Team NZ grinder turns to trucking

Chris McAsey

A Northland-based former grinder on cash-strapped Team New Zealand said it was a shame crew numbers and their salaries were being slashed by Grant Dalton and his team - all in the name of cost-cutting.

Chris McAsey of Whangarei was among 11 crew members at the helm of Team NZ during the America's Cup race in San Francisco last August but, since then, three including him have lost their jobs.

Dalton, the syndicate boss, this week ramped up pressure on the Government for a quick cash injection by the end of this month or else the team's tilt at the next challenge was sunk.

Prime Minister John Key has made it clear that the Government would not fund the next bid and that Team NZ needed to find private sector sponsors and donors to fund the campaign.

McAsey said financial pressure was not new to the syndicate.

"When I first signed a contract in 2007 for the cup challenge in 2013, everything was good for two to three months, but later the contract was cut off," he said, referring to a pay cut.

"Now new rules they introduced have cut me out of a job. Three crew members have lost their jobs and the remaining eight have had their average wages cut.

"They call it cost cutting. To me, it's a shame because they are cutting people who make things happen on board," he said.

On his losing his job, he said: "I am not that happy because that was my job but you move on."

McAsey said it must be frustrating for Dalton to request funding for the next campaign but he felt the latter believed the next challenge was winnable, otherwise he would not have another tilt.

Since leaving Team NZ, McAsey secured work as a truck driver in Dargaville and said he was enjoying his new job. But his love of yachts has seen him compete for private yacht owners in a couple of regattas in the Caribbean three weeks ago.

Another race is being lined up in Europe later this year, again for a private yacht owner.

The Government has already given $5 million in bridging finance to Team NZ. But Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said it was not fair for taxpayers to carry the full risk of the challenge.