We recently talked about Luna Rossa (ITA 80) abandoned in the weeds in Imperia, stirring up a fuss on our social media: if in Italy we do not know how to value the boats that have made us dream, keeping us glued to the TV at night, the Spanish do not joke either. Check out the series of photos below (source vsail): that sort of mussel farm you see is none other than the hull of Desafio Español, the first in the series of IACCs (ESP-65) with which the Iberians took part in the 32nd edition of the America’s Cup.
THE SAD HISTORY OF DESAFIO
It was purchased by the Spaniards in 2005 (along with ESP-67) after it was used by the Americans in the 2003 Cup as one of two boats in One World Challenge, a challenge partly financed by Microsoft mogul Paul Allen and captained by Peter Gilmour. After the 2005 America’s Cup, the boat was literally abandoned at the Valencia Yacht Club: its keel came off, causing the mast to break and revealing the boat’s pitiful state. The hull is covered with a layer of mussels.
WATCH THE PHOTOS.
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