American Magic will miss the next round of racing in the Americas Cup challenger series after its dramatic capsize but the team is determined to be ready for the series semifinals in 11 days.
The New York Yacht Club-backed team faces a huge repair job after a high-speed crash while leading Sundays race against Italys Luna Rossa left its racing yacht Patriot with a gaping hole in its hull.
Skipper Terry Hutchinson on Monday said the yacht sustained internal and external structural damage, and would need to replace the complex system which controls its foils and almost all of its electronics. The work is likely to take 8 to 10 days, leaving American Magic on a tight deadline to have any race time before the semifinals begin.
Hutchinson feared Patriot might sink but a lengthy salvage effort involving fire officers, Coast Guard and rival teams saved the high-tech 75-foot yacht which was towed back to its base in Auckland, New Zealand late Sunday night.
Fortunately we didnt sink this one…
