12m WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP July 2019 NEWPORT, RI
It couldn’t have been any more exciting on the fifth and final day of the 2019 12 Metre World Championship hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club and organised by the International Twelve Metre Association’s (ITMA) Americas Fleet. Congratulations go to ‘Enterprise’ helmed by Clay Deutsch of Newport, RI for winning second place in the fiercely contested eight-boat Modern Division, counting two first-place finishes in the nine-race series.
Enterprise results: 3 – 4 – 3 – 3 – 1 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 5
CAPE HORN ENGINEERING are proud to have been involved in the extensive optimisation and refinement work carried out recently on ‘Enterprise’ designed by Sparkman & Stephens for the 2019 12m World Championship. She was originally built at Minneford Boat Yard to vie as a defender for the America’s Cup in 1977.
This exciting project commenced in July of 2017. Following the removal of her ‘cruising interior’, including engine, machinery and plumbing, she was measured in the water as per the 12 Metre Rule. From there every item of hardware was removed and the hull re-faired and finished. A thorough examination of her construction was undertaken followed by a laser scan of the hull, interior and appendages. From those scans 3D models were created to facilitate extensive design studies, which included:
- Weight tracking throughout project
- Cockpit layout optimisation, design and construction
- Performance analysis of multiple rudder and bustle options
- Performance analysis of multiple keel and trim tab options
- Performance analysis of rig and sails by North Sails
- Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) calculations performed throughout studies to find optimum solutions
- RANS-based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of individual components
- CFD analysis of complete hydrodynamic and aerodynamic package including new weights, appendages, sail plan and sails
Following months of reviewing data the decision was made to cast a new keel, build a new rudder and trim tab, incorporate a new mast, deck hardware package including coffee grinders and a hydraulic system.

For more details on the 12M world championships, read: https://12mrworlds.com