailing world lost one of its great yacht designing talents, Laurie Davidson, this week (4 October 2021). Davidson was a major force in leading edge IOR design in the 1970s and 80s, starting off with his breakthrough Quarter Tonner Fun before going on to find further international success with winning designs in Half Ton, Three-Quarter Ton and One Ton world championships in the 1970s and was a key part of New Zealand's success in international yacht design through into the 1980s and 1990s. He will of course be best remembered for his breakthrough designs for Team New Zealand in their successful 1995 America's Cup challenge and 2000 defence, but created fast and beautiful looking yachts across the whole design spectrum.

Fun - fifth at the 1976 Quarter Ton Cup in Corpus Christi (and fifth again in Helsinki in 1977)

A tribute article can be found on the Yachting New Zealand website here, and some of his famous designs from the IOR era are presented in the gallery below.

Waverider - fourth in the Half Ton Cup in 1977 but went on to win in 1978 and 1979

Laurie inspecting the hull of Pendragon at the 1978 Three-Quarter Ton Cup in 1978 (photo Doug Wardrop)

Pendragon on her way to winning the 1978 Three Quarter Ton Cup

Laurie seen here checking in with the crew of Pendragon following her conversion to a One Tonner and winning the 1979 One Ton Cup (photo Paul Mello)

Pendragon winning the 1979 One Ton Cup (photo Paul Mello)

Stu Brentnall's 46-footer Shockwave at the 1980 Clipper Cup

Quarter Tonner Hellaby, racing at the 1980 Quarter Ton Cup in Auckland

The 38-foot Southern Raider at the 1982 Clipper Cup (photo John Malitte)

Graeme Woodroffe's 50-footer Jumpin' Jack Flash - although not designed to the IOR (and carrying a high 48.3ft rating), she was New Zealand's top yacht in the 1982 Clipper Cup

Digby Taylor's 51-foot Whitbread yacht Outward Bound during the 1981 New Zealand Admiral's Cup selection trials

Bernard Clay's 50-foot Great Fun during the 1982 Clipper Cup (photo Phil Uhl/Facebook)

Australian 39-footer Szechwan 

The One Tonner Canterbury Export formed part of the New Zealand team for the 1985 Admiral's Cup

The 44-footer Pendragon II (1981)

Mad Max (also known as Goldcorp) seen here during the 1985 Southern Cross Cup

One Tonner Swuzzlebubble VIII (ex-Beyond Thunderdome) at the start of the ill-fated 1994 Sydney to Hobart yacht race

Aquila (Davidson One Tonner)

These photos are of the Seattle-based Davidson designed One Tonner, Aquila. The owner had previously owned the Lidgard 50 Black Sheep and then bought Aquila that was built by the Cook Brothers in Christchurch, to a similar design as Canterbury which made the New Zealand team for the 1985 Admiral's Cup. She competed in the 1986 Big Boat series, but while she was reasonably fast she was not sailed well and finished well down the results.  

  

Canterbury (Davidson 40)

Canterbury started life as Canterbury Export, a new export venture by Canterbury Marine Exports, based in the South Island of New Zealand, to contest the 1985 Admiral's Cup trials. The new yacht was designed by Laurie Davidson, his first properly campaigned IOR boat from his board to be seen in New Zealand for some time. The boat was a stripped-out Kevlar hulled version of Canterbury Marine Export's standard production racer/cruiser which were being sold in the Seattle area of the US, following an earlier boat called Night Rider, and was designed to perform well in Seattle's predominantly light airs.

Although optimised and equipped for top level IOR racing, Davidson commented at the time that Canterbury Export was not designed as an Admiral's Cup contender, rather "she was designed as an IOR hull that would make a nice racer/cruiser. The boat was originally envisaged as a One Tonner to the new One Ton rating (30.5ft), and was 39ft and 3in long. Then it was stretched to 40ft, so the sail area went down a bit. Then we put a big rig on when they said they wanted to try for the Admiral's Cup team. It has all the attributes for light weather."  

