Show Us Your Keels

For the first time in 12 years, the skirts are coming off America’s Cup racing boats.

The five yachts in the challenger and defender finals will be publicly unveiled today to reveal their topsecret keels. The security skirts that normally hide everything under the waterline will remain off for the rest of the regatta.

The practice of hiding keels began in 1983 when Australia II covered its controversial winged keel.

The famous keel wasn’t shown publicly until Australia II was hoisted out of the water only hours after its stunning seventh-race defeat of Conner’s Liberty to end the New York Yacht Club’s 132-year winning streak.