Cayards Navy

The Big Blue Hope

Well, the veil has been lifted today at Artemis Racing in Alameda.  Cayard’s Navy hosted a show-and-tell session today which was a never seen before, a behind- the-scenes look at their base in the Old Hanger on Alameda Naval Air Station. 

America’s Cup Media took us across the bay this morning in one of the luxury Louis Vuitton Cups VIP boats. On a sun-soaked morning, a sail-filled bay, we departed the America's Cup Village already amassed with fans early on.  A short ride under the Bay Bridge led us into the old Navy Yard, past liberty ships that line the shores and the USS Hornet, a decommissioned aircraft carrier now museum. As we approached the huge yard we were met by one of Cayard’s Sailors, his daughter Alexandra. 

The Big Doors 

We docked and were whisked away, surrounded by the huge both empty and occupied plane hangars on the old base.

Only twenty media members were given the special media tour.  Arriving by golf cart, we were soon inside a welcoming center of sorts, a small room with a desk and greeting area. Warning signs on all the doors advised “keep closed and locked”.  

Security, though, seemed very relaxed for some reason, a sort of new beginning at Artemis Racing. 

After signing in we were briefed “no cameras or video equipment allowed at this time.” Next, our host greeted us, Head of Media, Jennifer McHogh.

Soon the only other door in the room opened and to our surprise here stood the head of this Navy, Paul Cayard himself.

Looking trim and in shape but tired at the same time, Mr. Cayard welcomed us into the home of his Navy.  Next Nathan Outteridge joined us - the young gun and the Old Master. Noise could be heard throughout the massive air hangar - we were close, I couldn’t tell just how close, to an even bigger surprise. 

Just before our tour started, a number of reporter’s phones started going off. It soon became apparent that a more newsworthy event had occurred and a few had to leave us.  A plane had just been reported to have crash-landed at San Francisco Airport, exploding into flames.  This was drama at its highest, reminding us that just a few months ago tragic crash of Artemis Racing’s AC72 that resulted in a loss of life, as well. Andrew Bart Simpson’s presence could be felt throughout the base. 

Well, its show time after a short speech again about our tour rules that Cayard himself gave. He unveiled the heart of the building. Through this door would be the answers to our questions, to all we had come to see.

The massive hangar that houses the teams’ only hope of getting to the Louis Vuitton Cup,
the massive wing as it waited skinned and wrapped, the wing they have been waiting for. The wing we been waiting for, the sailing world waiting for. Wing No. 3 looks finished, is finished but she's being load tested first and her data shared with the measurement committee.

There is the huge Louis Vuitton logo on the top and of course the Swedish flag.  She's all clear now, another safety consideration. Wrapped clear in all the most important spots .This is so you can 1) see better and 2) find someone easier. 

Cayard was very personable and accessible as he explained just how committed the whole team was on getting back on the water and begin racing. The wing in its place is impressive the size just unreal - this could be NASA if you didn't know any better. 

Everyone's working - everyone has one goal: to remember their lost comrade and, if possible, take Oracle Team USA's Trophy. But first they will have to get past the Louis Vuitton Cup. Attention to detail is the get phrase here: get it done fast but get it done right. 

More wing and things later now it’s upstairs to the gym. Paul and Nathan lead us up to meet the “trainees,” the endurance leaders, the human batteries that will power Big Blue when she's ready. 

The House Monk Built

The gym is small compared to say super team Oracle Team USA’s.  It is modest and simple: it has heavy free weights, it has rowing machines, it has treadmills like most gyms.

It also has one other special machine: the grinder station simulator.

