By JULIE ASH
The year 1987 must seem like a lifetime ago for New Zealand-born designer Bruce Farr.
It was the year he made his entrance into the America's Cup. Sixteen years later Farr is lining up for his sixth shot at the Auld Mug.
He is part of the Oracle BMW Racing
design team who have their hopes pinned on beating Alinghi in the final of the Louis Vuitton challenger series and advancing to the America's Cup match.
Oracle's USA76 initially showed a lack of speed in lighter conditions but after few refinements the boat and crew have stormed into the final. Their only setback along the way was a 4-0 loss to Alinghi in the semifinals.
"We have done a lot of work in the last couple of months and feel we have made some big advances even since we raced Alinghi last time," Farr says.
"We have improved the boat and the appendages and the sails and the rig and even the sailing."
Born in Auckland in 1949, Farr first came to prominence sailing, designing and building in the dinghy classes in New Zealand through the 60s and 70s.
After success in the 18ft skiff class he went on to develop yachts in the international offshore rule class. His designs won quarter, half, three-quarter and 1-ton world championships.
He then moved on to the Whitbread round-the-world race.
Farr-designed boats have been in every round-the-world race since 1981, winning in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998.
Toward the end of the 70s, Farr opened an office in Annapolis, Maryland, where he is still based.
He re-entered the IOR scene and by 1985 was the dominant designer at all major offshore regattas worldwide.
After all that success Farr's next step was the America's Cup.
New Zealand's KZ7 was his first attempt and the boat, skippered by Chris Dickson, flew through the challenger series, winning 37 of 38 matches.
But Dennis Conner brought the Kiwi challenge to a halt and the American went on to win the cup.
A year later Farr designed the gigantic KZ1 which competed in the 1988 mismatch against Team Dennis Conner's catamaran.
"I am sailing a cat and someone else is sailing a dog," was how Conner summarised the match in a press conference before the series.
He later called the New Zealanders a bunch of losers and cheats.
After 15 years in the cup, Farr admits there is always plenty of designers coming up with interesting concepts.
"You would think from a theoretical basis if you work hard enough you would all end up in the [same] place. But there are a combination of features that go together to make a successful boat and a lot of them are flat trade-offs."
With Oracle's budget of close to $200 millionFarr has been able to work with the best money can buy.
"Sometimes you don't appreciate how much of an advantage you have until you look around and realise the guys that have had the budget and the planning have come out a lot faster than those who were on limited budgets."
Farr says the development in this regatta has been impressive.
"This time it has been less radical in the rig and more radical in the hulls.
"I think there have been extreme hull shapes and appendages this time," he says.
For Farr the next few days will reveal whether USA76 is fast enough to win him his first America's Cup, adding to the 39 world titles his boats have already won.
"We hope we are peaking now in time to beat Alinghi and New Zealand."
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule, results and standings
By JULIE ASH
The year 1987 must seem like a lifetime ago for New Zealand-born designer Bruce Farr.
It was the year he made his entrance into the America's Cup. Sixteen years later Farr is lining up for his sixth shot at the Auld Mug.
He is part of the Oracle BMW Racing
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