Stand by for the super rich on their super yachts

By BERNARD ORSMAN

The super rich are about to converge on Auckland, bringing their super yachts and opulent lifestyles within gawping distance of anyone who wants to stare and dream.

Floating mansions, with their spa pools, baby-grand pianos and marble bathrooms, will start arriving in numbers next month to watch the challenger series, being sponsored by the luxury French luggage company, Louis Vuitton.

By Christmas, all 94 berths at the Viaduct Harbour will be dripping with the big toys of some of the wealthiest people on earth. People such as Oracle Software mogul Larry Ellison, who is bankrolling his own challenge and whose 75m two-storey boat, Katana, has spent the best part of this year tied up in the harbour.

Missing, however, will be two of only three giant 1930s-vintage J-class yachts still sailing. (see story above.)

Grant Davidson, of America's Cup Village Ltd, said the challenger series was attracting power boats. Last time it was big yachts. But overall, more boats were coming and they were getting bigger. In 2000, the average length was 36m. This year, the average length was 40m.

The scramble for space has led to the construction of a new, 14-berth marina immediately outside the western entrance to the harbour. It will be home for the biggest vessels of up to 70m.

The last America's Cup generated about $118 million in business from super yachts and $127 million in the marine industry.

Americans Bob Billingham and Tom Ehman, both of whom were with AmericaOne at the last regatta, are behind a VIP hospitality centre called The Base Club.

The club, with seven corporate suites, is being built on stilts at the Halsey St entrance to the harbour so it will not stop the public getting a close-up view of the yachts leaving and returning from racing.

The Americans are selling all-day packages, including a boat ride to watch the racing, from $495 to $1495 for the cup defence, which starts on February 15.

An attempt to set up a ritzy club for the 2000 cup bombed. The American Express Yacht Club was set up on a floating barge in the harbour and marketed to cardholders as an "exclusive floating facility", with initial membership fees of up to $1995.

The club lost $4.1 million of public money and the barge was sold to Oracle Racing for use at its base.

Team New Zealand is promising free entertainment on racedays and at the weekend and two big "theme" exhibition tents.

Te Wero island, at the end of the eastern viaduct, will be the site of a huge television screen and seating for 3000 people. The island will also host 14 international and local musical events, which will not be free.

The opening ceremony for the cup regatta will take place with a parade down Queen St on September 28, followed by an official ceremony on Te Wero island.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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