USA-76, currently owned by Brad Webb and ACsailingSF, was most famously helmed by Oracle Founder Larry Ellison, and used by the BMW Oracle Racing Team in their preparations to win the challenger series and won the right to challenge for the 2007 America's Cup that was held in Valencia, Spain.
Never done it before at all.
Frankly, helming USA 76, originally built for the 2003 America's Cup race, is unlike anything I've ever done in my life. When you grab the wheel of the yacht, you're aware that you're in control of something big, fast, and yet very responsive. What I had to get used to what that the yacht was leaning at a very high speed - about 30 knots. And at that point we were getting a nasty cross-wind, as well.
My thought during that point in time is "You know, I'm going to tip this thing into the drink and they're going to sue me." But I kept at the helm for about five minutes or so, or until I figured it was time to give it up to someone else.
Which is another way of saying I lost my nerve.
But it's a drug: you fear what can happen, but you want to do it again. I can see how people who work in the business of sailing get hooked on it.
The other thing I got used to was getting wet; which didn't happen to me much at all. I was wearing loose-fitting khaki shorts, which kept whatever dampness that had developed away from my butt.
Tell you what, if boat owner Brad Webb and his guys give me another chance to helm USA-76, I'm jumping forward to do it.
Larry Ellison's got nothing on me!
