Swissmade (unbuilt)

Project Overview

Swissmade was an unbuilt Swiss International Third Rule Twelve Metre project developed in 1984, in the immediate aftermath of the America’s Cup loss in 1983. The project formed part of early exploratory efforts to mount a Swiss challenge for a future America’s Cup campaign, at a time when several non-traditional sailing nations were assessing the feasibility of entering the competition.

Organizational Background

Following the 1983 Match, the Association Suisse pour la Coupe de l’America was established in Switzerland with the goal of organizing a potential national challenge. The association sought to evaluate both technical and financial pathways toward an America’s Cup entry under the Third Rule.

Design Origins

The association commissioned Jean Grobety, a Geneva-based dentist and accomplished yacht designer, to prepare two design studies for a Swiss Twelve Metre challenger. Grobety was already well known for his successful work in the 5.5 Metre and 6 Metre classes, where his designs had demonstrated strong performance and sound engineering.

Relationship to Helvetia

Swissmade was conceived as an evolutionary development of Grobety’s earlier design Helvetia, incorporating refinements intended to improve competitiveness under the International Third Rule. While specific dimensions and rating data were never finalized or published, Swissmade is generally described in contemporary sources as a more advanced and optimized iteration of the Helvetia concept rather than a radical departure.

Project Outcome

Despite the initial design work and organizational enthusiasm, Swissmade was never built. No sail number was issued, the yacht was never measured, and the project did not progress beyond the design-study phase. As with several post-1983 exploratory Twelve Metre projects, financial, logistical, and competitive considerations ultimately prevented further development.

Historical Significance

Swissmade remains of interest as part of the late Third Rule design era, illustrating the breadth of international interest in the Twelve Metre Class during the final years before the transition to the International America’s Cup Class (IACC). Although unbuilt, the project reflects Switzerland’s brief but serious consideration of entering the America’s Cup arena and highlights Jean Grobety’s ambition to extend his proven smaller-class expertise into the Twelve Metre domain.