The famous yacht, which won the America's Cup in 1983 and ended the New York Yacht Club's 132 year grip on the event, has been on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney since the unsuccessful defense of the Cup in Fremantle in 1987. This museum will not be completed until 2002 which has created the window of opportunity for Australia II to sail in Cowes. Many of the original crew have expressed an interest in sailing on her in Cowes including skipper John Bertrand. The only remaining obstacle is money. The crew will be paying for their own airfares and accommodation.
Time is very short and there is much to do.
The most exciting America's Cup was Perth. Any big boat in 20 to 25 knots of wind is a handful. The perils of boat and sail handling in that breeze make it challenging for the competitors and exciting to watch for the spectators. In Scuttlebutt no. It's inherently dangerous.