R.C. KEEFE
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Jan 6, 2010, 2:00 PM
Post #1 of 4
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Winches and the America’s Cup
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By R. C. Keefe, Barient past president:
From 1960 to 1975 our Barient Winch Company was a major player in supplying equipment for worldwide America's Cup efforts. The question often came up concerning whether offshore challenges could be in compliance with the terms of the Deed of Gift, and purchase our equipment to use in actual Cup competition. Almost all of this centered around the use of our double cross connected pedestal winch.
In the early 1960's, we built one for "American Eagle". We also built one for the new "Kialoa ll", our own "Baruna", "Audacious” and "Chubasco". By their own interpretations of the Deed, arguments were made that our pedestals were indeed shelf stock, and should be available to the world over. It also became apparent to us that some teams were willing to expend a lot of money to build their own winches to our basic designs.
The French commissioned Brit Chance to design a state of the art 12 meter "Chance-Eager" to be built in Switzerland. We received an order for a complete winch inventory for her; at the time, the biggest order we had yet received. There was no question that "Chance-Eager” was ever intended to be an America's Cup contestant. As part of the contract, we sent our Chief Engineer to Switzerland to help with the installation of the big winch. Upon returning, he reported that by the time he got there they had already disassembled the winch, and made careful drawings of the principal parts. He was somewhat surprised about this as a complete spare parts inventory, also as a part of the order, went along with the shipment (air freight). All her secondary winches were our No. 28's, but very special; they were titanium, and weighed about half of a regular No. 28, and cost about twice as much.
Word about this got out around the waterfronts of the world, and very quickly we got another order for a double cross connected pedestal winch from Abeking & Rasmussen in Hamburg. It was rumored that the Germans were going to build a 12 meter with America's Cup intentions. Again, our Chief Engineer flew off to Europe only to find out nothing of their intentions. Only that the winch was to be installed on a new yacht they were building. We were getting constant inquiries from the Australians concerning equipment for Cup yachts, but no order ever came forth.
At the time the Australians were also complaining that they didn't have proper sail fabric available in Australia, and wanted to be able to purchase fabric in the United States. They would make the sails, but they wanted to buy fabric from Hood and Kenny Watts. The Watts Sail Making Company in Los Angeles was weaving their own fabric known as Texlon. Along with the argument that the Australians were making about not having state of the art sail fabric, they also made known that they did not have titanium to machine, and wanted to be able to buy our Barient titanium winches or that the American efforts not to be able to use them.
While all of this was going on we were very conscious of the political situations involved. We didn't want to do anything to get sideways with the New York Yacht Club. While we had a growing business to run, we were all sailors, and wanted the America's Cup to be successfully defended. This was not a problem directly, as with or without the America's Cup we were for the most part always sold out of inventory, running two shifts a day, paying a lot of overtime, and making money.
Politically, we were in the best of worlds, and our relationship with the New York Yacht Club, and others like Sparkman & Stephens was really sound. That was because there were five stockholders in the Barient Winch Company, and all were members of the New York Yacht Club; one was on the Board of Trustees, and on the America's Cup Committee. All were past and future Commodores of the St. Francis Yacht Club. Yes, we were well politically connected. All were also members of The Bohemian Club in San Francisco, and many of the wealthy East Coast 12 meter syndicate members were Bohemians also. At the Club's annual encampment every year at their Bohemian Grove there was always America's Cup interest and discussion.
Only once did we ever have direct contact with the New York Yacht Club. In 1968, Donald Kipp paid the Barient Company a visit. I picked him up at SFO, and drove him the 10 miles down to the plant. We had lunch, and five hours later he was back on a plane. There was no business involved, nor were the company principals. Until that trip he had never even heard of San Carlos, California. At the time he was the Secretary of the Club, and a few years later became a member of the America's Cup Committee, and finally the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club. He proved to be a good friend of the Company's, and responsible for me becoming a member of the New York Yacht Club.
At that time I was the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Company, and later became the President of the Company. Another activity that the Company played a big part in was the establishment of the St. Francis Yacht Club's "Big Boat Series" commencing in 1964. Principal yachts and yachtsmen from all over the world have participated and still do. The same is true of the Club’s annual Stag Cruise to its Tinsley Island Station located on the San Joaquin River. Many flew straight from Newport to the island as soon as the America's Cup races were concluded. Among many in the industry, the "Big Boat Series", and the Tinsley Stag Cruise were affectionately known as the "Barient Annual Sales Meeting". Of course, not true; no business conversations ever took place.
Country of origin, and the America's Cup, have always been a part of each other, and I suppose always will. Can the Swiss use American sail fabric? No!
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