America's Cup: Sint Maarten Style

by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

"Primary grinders, stand by, first gear," the skipper shouted. We tightened our grip on the winch.

"Primary grinders, go!" Suddenly our arms were a blur as we, along with two other primary grinders, powered a winch to lift a massive Genoa sail into the wind. Our boat: the Stars and Stripes. Our mission: to win the America's Cup.

Well, maybe not THE America's Cup. This was the 12-Metre Challenge, a race for both first-time sailors and salty skippers alike, held several times daily in the azure waters off Sint Maarten.

The Sint Maarten 12-Metre Challenge is the brainchild of Colin Percy, a Canadian businessman who moved to the Caribbean five years ago when "my doctor told me to slow down, that I needed a change of lifestyle."

So, following a lifelong love of sailing that started at the age of seven, Percy moved to the bi-national island of Sint Maarten. Locating in Philipsburg, on the Dutch side of the isle, he soon set about purchasing the most elite craft in the world of sailing: the 12 meter boats used in the America's Cup race. After buying the Canadian racers Canada II and True North I and IV, Percy set his sights on one of the best known vessels in the world: Dennis Conner's Stars and Stripes, winner of the 1987 America's Cup.

"Dennis Conner's decision for us to have the boat here gives American sailors a lot of pleasure. People who never thought they would set foot on an America's Cup boat are emulating the America's Cup race," says Percy. When Stars and Stripes '87 was moved to Sint Maarten, Conner estimated that only 30 sailors had ever raced aboard the vessel. Counting all the America's Cup boats, the numbers remain small. "Out of the millions of sailors around the world, there are no more than 700 very elite sailors who have raced America's Cup yachts," points out Percy.

But we were not part of that group of seasoned sailors. Without even the experience of skippering a sunfish, we signed up for duty and soon found ourselves learning our task for the 45-minute race.

Along with 16 fellow "crewmates," we received our jobs from Grant Vogt, our South African skipper, Matt Bristol, a port Genoa trimmer from Arlington, Virginia, and Justin Ghyme, our starboard Genoa trimmer from England. With tanned skin and sunbleached hair, each crewmember looked the part of an America's Cup sailor, and with good reason. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if we saw two or three of our sailors in the next America's Cup," says Percy. "There is no other venue in the world where young men and women in their late teens or early 20s can go sail these boats." Tested by Percy and chosen from applicants that number as many as 50 a day in peak season, the sailors know their jobs.

And soon they taught us ours. We learned that this was no pleasure cruise -- we were there to work. For the better part of an hour we practiced our jobs, tacking and jibing, kicking up a salty spray and often leaning so far into the wind that half the crew enjoyed a cool Caribbean bath.

The division of labor was spread among the crew. A navigator kept us on the course (which ranges from 8 to 12 miles, depending on wind conditions that day). A timekeeper ensured that we started the race without penalty. A hydraulics expert operated the hydraulic primer to control the boom and keep the sails tight. Backstay grinders and trimmers moved sails and ropes, as did mainsail grinders and trimmers.

And the primary grinders?

Using muscles long ignored, we powered the mighty Genoa sail, setting to catch the wind and power us ahead of our competitors. We had learned that the sail we controlled carried with it a price tag of $21,000. That was a real bargain compared with other parts on this Cadillac of boats: $67,000 for the rigging, $120,000 for the mast, and $180,000 for a set of winches.

But those financial responsibilities paled in comparison to our real obligation: to win. On that day, facing off against two Canadian rivals, we knew that Dennis was counting on us.

"White flag up!" shouted Grant from the stern. The white flag, held up from the committee or referee boat, signaled six minutes until race time. In the actual America's Cup race, boats have 15 minutes to position themselves at the start, but, as Colin Percy had explained in our pre-race briefing, we could do it in less. So, with our crew that ranged from a 15-year-old teenage boy from Massachusetts to a grandmother on a cruise shore excursion, we worked to maneuver Stars and Stripes .

"White flag down!" We had only four minutes to the start. Prestart maneuvers put us in position both to cross the start line on time and to block the wind from the other boats, effectively slowing them down.

With the wind whipping as hard as 20 knots and swells churning up at six feet, we were quickly dowsed as we turned into position. "Blue flag up!" Three minutes. Another turn. Another cascade of Caribbean water into the boat. "Blue flag down!" One minute to race time. From over our shoulders, we could see True North IV and Canada II struggling into position, each trying to get upwind and closest to the starting line without crossing over.

"Red flag up! Start!" The race was on. We were now on course, racing upwind and zigzagging through the eye of the wind by tacking as fast as the crew could shout orders.

Minutes later, we jibed around the windmark and began sailing downwind. Canada II had pulled into the lead, but we were just a boat length behind. From our position we could see the masts, the height of an eight story building, leaning into the wind.

For 45 minutes, we edged both Canadian vessels for the lead. Finally, on the last stretch, Stars and Stripes pulled ahead. With one last "Primary grinders, go!" instruction, we were leading.

And suddenly, there was one last shout. "Blue flag up!" Blue for Stars and Stripes. We had won.

Dennis would be proud.

IF YOU GO

Getting There: The 12-Metre Challenge is located in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. For information or reservations, write the Sint Maarten 12-Metre Challenge, PO Box 2064, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean or call 011-5995-43354. For information on Sint Maarten, call the Sint Maarten Tourist Office at 800-ST MAARTEN (800-786-2278) or check the official web site at www.st-maarten.com.