By JOSIE CLARKE
Some ferry operators counting on America's Cup-watchers for business say repeated race postponements are hurting trade.
Pacific Ferries director Steve Young said the delays had caused a dramatic drop in business. Numbers had fallen from 400 a day to 100, and punters were getting frustrated.
"Many of these people watched
the Louis Vuitton races in five knots and now they can't understand why races are called off when there's 10 knots. They say they can't be bothered going out again.
"We're getting sick of it. It's just frustrating.
"We'll be glad when it's over."
Mr Young said official word that Sunday's racing was off came a full hour after spectators had seen Prada being towed home.
Customers paid between $145 and $295 for the day and entertained themselves while they waited by eating lunch, listening to a jazz band and watching television on the company's biggest boat, Lady Wakehurst.
"We've stopped taking out the 20m ferry because it was just too boring for them."
Fullers chief executive Douglas Hudson said business was down by about half compared with the start of racing, but operators expected numbers to fall as tourists who were booked to stay for a limited time left Auckland.
"The longer racing goes on, the more we expect numbers to drop."
Others had opted not to rebook because of the uncertain winds.
"Some people will obviously be disappointed if a race is called off, but I haven't heard of anybody getting annoyed."
Geoff Parsonage, the owner of Challenge Charters, which runs the catamaran American Eagle, said he had heard no complaints from his 150 customers a day over the past six race days.
American Eagle was fully booked for the rest of the final.
Most people enjoyed their day on the water regardless of whether they watched a race, he said.
"It was worse when we were out there in 30-knot winds waiting for it to drop to 20 knots, as happened in the challenger round robins. That was quite unpleasant."
