Big Boat Series - 1985-1990

The IOR 50-footer Abracadabra powers across a startline during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

The St Francis Perpetual Trophies Regatta, which became known as the Big Boat Series, was an annual regatta hosted in San Francisco Harbour by the St Francis Yacht Club, first run in 1964. After the unprecedented cancellation of the 2001 edition of the series, Latitude 38 magazine published a retrospective on the regatta, which itself was an update of its September 1993 article titled '30 Years of the Big Boat Series - Thanks for the Memories'. I have combined this overview of the results for the 1985-1990 period and have included a 'Sail' magazine article covering the 1985 regatta and some spectacular photos from Sharon Green, Guy Gurney and Phil Uhl. An earlier article featuring the 1978-1984 regattas can be seen here.

The Reichel/Pugh 43-footer Sidewinder sails downwind in typically fresh conditions during the 1985 Big Boat Series (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

The 1985 Big Boat Series demonstrated once again that it pays to have a new boat, but not too new. The regatta, held from 15 to 21 September, featured five class winners (amongst the 54-boat fleet) that were recently built but had enough miles for rethinking, redesigning and rebuilding. The Reichel/Pugh 43 Lobo was sailing on its second keel, as was the Nelson/Marek 49 Crazy Horse, which was also on its seventh rudder.

Coyote in a hotly contested fleet of 40-footers, with Bondi Tram visible to leeward (KA-806) during the 1985 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

The 1985 edition was also notable for the support of the ‘new’ One Ton class, with only 0.3ft of rating separating the 15 smallest 40-foot boats, racing for the Rheem Trophy in a class that included ten One-Tonners and featured the toughest competition of the week. Constant changes in fortune kept the outcome in doubt until the final day, when a second place for John MacLaurin’s Davidson-designed Pendragon put them ahead of the Andrews 39 Impact. The Beneteau 39 Coyote (Irving Loube) and the Farr 40 General Hospital were close behind.

Fujimo leads Carat and Blade Runner during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Guy Gurney)

The San Francisco sea-breeze funneled in over the race area like clockwork, building to over 20-knots each day. Early races were sailed entirely on flood tides, which put a premium on upwind speed. This was no problem for Lobo, skippered by Tom Whidden, which won three races and Keefe-Kilborn Trophy, and edging out the Reichel/Pugh 42 It’s OK and the Nelson/Marek 41 Clockwork.

Abduction runs downwind alongside Lobo, seen here during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Two members of the 1985 US Admiral’s Cup team competed against eight other boats for the Atlantic Perpetual Trophy. After a rushed trip to California from England, Bill Power’s Nelson/Marek 43 High Roler set the pace, winning three races to lead from the Frers 43 Shockwave and fellow team boat Sidewinder, a Reichel/Pugh 43. Meanwhile, Crazy Horse won four straight races in the City of San Francisco Trophy. She was the third lowest rating boat in a class of ten boats with a rating band of 10.7ft. The flood tides gave the bigger boats more time to work clear, but on the Bay, courses are tight, with short legs and turning marks that come around nearly as soon as a sail can be packed. That kept Crazy Horse within striking distance of quicker yachts such as the Soverel 55 The Shadow and the Frers 50 Tomahawk (second). The 1984 winner of this class, Blade Runner, was third.

The amazing spectacle of the Big Boat Series in the late 1980s captured here by Sharon Green (Ultimate Sailing) - left to right Cadenza, Shockwave, Camouflage, Blade Runner and Mauni Lani Flash

Blade Runner with her colourful spinnaker and blooper set and backlit by the Californian sun during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl) 

The 1986 series featured 53 boats. Gary Appleby's Farr 40 Sagacious came up from Australia to win the subjective 'overall boat of the series', a new award; bumper stickers and buttons proclaiming 'Shit Happens' made their first recorded appearance; Shockwave's 'Twisted Sisters' set a torrid fashion pace. IOR I - Infinity; IOR II - Roller; IOR III - Sleeper; One Ton - Sagacious.

Carat VI sails downwind during the 1987 Big Boat Series, with Locura visible to the left (photo Phil Uhl)

Another shot of Blade Runner, seen here on a reaching leg during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Carat VI (left) and Fujimo during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

In 1987, 46 yachts competed, including 33 IOR racers in three classes. The Atlantic Perpetual class was essentially for the new breed of 50-foot 40-raters, including Fujimo that had arrived after winning her class on the Great Lakes (only to lose her mast in the third race), Wictor Forss’ Carat VI from Sweden and Vadia de Guardiola’s Locura. But it was Jubilation, the Frers 54 steered by Paul Cayard, that swept the class with four victories and which was fast enough upwind to gain nearly enough time for the entire race. As the biggest boat in the fleet, she always sailed in clear air and, although blowing a spinnaker in one race, recovered quickly to hold the lead. Blade Runner was second, Locura third, with Carat VI finishing fourth and Fujimo fifth.

