Condor (yacht)
Condor is a maxi sailing yacht designed for racing and built in 1980 at Penryn Ship Yard, UK. She was registered in Hamilton, Bermuda during her 7 year ocean racing campaign and her sail number is KB-80. She is not to be confused with her predecessor Condor of Bermuda (KB-78) (aka. Heath's Condor-K-707), also owned and campaigned by Bob Bell.
| “ | Condor was "probably the most famous Maxi ever, winning every major ocean racing event Twice" according to her present owners, the day-sail charter outfit in Australia's Great Barrier Reef[1]. | ” |
Contents
Condor campaigns
- Condor of Bermuda (KB-78), aka. Heath's Condor (K-707)
- Condor (KB-80) aka. Condor II, Condor 2, Condor of Currabubula and Condor of Emsworth.
Associated with
- Bob Bell (Campaigner),
- Ted Turner (Helmsman),
- Dennis Conner (Tactician),
- Ron Holland (Designer)
- McMullen & Wing Refit Ship Yard, Auckland, Penryn Construction Ship Yard UK.
Construction and materials
Condor was revolutionary both for having the largest (tallest) single spar mast in the world (at the time of her launch) and for being the largest of all the IOR Maxi fleet. (Ongoing IOR rule changes allowed each new yacht to be slightly bigger than ones built under previous versions of the rating rules).
She was built from Kevlar and composite structures, with an aluminium space frame inside. She was the second yacht of this type to be built where the hull itself could not support the enormous loads generated by the huge mast and rig.
Unlike her predecessor, Condor of Bermuda, which was built of wood yet had (the world's first) carbon fibre rig, Condor's mast was aluminium. It was about 18% taller than her 'sistership's' mast (due to the additional loading permitted by the space frame) despite her hull being only 3 feet longer overall.
Both Condor and Condor of Bermuda were evenutally installed with Gardner 8LXB reserve engines, due to their reliability, and overall mass, which was a key consideration in IOR ratings at the time.
Condor was designed by legendary New Zealand boat designer Ron Holland; and was a near sistership to fierce rival, and Ron Holland masterpiece Kialoa.
History
Condor was a maxi yacht campaigning on the IOR Maxi Circuit from 1981 to approximately 1987.
In 1987, she was sold to Australian interests, where she continued to race for a time under the name Condor of Currabubula until she was retired from racing, and now resides in the 'maxi graveyard' at Airlie Beach, in the Great Barrier reef, chartering for day sails with several of her contemporaries for her present owners, ProSail.
Condor was famous for:
- Being built from Kevlar composite (a development from aluminium construction), with a space frame supporting a hollow hull (no internal reinforcement bulkheads) and the tension/compression loads of the mast and sails.
- Winning every major yacht race twice.
- Being the first private western vessel to sail (authorised) up the Yangtsee river since the beginning of communist rule in China.
- Running aground in the Sydney to Hobart, and being awarded victory (line honours) by protest, over American Nirvana.
- Snapping her titanium rudder in the 1984 Sydney to Hobart (a Condor won the '82, '83 and '86 'Hobarts')
- Being fired upon by pirates in the Caribbean
Condor was victorious in:
- The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1983, 1986.
- The Newport Bermuda Race (198?, 8?).
- The Miami to Montego Bay Race (198? & 8?)
and also won
- Hamilton Island Race Week
- The Fastnet Race 1981, 1983?
- The California Cup 1982
- The Pan Pac Cup - Hawaii 19??
- The Maxi World Series 198?, 198?.
Current location
Airlie Beach, QLD, Australia. Available for charter by present owners ProSail.