 

Canterbury Export at the start of the 1985 Auckland to Tauranga Race

Canterbury Export arrived in Auckland at the last minute, to join a small group of other team hopefuls, the veteran performer Exador, Farr 40 sisterships Epic Lass and Swuzzlebubble V, and the Peterson 43, Barnstorm.   

Canterbury Export during the early stages of the 1985 Admiral's Cup trials, with Barnstorm astern

She was skippered by Roy Dickson for the series, with Tom Dodson calling the shots, and by the sixth race of the nine race series looked to have cracked the Farr stranglehold, with excellent light air speed, as her designer had predicted. But the selectors remained unconvinced.

The trials series was closely fought, but Canterbury Export, with her light air speed and general all round ability, and Exador selected themselves, Although Canterbury Export looked strong in light airs, selectors had some doubts about her ability in stronger winds and so called for another three races before making their decision about the team, while two more races had to be added to the evaluation schedule to determine whether Epic Lass or Swuzzlebubble V would be selected. Epic Lass made the cut, and all three yachts were subsequently repainted in matching livery for their European campaign, which was to include the 1985 One Ton Cup, held in Poole which would provide an excellent shakedown before the Admiral's Cup. Canterbury Export was changed to Canterbury to remove any potential for Rule 26 sponsorship-related protests.

Canterbury Export works her way to windward during the 1985 Admiral's Cup trials

Canterbury joins Epic and Exador (beyond photo) aboard New Zealand Pacific for the journey to Britain (photo Tony Bishop/Sea Spray)

With so many Admiral's Cup teams fielding One Tonners, the series was well attended with 38 boats from 16 countries, and was very close as a result. Canterbury allayed any fears that she might be off the pace in fresher breezes by proving to be absolutely competitive as her crew warmed to the challenge. Unlike Exador and Epic she kept her nose clean and was tenth on overall points going into the final race - and had her moment of the regatta when she briefly lead the fleet midway through the third race. 

Canterbury races downwind during the 1985 One Ton Cup (photo Roger Lean-Vercoe/Sea Spray)

The final race was held in very fresh conditions, which kept some boats at their moorings and saw others return after venturing out of Poole Harbour. Ten minutes before the start, Canterbury's mast buckled under compression while she was manoeuvring under mainsail only. Dickson managed to get the boat across the line for starting points but then brought Canterbury back to the dock. So Canterbury finished the lowest of the New Zealand contingent, at 15th overall after a 6/11/22/13/RTD series. The mast, which had collapsed about three feet above the gooseneck, proved unrepairable. Dickson had to make hasty arrangements for a replacement with the start of the Admiral's Cup only eight days away. 

Canterbury in pre-start manoeuvres during the 1985 One Ton Cup (photo Facebook)

After the One Ton Cup the New Zealand team looked good to be one of the frontrunners, along with the powerful British and German teams. The series started well enough for the team, with Canterbury holding her own in the mid-fleet scramble of One Tonners, finishing 17th. Canterbury posted a solid eighth In the fresher but highly variable conditions of the second race, but later came unstuck in the protest room. Canterbury had protested Australia's Intrigue for a mark-rounding incident, but was herself penalised 30%, dropping her to 23rd, although the team retained second place overall behind the new leaders Germany.

Canterbury in the thick of the action at a wing mark during the Christchurch Bay race of the 1985 Admiral's Cup

The third race, the Channel Race, was held in gale conditions with a strong ebbing tide that kicked up a short, vicious sea, and led to many retirements from the fleet. Canterbury finished in 18th place, and the New Zealand team were humbled somewhat by the reaching speed of the British boats in particular, and dropped back to third overall, although British team yacht and One Ton Cup winner Jade lost some points after one of her leeward runner blocks clouted two of Canterbury's crew. Exador had done well to finish tenth after experiencing some mast compression problems. But Canterbury had a disastrous race n the third inshore race, held in Christchurch Bay, finishing 43rd. She made amends somewhat in the Fastnet Race finale, with a 16th, and helping New Zealand to third place overall.