Sidewinder (left) and Camouflage approach a windward mark during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

In the Keefe-Kilburn Perpetual class, Sidewinder, helmed by John  Bertrand, would have been an easy winner If she hadn’t fouled during the start of the second race, leaving Bruce Nelson to steer Insatiable to overall victory. However, the yacht that attracted the most attention was Quintessence, a new Reichel-Pugh 42 that had won every event since her launch in the prior spring. With a solid lead going into the final race, the crew suffered a rash of gear problems that dropped the to eighth in that race and second overall. Despite being the smallest yacht in her class, she showed remarkable power in all winds and seas. Sidewinder finished third overall, with Camouflage fourth and Jano fifth.

Quintessence to windward of the larger Locura (photo Phil Uhl)

The Rheem Perpetual class drew the largest fleet (14 boats), primarily consisting of One Tonners. The Davidson-designed Pendragon III, skippered by Kimo Worthington, won the class by never finishing lower than third and proved that a redesigned keel and rudder could make an already quick boat even faster. At one start, Pendragon was forced to decide between hitting another boat and the starting buoy. Choosing the mark, and re-rounding while the others sailed away, Pendragon steadily ground down the fleet and won the race, as well as winning the 'overall performer' award for the series. Pacific Sundance was second, with Coyote third, Skedaddle fourth and Bondi Tram fifth. General Hospital was dismasted in front of the clubhouse.

Lobo rounds a weather mark during the 1987 Big Boat Series ahead of former New Zealand yacht Equity (Farr 43) (photo Phil Uhl)

Australia's Contractor approaches a windward mark ahead of Camouflage during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Swiftsure leads Blade Runner downwind during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Another photo capturing the colour of top level racing in the 1987 Big Boat Series, with Fujimo seen here leading Swiftsure with Blade Runner further astern (photo Phil Uhl)

The Soverel-designed 50-footer Locura running downwind wtih spinnaker and blooper set during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Part of the One Ton fleet in the 1987 Big Boat Series, General Hospital follows Sundance (left), with Bondi Tram just visible ahead (yellow blooper) and eventual winner of the division Pendragon leading (photo Phil Uhl)

Fujimo crosses ahead of Carat at a weather mark during the 1987 series (photo Phil Uhl)

The Reichel/Pugh One Tonner Skedaddle rounds a leeward mark during the 1987 Big Boat Series, she went on to finish fourth in class (photo Phil Uhl)

1988 was the Big Boat Series' 25th anniversary, as well as IOR's last big hurrah in the US. Although featuring a reduced entry of 38 boats, everything fell into place to make this a fabulous event - it followed a maxi year at the Kenwood Cup and the One Ton Worlds that were held two weeks prior on the Bay. Raul Gardini and Paul Cayard teamed up on Il Moro to decimate eight other maxis with five bullets, while Tom Blackaller called tactics on the victorious Farr 50 Great News against nine hot 50-footers, edging out Royal Blue and Abracadabra. Blade Runner hooked a buoy with its lazy runner and inverted her mast three feet, but it didn't break. The Peter Gilmour-driven maxi Sovereign broke theirs, however. Maxi - Il Moro di Venezia; IOR 50 - Great News; IOR II -Shockwave; One Ton - Pendragon.

Big Boat Series - The Shadow (Soverell 55) leads Checkmate and Jubilation (photographer unknown)

A mighty battle occurred amongst a fleet of eight maxis in the 1988 Big Boat Series, though it was won convincingly by Il Moro di Venezia - here we see Congere leading Matador (US-33700), Sovereign and Windward Passage II in tight reaching conditions on the Bay (photo Guy Gurney)

The bowman working in white water aboard Fujimo, trailing Insatiable, during the 1988 Big Boat Series (photo Guy Gurney)

The Vallicelli-designed 50-footer Springbok in power reaching conditions during the 1988 Big Boat Series (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

For 1989 it was evident that interest had declined further, with entries reducing to just 24 boats, possibly the Big Boat Series’ darkest hour. Cadillac sponsored this series (the first time that sponsorship was allowed) and ESPN televised it (with a heavy focus on the 50-foot and 70-foot sleds). IOR I - Shockwave; IOR II - Pendragon.

