Rusty Harding is one of America's best known boomerang manufacturers. I first met Rusty in 1979 when both of us were living in Florida. Rusty was a lefty thrower who was making sporting and competition boomerang models at his home in Vero Beach, Florida. In the 1980s and 1990s, Rusty moved to Lebanon, Tennessee where he continued to make boomerangs for the retail market. Rusty still makes a few boomerangs, but his old classics are becoming valuable collectables. The boomerangs that have the highest collectable value are the Concept models that were made out of lapped hardwood boards and had angles of 60, 70 or 90 degrees. These were often weighted. Rusty's Hurricane Hook and Contender [omega] designs are the most popular sporting models.

This unusual boomerang is a very rare model that Rusty created to commemorate Australia winning the Americas Cup. Signed and dated 1984. Originally, this boomerang had a small "keel" extending out of the boomerang plane on both sides of the external extension off of the elbow. The "keel" on the upper surface is missing. The "keel" on the lower surface is intact and it would not be hard to replicate the "keel" and add the missing piece to the upper surface. Other than that, this boomerang is in excellent condition.