Team NZ Back On The Water

San Francisco, CA (August 3 2013) – With the breeze up to a brisk 22-24 knots on Saturday, Emirates Team New Zealand took the AC72 for a test and training run on San Francisco Bay.

Fresh from five days in the boat shed for modifications, the big cat revelled in the conditions on the Louis Vuitton Cup race course area.

Said Sean Regan, ETNZ’s construction manager, “It was a bit of a major really – a strip-down of a lot of systems and checks, a lot of modification work to just up our race spec on the boat. It’s been pretty tough on the shore crew as usual but the good thing is the guys are out sailing again.”

After four days off, the sailing crew was pleased to be back on the water, testing the modifications designed to enhance speed – and to begin serious preparations for the Louis Vuitton Cup finals which start in two weeks.

“At the top of the course it was 22-25 knots and an ebb tide so quite a good sea state and a good shake-down really,” Richard Meacham said. Meacham, who is head of ETNZ’s racing mechanics team, continued, “It was a really a constructive day to get out there and put some load back on the gear and see where it’s all setting up.”

Regan commented, “When you’ve had the boat in pieces literally, then the guys go back out sailing you’re always wondering if everything has gone back together 100% but no complaints off the water today so hopefully it was all good. The day has been a perfect testing day in San Francisco.” Photos Video