Schnackenberg a jack of all trades

Tom Schnackenberg is one of the most recognisable faces of Team New Zealand.

Competing in his eighth America's Cup, Schnackenberg is not only the design co-ordinator and a navigator at Team NZ, he is also the syndicate head.

"Really, I don't do very much. I'm jack of all trades, master of none. I sometimes front the team, I speak twice a week, I go sailing, I do a little bit of work on the rules, a little bit of work on the sponsorship with [chief executive] Ross Blackman, a little PR and a little designing with the design team," he commented.

Schnackenberg was not a serious yachtie as a child. He did not start competitive sailing until he was 21.

"Our family had a Frostbite dinghy the kids would sail in the holidays. I obviously liked boats, because Dad used to buy me books about sailing from the time I was 8. When I first climbed into a boat when I was 11, I knew how to sail straight away."

A qualified nuclear physicist, Schnackenberg's passion for sailing took him into the world of sailmaking.

Once described by Dennis Conner as "the best brain in yachting", Schnackenberg's introduction to the America's Cup came in 1977, when he met Alan Bond in Newport. The meeting was the start of a long relationship with Australian challengers.

He was with the syndicate in the 1983 challenge, which saw Australia become the first nation to take the cup from the United States.

He worked with the Spirit of Australia syndicate in 1992, then joined Team NZ for the 1995 challenge.

Schnackenberg is reluctant to give too much away about next month's match against Alinghi, where he will line up against several of his former team mates.

Name: Tom Schnackenberg.

Age: 57.

Place of birth: Wellington.

Nickname: Schnack.

Position: syndicate head, design co-ordinator, navigator.

Cup experience

2000: Team New Zealand - design co-ordinator/navigator.

1995: Team New Zealand - design co-ordinator/navigator.

1992: Spirit of Australia - sail co-ordinator.

1988: New Zealand Challenge - sail co-ordinator.

1983: Australia II - sail co-ordinator.

1980: Australia - sail designer.

1977: Enterprise, USA - sail designer.