The new generation of America's Cup yachts is about to surface in Valencia, yet the man who won the prized trophy for New Zealand then Switzerland has barely noticed.
These days Russell Coutts is immersed in his own project - a new light-displacement 44-foot boat (the Russell Coutts 44) which
was launched last October.
Designed by Coutts, the one design yachts are high performance racers.
Coutts, home in Auckland, said the aim was to produce a strict one design class that incorporated a lot of the features to be seen at the top level of racing.
"It is a pretty different style from anything that has gone on the market in terms of production boats so far. The market has been pretty good."
Coutts thinks 11 boats have been ordered already. A class association has been set up in Switzerland and the next step is to qualify the boat for world championship status.
"To do that you have to sell a certain number of boats in a certain number of countries then your constitution has to be ratified by ISAF," Coutts said.
He is confident the process will be completed by March next year, which is when Dubai want to stage the first world championship.
Coutts, who plans to remain based in Switzerland for this year at least, admits that the project had been time consuming.
"I have sort of found myself busier than ever. I am having a lot of fun, it is a little bit of new territory for me. That is probably a good thing at my stage."
Not that sailing has taken a back seat - he is scheduled to compete in at least 20 regattas this year ranging from match-racing events to Transpac 52 regattas.
"I still want to compete. I am sailing in a lot of different boats and I think that is a good thing ... seeing how things are developing."
The most successful helmsman in America's Cup history admits he has lost track a bit of what is going on in the chase for the Auld Mug.
"I read bits and pieces ... in a lot of ways now that I am out of that scene I haven't kept up to date with all the design changes."
But he adds: "I would say, more than ever, the structures and the construction of the boats I think will be a key factor. It always has been but this time maybe even more so.
"It always has been about getting more lead on the bulb in those boats, I don't think too much has changed there. Teams will be working hard to optimise their building techniques and their structural design to optimise that process for sure."
He said Alinghi's dominance to date comes as no surprise.
"It is one thing to look at the boats but they are not a bad sailing team on the water as well. By the sounds of things they have made some improvements to the total boats, not just the hull but I suggest the aerodynamics as well."
While the rumour mill continues to suggest that Coutts, despite his messy breakup with Alinghi syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli, will return to the syndicate for the defence - he is adamant that is not the case.
"Honestly I have got absolutely zero involvement.
"Apart from playing a bit of golf with the guys and doing a bit of socialising, I haven't had much to do with it.
"I speak to Brad [Butterworth] and some of the guys regularly but usually not about America's Cup stuff."
Russell Coutts
The new generation of America's Cup yachts is about to surface in Valencia, yet the man who won the prized trophy for New Zealand then Switzerland has barely noticed.
These days Russell Coutts is immersed in his own project - a new light-displacement 44-foot boat (the Russell Coutts 44) which
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