US buys our top designer - but we've bought one of theirs

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Team New Zealand suffered another blow yesterday when key hull designer Laurie Davidson quit to draw the boats of a new American syndicate.

But at the same time, an American designer signed to join the Kiwis.

Davidson, who has designed yachts in New Zealand for more than 50 years, has left the America's Cup defence to be top designer for the new Seattle syndicate.

At the same time, Team New Zealand scored a coup with the re-signing of its other principal designer, American Clay Oliver, who turned down approaches from six rival challengers.

Davidson, aged in his early 70s, admitted he would be paid handsomely by the North American syndicate, backed by telephone billionaire Craig McCaw.

But money wasn't the reason for his defection. Davidson was disgruntled at not being given overall control of the design for this year's Cup defence.

"I feel a loyalty to Team New Zealand, but at my age I don't have to put up with all this crap any more," he said.

"I'm the lead designer now."

Davidson, who owns a house in Seattle, has worked on four Kiwi America's Cup campaigns since 1987.

He will take the knowledge of the black hulls with him, but did not work on the design of the masts, keels or other appendages.

Oliver, who helped design Dennis Conner's radical catamaran in the 1988 Cup, confirmed yesterday that he would team with Mike Drummond to run the new design group.

Three other crewmen - bowmen Joe Allen and Nick Heron, and trimmer Tony Rae - committed themselves to Team New Zealand yesterday.

But at least six other frontline crew members are still considering joining Davidson in the Seattle camp.