An amusing but apocryphal story claims that in 1895 there were only two cars in the US state of Ohio, and that they collided. Well, on Bermuda’s Great Sound Artemis Racing and Oracle Team USA played out their own version of that story last week, nearly crashing their experimental boats. Watch:
Splashdown – Quick reflexes required
Here’s how Oracle described the incident:
“Artemis Racing, closing in at speed from the left, is on starboard and has rights, so the original call was for ORACLE TEAM USA to heat up – to turn to port (left) – and pass behind Artemis Racing. But then, the Swedish boat came off the foils, nearly stopping. Andrew Campbell, (offside helmsman during the gybe), had to make the call to turn to starboard (right) instead, bringing his boat off the foils in a spectacular splashdown.
Tom Slingsby, the regular helmsman, had just run across the boat and had his hands on the wheel as well. By the time both boats had come to a near stop in the water, just a yard or two apart, Slingsby was on the wheel, and Campbell was on his feet, heading the wing to push it to leeward by hand to help get the boat moving again.”