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CHALLENGE III - BOAT HISTORY

Design

Frers

Sail No

Sm39

Current Owner Name(s)

Michael Purtel

Designer

German Frers

Build Year

1984

Draft

Construction

Carbon Fibre

LOA

Beam

Builder

Tobby Richardson (in Lou Abrahams’ factory)

Displacement

Current Club

Tasmania

Other Past Boat Names and/or Owners

FROM
MM/YYYY
TO
MM/YYYY
BOAT NAME CLUB OWNERS
1984 1986 Challenge III SYC Lou Abrahams
1986 Challenge III SYC Eddie Wall-Smith

Notable Race Events

YEAR EVENT DIVISION RESULT
1984-1986 Sydney-Hobart (3 times) Handicap 1984 (RET); 1985-31st; 1986-24th
1985 Admirals Cup Trials Overall 3rd
1987-88 SYC Club Champion IOR; CHS; IMS; VYC 1st IOR 1987-88; 1st CHS 1988-89; 1st IMS 1992-93

OTHER HISTORY

YEAR DESCRIPTION
1985 Lou finally achieved his goal of selection into the Australian Admiral’s Cup Team. Unfortunately she broke her mast in the middle distance race. One of the last of the masthead sloop design era as fractional rigged designs became more popular, but the first of Lou’s leading edge, hi-tech construction builds. At her best beating into strong headwinds. Featured a maize of hydraulic adjustments.
1998 Lou sold Challenge III to fellow SYC member Eddie Wall-Smith.
Current Latest information on Challenge III was that she was sold after running aground. The new owner extended the hull, however in more recent times she has been seen sitting in a run-down state in a paddock in Tasmania.

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