Draft 6.40 m (21.0 ft) Displacement 35,380 kg | Owner(s) Sir Michael Fay America's Cup 1988 Length 37 m Beam 8.07 m | |
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Yacht club Mercury Bay Boating Club |
KZ 1 was a one off sailing yacht used to challenge for the 1988 America's Cup.
KZ 1 was designed by Bruce Farr and has a hull made from a carbon fibre and Kevlar/Nomex sandwich.
![KZ1 (yacht) KZ1 demasted Live Sail Die](https://alchetron.com/cdn/kz1-yacht-e7736ef0-b5c3-4081-90a6-69e45f2bf49-resize-750.jpeg)
She was skippered by David Barnes and manned by a crew of 40 from the Mercury Bay Boating Club in Whitianga, New Zealand. KZ 1 was given the nicknames of the Big Boat or Big Beauty by financial backer, Sir Michael Fay. Her size and wide decks earned her the nickname The Aircraft Carrier.
![KZ1 (yacht) livesaildiecomwpcontentuploads201307KZ182](https://alchetron.com/cdn/kz1-yacht-30fc8e99-968a-4592-b01b-8f3fdae86aa-resize-750.jpeg)
The unconventional challenge of Michael Fay and KZ 1 prompted American syndicate head Dennis Conner to respond with an unconventional defense. Lacking time and looking to protect the planned international event in 1992, the defenders built Stars & Stripes (US 1), a catamaran that Conner sailed to win the challenge, though most of the battle was fought in court. KZ 1 is now on display near the National Maritime Museum in downtown Auckland.
![KZ1 (yacht) FileKZ1yachtjpg Wikimedia Commons](https://alchetron.com/cdn/kz1-yacht-12fcb60e-5fb5-4e0f-8bdf-dd49e58b3fd-resize-750.jpg)
![KZ1 (yacht) KZ1 yacht Wikipedia](https://alchetron.com/cdn/kz1-yacht-600d6503-0926-4a92-9c9a-9fca381c93c-resize-750.jpg)