Even if we ignore the sordid quest for mammon, the ludicrous nationality rules, the obscene budgets, the joke of “Kiwi’s” defending their Cup in Spain, and a hundred other inauthenticities, what makes me saddest is the disappearance of a swag of skills that demanded psychological mind games, physical skill, finesse, strength and yes…even bravery.

"It is very rare to be able to work on a revival of this scale and ambition. Some of our artisans were using hand tools that were used on Shamrock’s original build. It is without doubt the biggest and arguably the most important yacht restoration in the world today."

There has, of course, always been professionalism in yachting but that a fat paycheck outweighs national pride is a relatively new development. The rock stars have become hired guns – unashamed mercenaries prepared to compete for whichever country offers them the best deal.

In 2021, I was invited to sail on Sir James’ beautiful timber boat Nerida in a classic boat race on Sydney Harbour. Sir James had retired from competitive sailing, but came down to wish us well. He was about to turn 90, so I told him I was about to turn 60. He decided to give me some three pieces of advice for my 60’s…

“I have in mind to admit it all to the New York Yacht Club that I really owe the secret of the design to a Greek guy who helped me out and was invaluable. He’s been dead for 2,000 years. Bloody Archimedes…”

Flicking back through the years I can’t help thinking the the 12 meters in Freemantle represented the Modern AC at its zenith.

'Exceptionally fast in the hands of a highly talented, motivated and sharply focused crew, Challenge 12 was bristling with potential', wrote journalist Bruce Stannard, who covered the 1983 America's Cup series for the ABC and The Age.

“I was still in school in ’83 and was on the dock during the Trials in 1977 when Ted Turner and Gary Jobson rushed by with cameras following them,” said Courageous Skipper Dawn Riley, who would go on to sail in four America’s Cup races and two Whitbread Round the World races. “It made a big impression on a 13-year-old from Detroit!”

Every day of the 9 day journey we would receive simple, factual, unemotional advice via Sat Phone text messaging, about what to expect from the wind and waves, when to change course to improve our comfort, and how to safely speed our passage

So perhaps almost 40 years after AUSTRALIA II’s victory and with only 18 months to the 37th iteration of the event in Barcelona , readers might be interested in this fascinating program, which covers DAME PATTIE’s predecessor’s campaign in 1962.

The adventure started by putting her on a truck to come back to my region, in Brittany. The mast was put on a different truck. It took a while to organiSe the expedition and I decided to create my own shipyard to start the renovation.

The relaunch of the 1894 Logan Gaff cutter on her 100th birthday, was a turning point in Australian perceptions, of what was possible, and more importantly worthwhile, when it came to the restoration of our sailing heritage.

It’s amazing that yachts which require so many crew, so much expertise, not to mention so many dollars to run them, have become such a flourishing class in Europe and the USA.