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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Blokarts to support Bermuda

By Matthew Rosenburg
Bay of Plenty Times·
9 Jun, 2017 12:44 AM2 mins to read

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Blokart International general manager Matt Beckett says it has sponsored 12 wind-powered trolleys for the America's Cup Endeavour Programme in Bermuda. Photo/John Borren

Blokart International general manager Matt Beckett says it has sponsored 12 wind-powered trolleys for the America's Cup Endeavour Programme in Bermuda. Photo/John Borren

A Papamoa business is supporting an America's Cup programme that aims to leave a positive impact on Bermuda's youth.

The America's Cup Endeavour Programme hopes to "sustain a legacy" in the small island nation long after the main attraction has left town.

The goal - to introduce young people to the world of sailing.

As part of the programme, Blokart International has sponsored 12 wind-powered trolleys.

Blokarts were the equivalent of sailing on land and its general manager, Matt Beckett, believed they were a good fit.

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"Performance-wise, we actually have pretty similar statistics to these big catamarans in terms of maximum speed and acceleration."

Mr Beckett thinks the extra pace was the reason why they were a logical choice.

"The new America's Cup boats sail a lot faster than the wind blows.

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"Typically, any boat that someone's going to learn to sail in is never going to go faster than the wind."

But blokarts were different.

"It gives an opportunity to teach kids about high performance sailing," Mr Beckett said.

"[It's] not just sailing within the constraints of windspeed."

Mr Beckett said there were other benefits for using blokarts to teach kids instead of normal boats.

"It gives them [instructors] a tool. They can set up a course. They can be right there on the ground with the kids and get closer for providing tuition."

Mr Beckett could not be happier that his land yachts made it to the Caribbean.

"Initially it was a surprise [but] we think it's great.

"There's a perception that the America's Cup is a rich man's game [but] it seems like all the teams get involved [and] really genuinely try to put back into the community."

Sending products offshore was nothing new for the local business, which started 17 years ago in an old airport hangar.

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Domestic sales made up 20 per cent of Blokart International's total trading, with 40 per cent going to Europe alone.

The business was particularly excited about what the new partnership could mean for the sport it had been pioneering for almost two decades, he said.

The yachting community have historically considered blokarting to be "not the real thing" because it is land-based, Mr Beckett said.

"With this association with the America's Cup, it feels like an acceptance."

The America's Cup Endeavour Programme had so far engaged more than 1550 students aged 9 to 12 across Bermuda.

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