America’s Cup: Dean Barker takes American Magic’s new ship on a wild first sail

One of the New Zealand team’s main rivals for the America’s Cup has lost the ball on his first outing with a new ship in Waitemata harbor.

The New York Yacht Club’s American Magic team officially unveiled its second AC75, dubbed the Patriot, on Friday and immediately took it out to sail off Auckland’s North Shore.

However, whether it was from a strong breeze or unfamiliarity with the ship, it turned out to be a rocky ride for the crew on board.

Video captured from the Wakatere Boating Club on Narrow Neck Beach captured the moment the crew lost control of the boat and nearly capsized.

“A wild ride for the crew on their first outing in #Patriot #americanmagic. Must have been a rough landing on board … I hope the crew is okay … I was looking fast before that,” the sailing fan posted Justin Mitchell on Instagram.

Barker had previously told the media that the team was focused on catching up with the ship as quickly as possible, pointing to a possible reason for the first wild ride.

“The most noticeable difference is the position of the rudder, so it will be quite a different perspective [for the helmsman] and it’s much more advanced on the ship compared to Defiant.

“We are going to adapt quickly and we are very aware of the changes we have to make. Each boat has its different trends and different traits and we hope that the greatest trait of Patriot is that it will be much faster.

American Magic is the first of the teams involved in the America’s Cup to launch a second ship. INEOS Team UK joined them on Saturday morning, while Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand are set to present their own versions in the coming weeks.