I2 US 26 Courageous
1974 & 1977 America's Cup Winner
David Pedrick assisted Olin Stephens in 1974, with the design of Courageous for the 22nd America’s Cup. She was a landmark in the design of 12s, the first to be built in aluminum alloy according to LLoyd’s scantling rules. She was a light boat with conservative, elegant lines and one of the first to have a computer system installed onboard enabling tuning and sail testing. First skippered by Bob Bavier, later replaced by Ted Hood she bested Heritage, Intrepid and Valiant in the Defender Trials. Skippered by Ted Hood, with Dennis Conner as starting helmsman, she defeated Australia’s Southern Cross for the 1974 America’s Cup and also won the Chandler Hovey Gold Bowl (NYYC) that year.
In 1977 She was altered by Ted Hood at the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY to comply with the new 12 Metre rule. The main winches were placed on deck, 850 kilos were added to her ballast and the rudder was moved forward to reduce her waterline. In the 1977 Defender Trials, skippered by Ted Turner, she outperformed Independence and Enterprise. In the match she easily won 4-0 against Alan Bond’s Australia. With this victory, she became the second 12 (after Intrepid) to successfully defended the Cup twice.
Ted Turner, in 1980, purchased and re-named her Courageous II, and raced her in the 1980 Defender Trials against Freedom and Clipper. She also entered the Defender Trials in 1982, although she was unsuccessful in this bid for Cup competition, she won the Lipton Memorial Trophy (NYYC) in 1983: Sold to the Courageous Syndicate, Inc. (David Vietor and Leonard Green) had her modified several times and added a new winglet to her keel before sending her to Freemantle, Australia as a challenger in 1986 under the name Courageous IV. Unfortunately, none of the alterations could make her a winner at these Challenger Trials.
The Courageous Sailing Center was founded in 1993 at the Boston Navy Yard to assist wheel-chair bound people in learning to sail.
in 1997, Courageous was donated to the Museum of Yachting in Newport, RI.
Courageous was actively raced in 2002 by a group of veteran America’s Cup 12 Metre sailors led by James Gubelmann and Ralph Isham and based in Newport, RI. This new Courageous Syndicate undertook a major restoration to bringing her back to top racing form within the 12 Metre fleet.
In 2019 Courageous placed 3rd in the Modern Division of the 2019 12mR World Championship and was the winner of the 2017-2019 Waypoints to the 12mR Worlds series.
The IYRS School of Technology & Trades, which owned Courageous, looked to sell her after the retirement of the longtime racing group headed by Gubelmann and Isham in 2021. IYRS’ goal to ensure that the world’s most famous 12 Metre sailboat stayed in historic Newport was realized when philanthropists Kimbra and Mark Walter purchased Courageous in September 2021. The boat would be campaigned by 12 Metre legends such as Gary Jobson.
The Walter family partnered with the nonprofit Oakcliff Sailing and the MET network of public schools in 2023 to allow Courageous to open pathways for young and diverse sailors to enter the marine industry and build their careers. With these groups’ support, and with coaches including Jamie Hilton, Michele Mader, Marc Pajot, Gary Jobson, Bill Ruh and Dawn Riley, the young sailors are performing admirably on and off the race course.