Stars & Stripes 86 12 US 56
Design and Construction
Stars & Stripes ’87 (US-56) was an International 12 Metre yacht built to the International Third Rule as part of the United States program to reclaim the America’s Cup in 1987. She formed part of the Stars & Stripes design family developed during the most technically advanced phase of Twelve Metre evolution, when incremental gains in hull form, appendages, and sail development were decisive.
The yacht was designed by the Sail America design team consisting of Britton Chance, Bruce Nelson, and David Pedrick, working independently from skipper Dennis Conner. Construction followed the same high-specification standards as the other late Stars & Stripes Twelves produced for the Fremantle campaign.
America’s Cup Campaign Context
From 1985 through 1987, the Sail America Foundation mounted a four-boat program to regain the America’s Cup from Australia after the historic 1983 defeat. The campaign represented the New York Yacht Club’s challenge in the 26th America’s Cup Match at Fremantle, Western Australia.
Training was conducted primarily in the Molokai Channel, Hawaii, and the program budget exceeded USD 16 million, including more than USD 1 million in sails supplied by North Sails and Sobstad.
Role Within the Stars & Stripes Program
Stars & Stripes ’87 (US-56) was part of the final generation of development boats produced after the success of Stars & Stripes ’85 (US-54) and alongside the better-known Stars & Stripes (US-55). While US-55 became the yacht selected to race and ultimately win the 1987 America’s Cup, US-56 served as an advanced test and development platform, contributing to ongoing refinements in rig tuning, sail shapes, and appendage configuration during the critical final phase of the campaign.
As with the other late Stars & Stripes Twelves, US-56 embodied the extreme design philosophy of the Fremantle era, which emphasized control, durability, and speed in consistently strong winds.
Design Characteristics
US-56 reflected the mature state of Third Rule Twelve Metre design:
Highly refined hull form derived from intensive tank testing and full-scale trials
Advanced appendage geometry informed by earlier wing-keel experiments
Rig and deck layouts optimized for rapid maneuvering and sustained high-wind performance
Although not selected as the final defender, the yacht played a role in validating performance trends that shaped the winning configuration.
Post-Campaign History
Following the conclusion of the 1987 America’s Cup, Stars & Stripes ’87 (US-56) remained associated with the Sail America Foundation before passing into subsequent ownership. As with several Stars & Stripes Twelves, her later career included periods of storage and limited secondary use rather than high-profile racing.
Public records indicate that she did not achieve the same long charter or media career as US-53 or US-54, and her later disposition is less thoroughly documented in open sources.
Historical Significance
Stars & Stripes ’87 (US-56) is historically significant as:
A Third Rule International 12 Metre from the final era of the class
Part of the four-boat Stars & Stripes program that reclaimed the America’s Cup in 1987
A contributor to the development pathway that led to the success of US-55
A representative example of the peak technical sophistication of Twelve Metre design
Although overshadowed by the race-winning yacht, US-56 remains an integral component of the broader Stars & Stripes story and of the last, highly refined chapter in Twelve Metre America’s Cup history.
Optional ITMA clarification note
Because multiple Stars & Stripes yachts were active during the same campaign, US-56 should not be confused with:
US-53 (Stars & Stripes ’83, ex–Spirit of America)
US-54 (Stars & Stripes ’85)
US-55 (the actual 1987 America’s Cup winner)