Sea Scouts at the America's Cup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Report 2 - February 16, 2003

My name is Frank Thomas. I am one of the U.S. Sea Scouts in New Zealand for the America’s Cup. I arrived in Auckland, New Zealand at 0130 on Friday the 14th. On Friday I went out on one of the course marshal boats (about a 20’ Rayglass) during the ceremonial "sail-around." This consisted of hundreds of spectator boats coming out and making noise to show support for Team New Zealand. We then went to a barbecue at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and got to see the actual America's Cup. New Zealanders are very friendly and interesting people.

Saturday, Nicolette and I went on separate boats (there were about 20 total) out to the racecourse. My boat was stationed with about 6 others up on the windward side of the course, where we laid our buoy in a line with the ones from the other boats. We patrolled this line along with the other windward boats and kept the spectators off the racecourse. There were a whole lot of spectator boats. When the race started, Team New Zealand was ahead, but then for some reason they began taking a lot of water over the bow. Their boom snapped, then their jib came apart, and they had to drop out. Alinghi (the Swiss boat) won the race. Our Chief Course Marshall's boat sprung a leak and almost sank.

Sunday, we went out again, but the wind was fairly light. We spent a couple hours trying to herd all the spectator boats off the course, and when the wind finally picked up and settled in from one direction, we set up our line on the windward side. It was a good race. The first time the boats went around the windward mark, Alinghi was leading. Then New Zealand passed them and stayed in front until the last leg. Then Alinghi got back in front and finished 7 seconds ahead.

Oh well. New Zealand itself is beautiful, the people are great, and being out there in the America's Cup is amazing.

Frank Thomas
Live from New Zealand!

Sea Scouting is a co-educational program offered to young adults between the ages of 14 and 21. Sea Scouting is organized to promote better citizenship and to improve members' boating skills and knowledge through instruction and practice in water safety, boating skills, outdoor, social, and service experiences, and knowledge of our maritime heritage. For information on the Sea Scout unit nearest you, contact your local Boy Scouts of America council, or write to "Sea Scouts," c/o Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079; or e-mail, moreinfo@seascout.org. http://www.seascout.org.

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