Cup yacht design ace content to watch from Napier

BACK IN THE DAY: Napier-based former Americas Cup teams research in 2000 with messages of support for New Zealand's first defence. PHOTO/FILE

With 17 years behind him in the thick of America's Cup campaigns - including eight months with Seattle's OneWorld 2003 bid to beat New Zealand in Auckland - Napier aerodynamics engineer Richard Karn is content watching the latest regatta at home on tv or the internet.

It was the last of his six America's Cup campaigns, bought along with several other former Team New Zealand members in a bid to thwart the Kiwis' second defence since winning the Cup with the Black Magic team in Dennis Conner's Young America defence off San Diego in 1995.

Employed part time as a consultant for the previous campaigns, including the tumultuous days of Team New Zealand and skipper Russell Coutts' triumph in 1995, he reflects that a full time job in Seattle in 2002-2003, with wife Dee and their children, both aged under 10, was too much of a chance and experience to miss.

"Once I'd finished that was it," he said. "It's very hard on your life, moving around all the time."

While still consulting for businesses in aerodynamic issues, his dalliance with yachting now is limited mainly to windsurfing when he can, and mainly not too far from home at Westshore, and watching the race broadcasts, with few predictions other than the modern race machines of America's Cup racing will get even quicker.

"It's mind-boggling I know," he said. "The top speed so far has been about 45 knots. That's 83km/h. I wouldn't be at all surprised if one hits 50 knots."

There's no 20 tonnes of lead stabilising the craft any more, and somehow the America's Cup catamarans of 2017 are supported by thin carbon stilts.

"It's mind-blowing " he said as Team New Zealand prepared to take on holders Oracle Team USA in what he says has become the water equivalent of a motor racing track off Bermuda. "They're going as fast as a car on a highway. They're right at the ragged level, and once they're at this stage of their confidence, anything is possible."

"I did 17 years," he said. "It's a pretty long apprenticeship. You feel like you're learning something with every campaign. It's a whole new ball game."

"Once I'd finished I did have one group asking me to do another campaign," he said. "I said no, I'd had enough."