Two days on from their dramatic capsize, it’s all hands on deck for American Magic as they repair their damaged AC75 in time for the Prada Cup semi-finals – and they’ve even got a few extras local hands mucking in too.
Patriot suffered significant damage to its hull and interior on Sunday afternoon when it went airborne and slammed back into the water at high speeds.
Since getting it back to American Magic’s shed though, Team New Zealand has leant boat builders to help with the Patriot’s rebuild while local companies like Yachting Developments are also assisting.
Yachting Developments managing director Ian Cook said the Kiwis’ own Cup defence isn’t compromised with all the local help.
“This is about the industry coming together to make sure we have a good event and a great yacht race but at the same time making sure our principal team doesn't constrain themselves of their end goal.”
Cook added the big hole in the hull will be repaired seamlessly.
“Not unlike when you take your car to the panel beater after you've had a fender bender,” Cook said.
“You drive it away afterwards and he's fixed it all up.”
It's the other components that will need to be cleaned out or replaced following their salt water immersion which is where Harken comes in.
The Kiwi company supplies the hydraulics, winches and other hardware onboard but Harken’s managing director Robbie Young is confident it’ll all work out.
“They're going to fix the boat properly, that's not a problem,” he said.
“It's how many days sailing they get on the water after the boat's ready to go and that's where they test things.”
Young sailed in four America's Cup campaigns himself and, coincidentally, was with Oracle when they lost their keel and capsized not once but twice in 2001.
“It's kind of one of those old adages that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and in this case, it pulls everyone together, it really does,” Young added.
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