GBR Challenge Goes Sailing

With the first of their two trial boats launched, the British America's Cup team has been hard at work trying to find out what makes an Americas Cup boat tick.

After an intense period assembling the newly delivered Japanese boats, GBR Challenge have finally had chance to test their new toys on the water.

Though the team are remaining tight lipped until the official launching party next Thursday, sources within the camp indicate that everyone is mightily impressed. All the bits have fitted together perfectly and the first couple of outings have seen a selection of sails from the huge stock hoisted on the Solent.

GBR 52 is the first boat out of the blocks. Reduced to a bare white pained finish with no sponsor's logos and a plain if somewhat tired looking mainsail, she looked efficient and workmanlike if not especially pretty. The priority for the sailing team appears to be to build up a body of knowledge on how to handle the boats. Only once they have acquired the basic skills in handling these exotic beasts will they be able to set about serious boat tuning and race training. Besides actually learning to sail the boats, all the side issues such as getting these big yachts on and off the hoist and towing out through Cowes harbour will have to be mastered.

Sailing with 16 or 17 crew on board reduces the workload while the more experienced members of the team have been taking on the key jobs to keep things safe and secure in the early stages. Team Manager, David Barnes, has been taking the helm while Ian Walker and Adrian Stead are hard at work finding their way around a type of boat that neither of them has sailed before. Andy Green was spotted in the trimmer's pit while the unfortunate Andy Beadsworth has had to stay ashore after breaking his arm in a cycling accident.

So far there is no news as to when the second boat will be afloat. As might be expected, a total information blackout surrounds the new boat set to be built later this year or early next.