USA 76 is an 84-ft America's Cup racing yacht that challenged for the title when it was held in New Zealand in 2003. It didn't win, sadly. The first America's Cup was held in 1851 around the Isle of Wight in England, and was named because the only American ship, imaginatively named America, won. "Who came in second place?" a watching Queen Victoria asked, to be famously told: "Your Majesty, there is no second place." We haven't won - ever - but the famously seafaring Swiss took it the year USA 76 raced, so that was the beginning and end of 76's racing history.
But fear not! Intrepid sailors can jump on board at Pier 39 for a few hours of shooting about as the fastest thing on the Bay, cocking a snook at all those other silly yachts not made out of carbon fibre or sporting 11-storey tall masts. It was a lot of fun.
Dad had a great time, taking the wheel on two occasions and powering us along as we tipped at 45-degrees with lots of splashing. "It's impossible to capsize," said Jon the skipper. He sounded confident, and his crew of four did well to whip a land-lubber like myself into shape. For a big ship it was incredibly sensitive to every nudge of the wheel, but I only sent the crew scurrying in panic once when I turned left (towards a pier) when I'd been told to steer right. Sadly Pete Jr. was not allowed to join us (it's political correctness gone mad!) but I'm quietly hoping he's already got some good ideas for my 80th birthday.
Built for speed.
Built to last.
Skipper Jon takes us out of dock under power.
Time to put the sails up! Vice-skipper Jeanette tells us that she expects every man to do his duty.
Hoisting the mainsail.
It's up!
Back under the Bay Bridge and towards the city.
Putting in my midshipman duties to get the jib raised.
Dad is given the wheel, and our heading.
We didn't move slowly.
Escaping from Alcatraz.
Is it meant to do this?
Hanging on.
A kite surfer out by the Golden Gate.
We went underneath, but only a little way. We were hoping to make a break for Hawaii.
Sailors together.
Dad takes the helm again and strikes an epic pose, past a bridge that opened four years after he was born.
Flying back in.
And that was it! Tied up alongside and back on solid ground.
"...and perhaps England will win the America's Cup sometime during your lifetime..."
