Dame Pattie

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Dame Pattie is an International 12-metre class racing yacht built for the America's Cup challenge series in 1967. She was designed by Warwick Hood and built by W.H. Barnett in New South Wales, Australia.

The 1967 challenge cost $2,000,000 and was funded by an Australian syndicate headed by Emile Christenson and represented the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Sir Frank Packer had unsuccessfully challenged in the 1962 series with Gretel, but in 1967, for the first time, several countries – Australia, France, and Sweden all announced challenges for the cup, and as a result trial races had to be staged to select the challenger. Dame Pattie won the trials easily, but unsuccessfully raced against the American defender Intrepid which won the series 4-0.

The series included a furor when Intrepid and Dame Pattie collided shortly after the start of the second race. Dame Pattie went on to cross the finish line first, but was disqualified because of the collision. Intrepid was declared the race winner.

The yacht was named after Dame Pattie Menzies, the wife of the Australian Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies.

[edit] Construction

The yacht's main frames are laminated Queensland Maple, intermediate frames are steambent Danish Ash, to which edgegrain Douglas Fir planking is fastened with silicon bronze screws. Due to the restrictions on use of equipment and materials sourced from outside the defenders country, the Australian syndicate had to obtain permission from the New York Yacht Club to buy the edge grain fir from Stone Brothers Logging, Maple Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Dame Pattie subsequently underwent a major refit which included a full reconstruction below decks to provide cabins, galley etc required for cruising. She is now used for private charters out of Vancouver Island.