Those who followed the America’s Cup will have noticed that a beautiful red two-masted boat was often seen among the boats in the audience. Not by chance.
It’s the Steinlager 2, the legendary boat with which New Zealander Peter Blake won the 1989/90 crewed round-the-world race (Whitbread), winning all the stages and beating Fisher&Paykel under Grant Dalton.
For those who don’t know, after the World Tour, Mr. Blake created Team New Zealand, which included his friend/enemy Grant Dalton. Thus was born the epic of the New Zealanders in the Americas’s Cup that still continues today.
Steinlager 2 has been recently restored by New Zealand Sailing Trust (nzsailingtrust.com) which use her to spread the spirit of sailing as a school of life, providing training and sailing school and funding popular contributions.
THE STORY OF STEINLAGER 2
The story of this legendary boat has something adventurous. Steinlager 2 was designed by Bruce Farr with input from Blake, who was able to draw on his experience having competed in all four previous Whitbread races. Blake asked Farr in 1987 to study the speed potential of a ketch (two masts) compared to a sloop (one mast). Farr’s research revealed that a ketch had the potential to sail more quickly around the world.
On May 22nd 1990, Steinlager 2 – with Peter Blake and 14 New Zealanders – crossed the finish line in Southampton to win the fifth Whitbread, almost a day and a half ahead of the next boat.
ABOUT GIORGIO FALCK
Steinlager 2 was bought by the Italian skipper Giorgio Falck, who was also a round-the-world star. Painted blue and renamed Safilo, she continued to be a winner until Falck sold her to Belgian Serge Vassard, who named her Barracuda. In 2003, the boat passed into the hands of a Swiss, Stefan Detjen. It never stopped touring the world until it returned to New Zealand.
To make a contribution to the maintenance of Steinlager2: nzsailingtrust.com
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