Chch boat builders seek Cup contracts

Press, 31 March 1989, Page 1

Chch boat builders seek Cup contracts

By

CULLEN SMITH

Two Christchurch boat builders say they have the technology and expertise to construct America’s Cup class racers. Both companies — Canterbury Marine Exports, Ltd, and lan Franklin Boatbuilders, Ltd — are prepared to build either a New Zealand defender or a challenging yacht for an overseas syndicate.

The possibility of more than one syndicate vying for the honour to defend the America’s Cup awarded to New Zealand this week came yesterday from the Rear Commodore of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club of Wellington, Mr Paul Carrad.

He said last evening he was aware of Wellington business people interested in funding a possible defending yacht in competition with the New Zealand Challenge syndicate of Mr Michael Fay. A New Zealand Challenge spokesman, Mr Peter Debreceny, confirmed the syndicate was considering the possibility of running a defenders’ series in conjunction with the 1991 Cup. round off Auckland.

But Mr Debreceny said it was too early to say whether there

would be any other potential defenders.

“It’s really over to other yacht clubs to decide,” he said.

The two Christchurch companies believe any New Zealand syndicate wanting to enter the America’s Cup fray should look south.

Canterbury Marine Exports has almost completed an 80ft racing yacht that is believed to be close to the specifications proposed for the new America’s Cup class. A company director, Mr Clyde Collins, said the $400,000 yacht

— built for a New Zealand couple who did not want to be named — would “do the job” in the Cup scenario.

“We could build another , one very quickly and very cheaply. But at the end of the day, somebody has to write some money out,” he said. Canterbury Marine Exports, which has sold yachts and pleasure cruisers to Japanese and American buyers, could build a racer to the exact requirements of the America’s Cup class. “We have the facilities, we have the expertise and we have proved we can do it,” Mr Collins said.

His company was prepared to

build for a New Zealand defender or an overseas challenger if the Cup racing rules allowed. “Right at the moment, if someone gave us an order, we’d build for anyone out there. We need the work,” Mr Collins said. He agreed the 1991 Cup series could be a long-awaited shot in the arm for the New Zealand boat-building industry. ' Mr lan Franklin, of lan Franklin Boatbuilders, said last evening he would relish the opportunity to work on an America’s Cup contender.

Mr Franklin’s subsidiary company, Optimum Engineering, fabricated some equipment for Mr Fay’s giant K-class challenger New Zealand in the San Diego mismatch ;and he is confident of his company’s ability to compete. The Auckland company Marten Marine, which built the K-boat, was odds-on. favourite to build a defending yacht for Mr Fay, Mr Franklin said.

“In my opinion we could do a better job. But that is obviously in the eye of the beholder,” he said.

Further stories, page 4 . Conner, Hadlee team up, back page