Then it was time for some fun.

"The 470s were training off Takapuna and I knew my son was over there so we decided to go and give them a closer look at the boat," said Murray Jones. "We came up past flying a hull and gave them a real close look."

Many of the young sailors training in the two-person 470 dinghies today are part of the New Zealand Olympic squad and next-generation America's Cup sailors. They included Matthew Jones and Finn Drummond whose dads, Murray and Mike, are part of the ORACLE Racing team.

"We thought the old guys really should show the young guys the future," said skipper Jimmy Spithill.