Lexcen and Van Dyck inducted to Hall of Fame

by Dan Paxton on 4 Nov 2006


The Rolex America’s Cup Hall of Fame Annual Induction Ceremony, held October 26 at the Union League Club in New York, N.Y., was memorable for its glamorous crowd and for the memories invoked by and about the those who have contributed to the sport.

Close to 200 people came from as far away as Australia to laude the late Ben Lexcen (New South Wales, Australia) and as near as New York City to herald the achievements of the evening’s other honoree Stephen A. Van Dyck (Clearwater, Fla., USA). The program featured Halsey C. Herreshoff, president of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, who presided over the ceremony; John S. Burnham, chairman of the Selection Committee for the America’s Cup Hall of Fame and editor of Cruising World magazine; and keynote speaker Gary Jobson.

'Three years ago when I was here in this room, receiving this honor, it was easy for everyone to get up and go, but not for me,' said Jobson, reflecting on his cancer treatment at the time of his 2003 induction. 'Isn’t it special to be in this room with Olin Stephens, Tom Whidden, Bill Ficker, Baron Bruno Bich, Sir Michael Fay, and Bruno Trouble?'

The crowd cheered and rose to a standing ovation signaling that it also was special to be in the room with Jobson. Then, he treated the audience to a signature compilation video, produced for the evening, about the America’s Cup, which touched on the contributions of both Lexcen and Van Dyck while commenting on the current Cup in Valencia, Spain. In keeping with tradition, Jobson also created special video presentations about each of the inductees, culled from photographs and thousands of hours of TV and radio broadcasts.

The presentation on Ben Lexcen showed TV footage from what is now known as the 'Race of the Century' when, in 1983, Alan Bond’s Australia II – designed by Lexcen and skippered by John Bertrand – beat Dennis Conner’s Liberty. At one point in the race it looked as if Liberty had wrapped it up, but when the two boats split tacks on the last downwind leg, Australia II sailed by to victory. It was the first challenger ever to win the America’s Cup, breaking the 132-year-old winning streak. For his triumph, Lexcen was later awarded a Member of the Order of Australia.

Lexcen left school at the age of 14 and discovered boats in the coastal town of Newcastle. Born Robert Miller, he built his first boat at 16, started winning races, and became a sail maker and part-time yacht designer. 'When Ben was young, he had a difficult life,' said Carl Ryves, a boyhood friend of Lexcen, who read a speech prepared by his wife Alysoun, also a childhood friend of Lexcen. 'We met when I was 14 and Ben was 18.

We were great friends. He worked as a railway fitter and turner and was always curious and inquiring. He was self-taught, with very little formal education, but could understand and figure out anything.' Today, Ryves is instrumental in preserving another of Lexcen’s great designs, Taipan, the 18-foot skiff Lexcen conceived, built and sailed in 1959. He brought, from Australia, the rudder which showed that the designer – 23-years-old at the time – had already experimented with hydrodynamic concepts that would culminate with his famous winged keel. Ryves presented this special rudder to the America’s Cup Hall of Fame for the future exhibit about Ben Lexcen’s accomplishments.

Ryves went on to tell the audience how much the America’s Cup meant to Lexcen. 'Ben rose from humble beginnings and always said ‘No matter who you are, when you have a dream, you can do it.’ He also said of his participation in the America’s Cup, ‘When I win the Cup I will be free.’ And he did it with the help of the team and all of Australia. He was admired by royalty, captains of industry, and he was free.'

Accepting the induction on behalf of Ben Lexcen was his step-son Chris Wise, who was 16 at the time of the famous match and did not travel to Newport, R.I. 'Ben was a great sailor,' said Wise. 'He loved his family, loved his three Ferraris. He would get up in the middle of the night to figure something out and could easily solve any problem given to him.' Wise went on to explain what Ben’s induction into the Hall of Fame meant to his family, paraphrasing an old quote, 'There are probably a dozen Einsteins who are short order cooks because they are not aware of their potential. He would have been proud to join his fellow Australians in the America’s Cup Hall of Fame.'

Pride also characterized the feelings of Bill Ficker, the skipper of Intrepid in 1970, about inductee Stephen Van Dyck. 'We held no tryouts,' said the Hall of Famer. 'The youngest crew was 23, Steve was 27. They were all small boat sailors. I wanted to sail a 12 Meter like a small boat, very adjustable and with alert crew. They all had a great attitude and never made a mistake.' Ficker brought along his grandson Tyler so that he could 'be part of the greatest fraternity in the world.' As Ficker’s tactician, Van Dyck called the tactics and directed the sail trimmers. This was in part necessitated by Intrepid's deck-sweeping boom (grinders were below deck), which prevented the skipper from seeing to leeward when steering upwind.

Van Dyck epitomized the skilled and successful Corinthian yachtsmen who crewed Cup boats during the 12-Meter era (1958-1987). Peter Wilson, a fellow America’s Cup afterguard crewmember, described Van Dyck’s expertise. 'Stephen Van Dyck knew 12 Meters inside and out. He had the incredible ability to understand and implement match racing tactics. Most of what everyone needed to learn, they learned from Steve. He was the perfect #2 to Bill.'

Since retiring from America’s Cup racing, Van Dyck continues to actively race, currently in the singlehanded 2.4-Meter or miniature 12-Meter. 'There is no one we’d rather go to sea with,' said Wilson. 'Steve is a stickler for careful boat preparation. When designer says make it lighter, he says make it stronger. That is due to what he learned as a disciple of Arthur Knapp and Olin Stephens.'

Upon his acceptance of the induction, Van Dyck said, 'This is a fantastic honor. As an aspiring naval architect, to be inducted with Lexcen is an honor. What Ben contributed is remarkable.'

To further illustrate his speech, Van Dyck brought along three props. The first, the Black Diamond hat, of which he recalled: 'I stood next to Ficker the entire summer and from this hat came the brilliant ideas that saved Bill’s butt many times.'

The second, the ensign that was displayed on Intrepid, 'As the boat crossed the line, I raised this flag,' said Van Dyck. 'It still has its original Dacron lines. I present it to the America’s Cup Hall of Fame on behalf of the entire Intrepid team, from whom I stole it after that America’s Cup.'

The third, prop, perhaps the most sentimental for him, his Rolex watch. 'I brought my Rolex, from 1964,' said Van Dyck as he showed it to the audience. 'At the time, it was known for tradition, passion and quality, and we were presented this watch for winning. It’s inscribed on the back ‘Constellation, SVD’ for me. I never had a moment mean as much to me as this 1964 Rolex, when I was 21. It was then, and still is, the ultimate prize in yachting.'

The 15th Annual America’s Cup Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place in Valencia, Spain in the summer of 2007. For more information, visit www.herreshoff.org, or contact the Herreshoff Marine Museum at P.O. Box 450, One Burnside Street, Bristol, RI 02809-0450,

About the America's Cup Hall of Fame:

The America's Cup Hall of Fame was created to honor the challengers, defenders, and legendary personages of the world's most distinguished sporting competition. The present prototype Hall of Fame is located in an historic building on the grounds of the former Herreshoff Manufacturin