Canterbury seen here to windward and ahead of Canada's 1981-vintage Pachena (Peterson 41) and Brazil's Saga (Farr 40) during the 1985 Admiral's Cup

Canterbury crossing the Shingles Bank during the 1991 Fastnet Race

The speed of the European boats was something of a revelation to the New Zealanders, but the team manager Rob Green was impressed with his team's overall efforts, saying that all three crews "sailed beyond the capability of their yachts".

Canterbury rounding Fastnet Rock during the 1991 Fastnet race

Canterbury was later sold and enjoyed a second career in Irish hands and campaigning with the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association, winning overall honours in the Association's 1987 season. At around this time she may have been fitted with a new keel of highly elliptical shape and which was very much in vogue by the time of the 1987 Admiral's Cup, as well as a new elliptical rudder. 

Canterbury crossing the Shingles Bank during the 1991 Fastnet Race

Canterbury as seen in 2017 in Andijk, Netherlands (photos courtesy @sailingstyle)

She is now looking somewhat uncared for (photo from 2021, Facebook):

Unfortunately, Canterbury fell off its cradle in a storm in winter 2023/24, in the ex-Sietas shipyard in Hamburg Cranz, and has not been touched since.

A video of Canterbury sailing from 2009 can be viewed here:

Article updated June 2024

Epic (Farr One Tonner)

Epic Lass (left) on launching day (photo Gibbs Family Collection)

Epic was a Farr One Tonner (just under 40 feet long), which started life as Epic Lass, a thinly disguised reference to the Epiglass brand owned by the yacht's sponsor, Healing Industries.

The yacht was a development of Bruce Farr's dominant One Ton design, Design #136, which had formed the basis of New Zealand's outstanding 1983 Southern Cross Cup team. Epic Lass, and her sistership Swuzzlebubble V, were designed and built with a view to competing for New Zealand in the 1985 Admiral's Cup series, and were twin versions of Design 138, optimised for the lighter airs expected in Europe being slightly shorter in length (approx 7in), lighter (approx 190lb), with a fractionally lower ballast ratio, and carrying more sail for the same One Ton rating of 30.5ft IOR.

Design 138 in profile

Epic Lass in light airs during the Auckland Anniversary Day regatta, January 1985 (photo Dan Nerney/Yachting New Zealand magazine)

Epic Lass and Swuzzlebubble V were launched together amongst much fanfare outside the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in December 1984. Epic Lass was skippered by Peter Walker and featured many of New Zealand's top offshore yachtsmen in her crew, including Peter Lester as helmsman.

Epic Lass during the 1985 New Zealand Admiral's Cup trials

In the five-boat Admiral's Cup trial series held in early 1985, Epic Lass lined up against sistership Swuzzlebubble V, veteran performer Exador, the Davidson 40 Canterbury Export, and the Peterson 43, Barnstorm. The trials series was closely fought, but Exador and Canterbury Export selected themselves, while two more races had to be added to the evaluation schedule to determine whether Epic Lass or Swuzzlebubble V would make the team. Being slightly smaller than their predecessor Exador and optimised for European conditions, both yachts gave no real indication of being an improvement on the original Farr 40. 

Epic Lass sails downwind during the 1985 Admiral's Cup trials

Epic Lass sails upwind past North Head and into the Rangitoto Channel

Epic Lass during the 1985 Admiral's Cup trials, approaching a windward mark off Westhaven behind Canterbury Export, Exador and Swuzzlebubble V (photo Rob Tucker/Sea Spray magazine)

However, neither boat demonstrated that they were fully optimised either - changing gears was a problem common to both boats - and the selectors wondered how much performance was untapped. In the end, both final races went Epic Lass' way, with skipper Peter Walker winning the first race and finishing third in the second, pulling in Exador and Canterbury Export as she went. 

Epic Lass during final warm-up trials in Auckland before being shipped to Europe

The inherent link of the name Epic Lass to her sponsor was too obvious to sustain in international competition under Rule 26, and so her name was shortened to Epic after the team was repainted in matching grey and black livery for their European campaign. 

