Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker plonks himself down on a plastic chair at the team's make-shift base in Malmo.
Dressed in the syndicate's swish grey uniform, this Dean Barker is clearly a different character from the one who stood hunched over the handlebars, beaten and broken during that horrible
defeat on the Hauraki Gulf nearly 2 1/2 years ago.
He's more confident, definitely less tense and clearly relishing spending more time on the water.
He could be forgiven for wanting to forget the months of February and March 2003 but he can't and says it is up to his team to prove they are worthy of New Zealand's support in their role as a challenger.
"The support is determined by results. If you are successful and continue to be successful then it is a lot easier to generate support," he said.
"Maybe the public felt betrayed from the last one ... I am sure there will always be some doubters and that is fine.
"We have got it on ourselves to perform."
That is certainly true for Barker, who has British double Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie snapping at his heels for the chance to helm a cup boat.
But unlike the last campaign, where a lot of Barker's time was spent dealing with administrative duties, this time he has been given the freedom to sail.
Since the last cup pre-regattas in June, Barker, his wife Mandy and young daughter Mia have been based in Valencia, where Barker has competed in several regattas.
He helmed Lexus to success in a regatta in the Transpac 52 circuit and picked up two top-four finishes in Swedish match tour events.
Like most sportspeople Barker has his share of critics who continue to point out his lack of world championship titles or an Olympic medal.
But despite that, his skill behind the wheel of a monstrous cup yacht cannot be denied.
Three-time America's Cup winner and former Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts clearly saw something, handing him the wheel in the fifth race of the 2000 defence and Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton believes in him, keeping him on as skipper.
Much of Barker's destiny in the next cup will be determined by the performance of the syndicate's new-look multi-national afterguard, which features Americans Terry Hutchinson and Kevin Hall, New Zealander Ray Davies and Australian Adam Beashel.
So far the group appear to be merging well. The syndicate won last year's America's Cup Class Championship and are currently sitting second behind Alinghi after two of this year's regattas.
Barker said the combination would continue to develop.
"It is going to take time. You only get limited opportunities to put yourself under pressure and every time you go out racing it's important that we are functioning well."
But while the bowman and other afterguard members play an integral role in getting the boat over the line first, the split-second decisions lie with Barker.
"I feel a lot more comfortable this year than I did last year," he said.
"Having not match-raced much last year I am happy with the way it is going."
After the regattas in Sweden, Barker will return to his family and their apartment in Valenica, where they will remain until after the year's final regattas in Trapani.
"It is a different lifestyle, for sure. It is certainly not what we are used to living in at home.
"But ... apartment-living in Spain, it is just a way of life and you have to adapt."
When asked if being a dad had changed him, the immensely private Barker reluctantly answers: "When you stop sailing and have a little bit of time out between events it is actually pretty refreshing and puts life in perspective a bit more."
Watching his team load sails onto the black boat in preparation for the day's training, Barker says the vibe in the team is good.
"We are excited about the new boat being built in Auckland. It will be nice to see that come to fruition and go sailing in January in it.
"I think it is up to us to prove that we are worthy of public support after what happened in the last campaign.
"I would like to think that there are certainly strong supporters of what we are doing."
With that he pushes his chair back and heads down the dock.
The black boat is about to depart.
DEAN BARKER
Born: Auckland, April 18, 1973
Sailing history:
* 2007: Emirates Team New Zealand
* 2003: Team New Zealand
* 2000: Team New Zealand
* 2000: 1st ACI Cup/World Championship of Match-Race Sailing
* 1998: 1st Kenwood Cup, 1st Australia Cup
* 1997: Admiral's Cup 1997, 1st NZ Match Racing National Championship
* 1994: 1st NZ Match Racing National Championship
* 1993: 1st Asian Pacific Laser Championship
Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker plonks himself down on a plastic chair at the team's make-shift base in Malmo.
Dressed in the syndicate's swish grey uniform, this Dean Barker is clearly a different character from the one who stood hunched over the handlebars, beaten and broken during that horrible
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