Team NZ’S secret weapon
machinery for factories, when he was discovered by Team New Zealand’s technical director Dan Bernasconi.
The company he was working for used the same relatively-rare hardware platform as Team New Zealand and he was invited to come along for the ride.
Thomas did not say ‘‘yes’’ straight away.
‘‘I had travel plans. But I thought about it over the weekend, when I went to Taupo with my father.’’
Bill Thomas convinced him it would be a bit rash to turn down the opportunity, so, after negotiating time off for a pre-booked visit to Nepal, he was on the team.
Thomas had spent some time mucking around in fishing boats in the past, but said he was no sailor.
But from the time he joined up after Easter 2016, he did not miss a single day on the water.
His place was on the chase boat, eyes on the screen rather than the scenery.
While the race rules strictly stated sailors had to control the boat, Thomas was watching the control system. He set up the sensors and instrumentation systems, analysed data and made tweaks to systems right up to race time.
Thomas said the significance of the team’s win in Bermuda took a while to sink in after months of intense work and stress, and he was amazed when he finally looked up and realised New Zealanders had taken so much pride in the victory.
For now, Thomas is taking some time off, and said he would dust off the travel plans.
And although it was early days, he was not ruling out playing a role in preparing for the America’s Cup defence.