This grinding station is connected to a laptop top that simulates the loads that will be put on the grinders. Everyone’s a grinder at some point Cayard points out, except for the helmsman, Nathan Outteridge. The new America’s Cup is about endurance and this was referred to time and time again. Monk refers to grinder Craig Monk, a mass of muscle and mix of brawn and brains. Monk has been grinding in America’s Cup campaigns for a very long time. This 34th will be the hardest, requiring endurance and extreme fitness from the sailor’s bodies, upper and lower. Fitness is the new game and Artemis is training like they’re sailing tomorrow. Grinders will be, from the moment they set foot off the dock, on a constant grinding, riding on one the fastest and most unforgiving vessels ever introduced to America's Cup racing. Shoulder injuries seem to be the most frequent injury they sustain and the local MRI centers are keeping very busy with Cayard’s Navy. 

This is no down-and-out team, this not a team beaten by despair.  This is a team planning to be even stronger and more determined to sail and race in the America's Cup and Louis Vuitton Cup. And they will be one of the fittest.

The Big Plywood Boxes 

Next we head back to the first floor.  A huge box in the middle of the shop floor sits just in front the other massive thing in the hangar. Big Blue Boat 2 is here. She is impressive, she is bulked up, she has huge shoulders now huge massive cross beams, a new addition covered in foil and foam work being done on the huge foil boxes that hold the massive foils that will direct the attitude of these amazing foils. 

In the box are their new fast foils, an amazing build of carbon with razor sharp edges 
and load holding structure that is just amazing here out in the open we can touch them. 

Next to the big box are another set of foils and a man is bent over, slowly wet sanding its trailing edge. I wander over and as I get closer he lifts his head – it’s Iain Percy, Skipper, getting his hands dirty.  It’s all hands on deck - no one is beyond his working level sailing, building, and sanding carbon fiber.  Everyone has one goal: get back in the game and do it safe do it better and hopefully do it good enough to win The Louis Vuitton series. 

Persians Give You Wings

Another star lent his time with us today as well, none other than Loïck Peyron. Cayard praised Loïck for his ongoing team building and expertise. They showed us a simulator today that they have built that is a full size mock-up of their foil box, designed so they can test the pressures and adjustments of their controls to the half degree.  This is the attitude system, Cayard explained, and without a boat in the water anytime they can shave off the huge learning curve is immeasurable.

Artemis is in the racing business and with the huge amounts of setbacks they have had and their continued will to win, this is no shallow face- saving effort, it’s full on in Alameda and Cayard has risen to the challenge, as well as his Artemis Racing team. 

Cayard on the Protests 

Paul didn't reflect that deeply into the current ongoing protests from Emirates Team NZ and Prada Luna Rossa but did wonder how men of this statue of their sport could willingly disrupt an event like Louis Vuitton Cup, mentioning they have done the simulations of the new rudders and the gain in speed anyone’s team could get is so small and unimportant.  Prada, for one, is just blowing hot air and Paul will testify to the Jury Monday just that and the data they have shared.


Paul when asked the turnaround time to build a set of rudders said 15 weeks.  So if Prada were to get the motions to remove the two rules effectively they will not be able to comply with the rule change and will not be able to continue on and will have to withdraw. 

Self Destruction of a Brand 

Prada is effectively trying to eliminate one of the challengers without racing one day, winning a paper race. From what all have witnessed, Emirates Team NZ is so much faster it’s going to be a cakewalk for them and Prada effectively buried themselves by buying a boat built basically by their rivals.

The only chance in hell they have is to force a crash or capsize of the Emirates boat to get in the show, i.e. forced errors. They’re just that slower. And not knowing how boat 2 will perform for Artemis, Prada has decided to use not only a safeguard rule to eliminate their opponents , they have accused some of sailing’s best of backdoor dealing and created just the distractions they believe will result in the end they seek.

Cayard’s Navy Wants to Race

The crew is fit, the boat is coming together, the wing is days away from being finished.
Cayard’s Navy will float again soon. “We are here to race” were Cayard’s last words. To me, he meant we are here not to play pin the tail on the canolis, but to honor the history of the oldest trophy in sports history, we are here to act like reasonable men, to compete on the water not the oak leafs of the Courts.