(Dec 11-15, 2006) British sailing star and sports commentator Andy Green provides this week's video from his time sailing with the GBR Challenge during the 2003 America's Cup. Explains Green, "While prepping in Auckland, New Zealand, we were hit by a massive puff of 39kts. Once the gust hit, the boat accelerated to 19kts, but was pushing a lot of water, and it was all the helmsman could do to keep the keel in the water and the rig in the air. The immense loading finally caught up with the spinnaker, which exploded and was then cut away. Back at the dock, we learned how much worse it could have been, as the rig exam revealed that the titanium backstay pin had been bent like a paper clip."
For the next 3:02 minutes, consider yourself hanging onto the backstay as the crew works to survive the blast.
