America's Cup skipper James Spithill is pushing the envelope once again, this time taking a foiling Gunboat from New York to Bermuda. The boat is the new evolution of the Gunboat G4, the DNA F4, and is 46 feet.
"Aimed at those looking for America’s Cup technology without the need for large shore crews and being washed from trampolines, the F4’s cockpit offers ample room for passengers in the heart of the action with a pilothouse providing sheltered area for long passages."
So a quick run to Bermuda was in order!
The 662-mile trip started out with perfect conditions, but as soon as the boat got into the Gulf Stream things got a bit dicey. Winds topped out just over 40 knots, and waves were over eight meters in height. "For a while I wasn't sure we would make it," he says. "I was starting to get concerned because we had gone from a performance run where you push the boat to ultimately somewhat of a survival situation for the second half of the trip."
"Ultimately Mother Nature will decide at what level you are going to operate."
Joining Spithill on the boat were Shannon Falcone, Rome Kirby, Tom Loughborough, Cy Thompson, and Emily Nagel. The team reached Bermuda 66 hours after leaving Manhattan.
You can follow along with the rest of the journey at Red Bull's Flying on Water page.
