Yachts get their gear off and show everything

By Suzanne McFadden

Today is the day America's Cup designers both look forward to and dread - when their girls drop their skirts.

It's keel reveal day, when Team New Zealand, Prada and AmericaOne unveil the underbellies of their boats to the masses.

It is part of the Cup protocol to expose the appendages of the surviving challenger and defender yachts four days out from the Louis Vuitton Cup final.

As part of the rules, the public are invited to walk on to the syndicates' bases to look at the secret designs on display.

The keel reveal has become a highlight in the Cup festival, even though to the average Cup fan the keel bulbs will look like baby whales, the rudders long butter knives.

Team New Zealand designer Mike Drummond describes the unveiling as a paradox.

"We like to show everyone what we've come up with because we're proud of it," he said. "But this is a technology race. If we think we have better technology, we want to protect it.

"On the flip side of that, we may not have better, so we want to find out what the others have."

Fellow Kiwi designer Richard Karn reckons Team New Zealand are not too proud to replicate something they see on another boat.

"If there's something startlingly obvious that looks good and is easy to adapt, we would definitely take it on board," he said.

Drummond does not expect to "have a heart attack" from what he sees over the fences.

"They all have a keel, trim tab and a bulb. The big difference could be in the wings," he said.

Team New Zealand will kick off the show, opening their compound and dropping the skirts on NZL57 and NZL60 at 12.30 pm.

The two challengers want to get a full day's sailing in today, so they have delayed their undressing until the evening - Prada at 6.30 pm and neighbours AmericaOne at 7.20 pm.

It will be the first time passersby will be allowed into the two challengers' compounds along Syndicate Row, on Halsey St.

Prada yesterday chose to stick with the first Luna Rossa, ITA45, for the challenger final, and it is no surprise AmericaOne will sail their spirited new boat, USA61.

Team New Zealand will have to show off both their black boats because they have not nominated which one they will sail in the Cup match starting on February 19.

There is a big plus for the crews from unveiling day - they will not have to worry about putting the skirts back on the boat every day, saving themselves half an hour's work.