Sorcery in a close tussle with Matador during the 1988 Big Boat Series (photo Sharon Green)

Bloopers as well as spinnakers kept the bowman busy during the 1980's - in this case Blade Runner during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

The 1990 series featured a whole new look, with the regatta shortened from its previous week-long format to six races over four days. Two different courses were used for the first time, and attracted 57 boats. The highly-touted IMS rule debuted to mixed reviews, while IOR wheezed through its final death throes. Meanwhile, the rest of the series quietly went one design. IOR I - Blade Runner, IOR II – Will.

More bowman action, again during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Article updated July 2026

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 racing during the 1975 Sydney-Hobart (photo Jenny Farrell | Maritime Museum)

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 - seen here during the 1982 Lahaina Sauza Cup - featured on the cover of 'Sailing' magazine in March 1985 (photo Phil Uhl)

Anticipation on a tight reach during the Lahaina Sauza Cup ahead of the 1982 Clipper Cup (photo Phil Uhl)

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 2025

The New Zealand Farr 43s

Switchblade - Southern Cross Cup trials (A Sefton)

This article is about the three Farr 43s that formed the basis of New Zealand offshore campaigns during 1985-87. They were an evolution of Farr's Design #151 that first showed its form through the US yacht Snake Oil at the 1985 SORC, and later that year with Australia's Admiral's Cup yacht Drake's Prayer. 

The 43 footer was conceived in the wake of Farr's very successful One Tonners which had dominated the 1983 Southern Cross Cup in Australia, the 1984 Clipper Cup and European contests throughout the year. According to the Farr design notes, the goal was to produce a larger boat that had the same outstanding upwind and reaching qualities of the Farr's One Tonners in moderate and strong wind conditions, and dramatically strengthen the performance in light running conditions where the One Tonners were consciously trading off in their performance. Tom McCall was quick to see the potential of the design, as he had been with this earlier Farr 40 Exador, and was the first New Zealand yachtsman to commission a new 43 footer, Switchblade.

Switchblade during the 1985 Southern Cross Cup trials (above and below, left)

Switchblade was soon joined by Don St Clair Brown's sistership Thunderbird (below right) as part of an impressive line up to contest the 1985 Southern Cross Cup trials. McCall brought Ray Haslar on to skipper the boat, and stacked the boat with crew from his earlier Exador days, while St Clair Brown's crew included some familiar faces from his older yacht Anticipation. Both yachts used the Feltex Regatta as an initial opportunity for tuning, although Switchblade didn't have an IOR rating until the final race. This was later confirmed at 33.8ft, slightly lower than her predecessor Snake Oil, but half a foot higher than Thunderbird. McCall and Haslar didn't want to do anything drastic to reach parity, McCall opting instead "to work away to get down to 33.6 or 33.5 and then concentrate on sailing to it."

Switchblade made it into the New Zealand 'A' team to spearhead the defence of the Southern Cross Cup, while Thunderbird made it into the 'B' team - this second team made possible by sponsors Fay Richwhite who saw value in exposing three more crews to international competition. Switchblade joined Exador, the two obvious form boats, with Switchblade never finishing out of the top three. Switchblade opened her campaign strongly by taking line and handicap honours in the invitation race, helped by a rating that had been trimmed down to 33.4ft. She went on to enjoy a series-long match race against Thunderbird and Australia's Drakes Prayer. 

In a reversal from the trials series, Thunderbird had the measure of Switchblade, and finished in sixth place overall (2/9/12/2/17) against Switchblade's 13th (3/12/13/7/22). 

Thunderbird (left) and Switchblade arrive at a windward mark during the 1985 Southern Cross Cup

Thunderbird prepares to gybe during the 1985 Southern Cross Cup (photo Alan Sefton)

Switchblade tacks just ahead of New Zealand One Tonner Fair Share at a windward mark

Unfortunately, however, the selectors had chosen Swuzzlebubble V over Mad Max for the A team, and this proved to be a huge error as Mad Max was the star boat of the series and took out the top individual yacht honours, while Swuzzlebubble V was a disappointing 20th. Thunderbird's performance over Switchblade also contributed to the New Zealand B team finishing second, ahead of the New Zealand A team (fourth).

Thunderbird surges down a wave off Sydney during the 1985 Southern Cross Cup (photo Alan Sefton/NZ Yachting)

The unveiling of the modified keel design on Equity

Following the disappointment of New Zealand's Southern Cross Cup effort, attention turned to the 1986 Kenwood Cup. Del Hogg, who had campaigned Pacific Sundance, the fastest of the New Zealand Farr 40's in the 1983 Southern Cross Cup, and the top individual yacht of the series, also commissioned a new Farr 43, named Dollar Equity, for this series. Dollar Equity came off the same Cookson mould as Switchblade and Thunderbird but featured a completely different keel. After feedback from key crew members Peter Lester, Fraser Beer and Richard Macalister, following the 1985 Admiral's Cup, Hogg had Farr review the keel situation. The outcome was a keel that was slightly elliptical in its leading and trailing edges and sported a refined bulb effect at the tip. Dollar Equity was based in Wellington, but moved up to Auckland in February 1986 to begin her build-up again the top IOR yachts of the country, Mad Max, Exador and Thunderbird. McCall meanwhile had elected to put Switchblade up for sale before the Kenwood Cup trials.

