Foundation 36 - Specifically designed for match racing
by Event Media on 29 Nov 2009
Ainslie and Mirsky - racing Foundation 36’s in the Final of the Sunseeker Australia Cup Sail-World.com /AUS
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The concept for the Foundation 36 yacht, used in this week's Australia Cup, was developed by the Western Australian Yachting Foundation now trading as Swan River Sailing in conjunction with the boat builder Peter Milner Yachts and the designer Brett Bakewell-White.
In 1995, when the time came to replace the Foundations’ fleet of Farr 36 yachts, the Foundation realised that there was not a yacht available in Australia, or the world, that suited the parameters of a fast and easy to sail 36 foot yacht at an affordable price.
The Foundation specifically wanted a yacht for day sailing with a racing crew of 5. (For Match Racing), or comfortably sail with 12 people for corporate sailing functions.
After discussion with the boat builder, the Foundation commissioned the New Zealand designer Brett Bakewell-White to come up with a yacht that complied with the IMS rule for the minimum accommodation requirements, but would pass the stringent guidelines to USL codes for surveyed vessels determined by the Western Australian Department of Transport.
The end result is the Foundation 36.
The original Foundation 36 fleet built in 1995 were sold to Malaysia in 2005 for the annual Monsoon Cup, the final event in the World Match Racing Tour for past 4 years.
When faced with the decision of a replacement fleet, the Foundation had no hesitation in again building a fleet of Foundation 36 yachts which has since grown in size to 12 matched yachts.
The durability and reliability of the fleet are well proven now with over 30 yachts built. Bakewell-White Yacht Design have designed match racing fleets for use in the Korea Match Cup and the Monsoon Cup.
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