Epic is loaded aboard New Zealand Pacific for her trip to England

All three New Zealand yachts competed in the 1985 One Ton Cup curtain raiser, held in Poole before the Admiral's Cup. With so many Admiral's Cup teams fielding One Tonners, the series was well attended with 38 boats from 16 countries, and was closely fought. Exador had a solid series, but after incurring a significant penalty in one race slipped from a possible third place overall to fourth behind Jade, Highland Fling and Panda.  

Epic finished eighth with an 22/35/7/11/19 series. She was lucky to have completed the series - in the final leg of the second race the barrel fitting at the bottom of her forestay let go - there was no securing split pin and the whole thing unwound and finally pulled out. Epic quickly bore away and ran off while the crew managed to re-attach the stay and they then belatedly completed the leg and finished the race. Her fourth race result was affected by a 20% penalty after being involved in a mark rounding contact with French yacht Coyote. The points lost between these two events cost her a potential third place.

Epic in the thick of the action during the 1985 One Ton Cup

Epic battles it out downwind with other One Tonners during the 1985 Admiral's Cup

Epic rounds a mark in a group of One Tonners

In general, though, the European boats had proven quicker than the New Zealand boats downwind, much to the consternation of the New Zealand crews who were used to having the upper hand once sheets were eased.  

Exador then went on to lead the New Zealand Admiral's Cup team from the front, finishing as fifth yacht overall to help secure the team's third place amongst 18 teams, the country's best result in the regatta up to that time. Epic had a reasonably strong series, and like Exador, she was one of the best in the fleet upwind, but lacked the legs two-sail reaching. It was hard work though, and the crew had, somewhat caustically, referred to her as 'E-pig' - in response to the difficulty they had keeping her in the groove.  

Epic and team-mate Canterbury working along the Solent shoreline during the 1985 Admiral's Cup (photo Alan Sefton/Yachting New Zealand magazine)

Epic heads off downwind at the start of the Fastnet race (photo Roger Lean-Vercoe/Sea Spray magazine)

Epic seen here just behind Austria's Pinta and crossing ahead of US yacht Sleeper (photo Guy Gurney)

Nevertheless, Epic performed strongly enough through the series to be in the top ten going into the Fastnet race finale. However, in another windy edition of the offshore classic, and while level pegging with Exador and other top One Tonners, Epic lost her rig while two-sail reaching in 25 knots and just 30 miles from Fastnet Rock. Her retirement dropped her to 21st in the individual placings.

Epic on a downwind leg during the 1985 Admiral's Cup, just ahead of Belgian yacht Formidable (a Dubois 44-footer) (photo Bateaux magazine)

Epic racing in the US (photo John A Glynn | Facebook)

Epic racing in Marblehead during the 1990s (photo Facebook)

Sometime after her Admiral's Cup campaign Epic was bought by US yachtsman Don Wittenberg, and sailed her out of Greenwich, Conneticut. She sailed for a few years in the mid-1990s in Marblehead before she was relocated to Chicago. Chris Upton ran the boat in stages over this time, and has good memories of regularly racing the boat against other One and Two Tonners on Long Island Sound. Upton recalls that she loved to go upwind, but was a bit of a dicey proposition downhill - "we had a complete yardsale downwind doing 16 knots before wiping out".

Epic, now Big Time, at the Erie Yacht Club

Epic has been recently bought by a Dutch sailor who found her at the Erie Yacht Club (and now named Big Time). A survey confirmed that she was in excellent shape besides a few scratches, and most of the original gear is still on board, including the ships bell and sails, although all the electronics have been removed. Her new owner plans to keep her in original condition, and has even renewed her membership at the RNZYS. Big Time has been sailed down the US east coast and was expected to make a crossing of the Atlantic in June 2017 to her new home in Holland.  

A 2017 photo of the interior of Big Time

Big Time safe and secure for the winter (2017)

Big Time - 2021 (Facebook)

Big Time is now located in Delfzijl (Netherlands) and was further upgraded over the winter of 2021/22, including the addition of a small bulb to the keel.

Big Time, May 2022

Big Time seen here in August 2023 (photo Facebook)

Updated February 2024