Yachting: Oliver now one of the family

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Laurie Davidson set the wheels in motion a year ago to leave Team New Zealand for a foreign America's Cup syndicate.

Even before Team New Zealand successfully defended the cup in March, the astute veteran designer sought American citizenship - looking ahead to his future elsewhere.

Disgruntled with others in the Kiwi design team, the septuagenarian has quit New Zealand after four cup campaigns to join the new high-rolling Seattle syndicate.

He becomes the third big player to officially leave Team New Zealand - his move less than a fortnight after leaders Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth defected to Switzerland.

But the news was not all dismal down on Syndicate Row last night.

The defenders were buoyed by the return of American Clay Oliver, the other principal designer in the 2000 defence effort.

Oliver, an esteemed naval architect, turned his back on six approaches from rival syndicates to stay with the Kiwis.

He will now head the new design team with Mike Drummond, the brain behind the millennium rig.

It seems Davidson did not want to share star billing with the rest of the designers at Team New Zealand.

He says he was promised design control of the last defence, but was not given it.

"With the new North American syndicate, I see myself dictating the design direction," he said yesterday.

"I thought I would have been able to do that with Team New Zealand when Peter Blake hired me after 1995. I've got no argument with Blake. But some of the others overstepped the mark.

"I could see the writing on the wall a while ago, so I started the procedure to get my United States citizenship a year ago."

Davidson became an American in February, during the America's Cup. He has lived in Seattle on and off since 1988.

Davidson talked to Team New Zealand head Tom Schnackenberg on Monday, but the issue of money was never discussed. The veteran designer - who can look at a boat and then draw it to within millimetres - had virtually made up his mind.

On the other side of the world, fellow-designer Oliver decided he would come back to New Zealand because of "the people."

He had received offers from four American syndicates and at least two European teams.

"Everyone knows there are all sorts of crazy offers flying around, and Team New Zealand is really the low bidder out there," he said.

"Anyone choosing to go with Team New Zealand is doing it because we think it's the right thing to do - it's the best thing in terms of what we like to do and the place we want to be.

"It isn't about the money, it's the people. Even though a lot have left, the legacy and the spirit of the team will still be there."

Oliver, who worked for the United States Navy before joining Dennis Conner's design team in 1984, says he simply loves drawing boats - and that was what he was allowed to do at Team NZ.

"I spent over 2000 hours drawing hulls. I ended up drawing 32 boats on my computer. That's like heaven," he said.

"Another thing is that we get to sail. You can't ask for anything better."

Schnackenberg was last night taking an optimistic approach to the day's upheavals.

"We will miss Laurie's intellect. But it gives an opportunity for someone else," he said. "Someone such as Mike Drummond, who has been waiting in the wings.

"Getting Clay on board last time worked out better than we ever imagined. His personal sacrifices, and his decision to come back, are inspiring to Team New Zealand."

Others to sign up yesterday were experienced bowmen Joe Allen and Nick Heron, and respected trimmer Tony Rae.