USA-23 and crew of America3 returns to America's Cup Harbor in 1992 after successfully defending the America's Cup, defeating the Italian challenger Il Moro di Venezia.
The yacht, named America³, was built by Goetz Custom Sailboats Inc. in Rhode Island and the carbon fiber mast package was built by the Offshore Spars Co. in Michigan.
1995 Cup defense
In 1995, Bill Koch revamped the program to begin the first nearly all-female, America's Cup boat. America3's successor, Mighty Mary, was on her way to a race-off with Young America, the boat of the third syndicate that year, to determine who went through to the 1995 America's Cup, in the lead of what ended up being the last race of the Defender Series over Stars & Stripes. But with a commanding lead of nearly 5 minutes, Dave Dellenbaugh (the only man on the otherwise all-female crew) committed a crucial tactical error and Stars & Stripes skipper Dennis Conner made a series of moves to beat Mighty Mary to the finish line by scant seconds. After winning the Defender Series, Conner opted to use Young America to defend the cup, losing to Team New Zealand, 5–0.