The New Zealand Kenwood Cup team Equity andThunderbird (rear), along with Mad Max, prepare to be loaded aboard a ship at the Port of Auckland

Thunderbird during the Southern Cross Cup 1985

The ever consistent Exador was able to shut out Mad Max and the Farr 43s in light airs and flat water during the trials, but Dollar Equity, helmed by Peter Lester, and Thunderbird improved significantly in rougher water and more breeze. Their dominance of the final two evaluation races was a measure of that improvement, and in the end both Farr 43s were selected, along with Exador, for the Hawaiian series. 

After a number of efforts since 1978 to win the regatta, formerly known as the Clipper Cup, this New Zealand team were finally victorious, holding onto its points lead through the last and longest race. It was a close result, and their pre-race lead of 82 points was whittled down to just 12 points, after Exador just managed to wriggle home after joining other smaller yachts in running out of wind before the finish.

Dollar Equity during the 1986 Kenwood Cup

Dollar Equity leads the pack on a reaching leg during the 1986 Kenwood Cup (photo Phil Uhl/Facebook)

Equity rounds a leeward mark during the 1986 Kenwood Cup (photo Phil Uhl/Facebook)

Dollar Equity and Thunderbird were sold to Japanese interests following the 1986 Kenwood Cup (and so did not feature in any New Zealand regatta after this time). Dollar Equity raced in the San Francisco Big Boat Series in 1987, before being sold to Japanese interests where she was renamed Mimi. She then raced in the 1988 Kenwood Cup (27th overall and fourth in Class D) and again in 1990, while Thunderbird became Carrera. Both yachts are understood to have moved to Vladivostok in or about 2005. 

Thunderbird during the 1986 Kenwood Cup

Thunderbird during the 1986 Kenwood Cup (photo Sharon Green|Ultimate Sailing)

Carrera (ex-Thunderbird) sailing in Vladivostok circa 2005 (photo Facebook)

Carrera sporting her original Lidgard Sails-built mainsail and spinnaker (photo Vitaly Gnyubkin | Facebook)

Equity during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Switchblade remained unsold by the time of the New Zealand 1987 Admiral's Cup trials, and McCall contemplated contesting the series with Switchblade. In late 1986 she was revamped to boost her rating by a foot to try to make the 34.2ft minimum for the 'big boat' slot in the team. However, following disappointing results with the new set-up it was decided not to carry on with the campaign, as it was felt that a lot more time and money was needed to make the boat competitive at that rating, and even then it could only hope to compete in a narrow range of conditions. In the end, the big-boat slot was taken by a new generation Farr 43, Kiwi.

Mimi (ex-Dollar Equity) in action during the 1988 Kenwood Cup (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

Mimi sailing in Hiroshima, Japan, and below, in 1992 (photos Facebook)

Mimi (left) competing in the Orange Cup Race in 1992, where she finished 16th (Offshore magazine | photo Nobuyuki Hara)

Switchblade was eventually sold to Hong Kong yachtsman Peter Whyte. She formed part of Hong Kong's team for the 1987 Southern Cross Cup series and was changed back to a more competitive rating of 33.84ft, and fitted with a modified keel, new rudder and a new sail wardrobe. Despite these changes she did not have the speed to save her time on the top One Tonners, even in the two inshore races which favoured the bigger yachts. Her series was not helped when officials boarded yachts after the second race and cited Switchblade and US yacht Sidewinder for incorrect measurement figures. Switchblade accepted a 10 percent-of-placings penalty, and went on to finish with a respectable ninth place overall following placings of 14/10/19/9 and a sixth in the Sydney-Hobart finale, helping the Hong Kong team to fourth place overall in the eleven team regatta.

Switchblade comes ashore in a storm in Phuket, November 2013

Switchblade stayed in her new home of Hong Kong, going on to contest regattas in Phuket and the like. Unfortunately, she was washed ashore from her mooring on the south coast of Phuket in a storm in late November 2013, and just before the Kings Cup Regatta, and from the photos it would appear that she was a write-off.   

A sad end for Switchblade - November 2013

Article updated February 2026