Board of San Diego Yacht Club to Hear New Zealand Bid for 1988

San Diego Yacht Club Vice Commodore Doug Alford has agreed to take New Zealand’s case for a 1988 America’s Cup challenge before the club’s board of directors next week.

Alford and Sail America attorney Mark Smith met Wednesday with Michael Fay, who is heading the Mercury Bay Boating Club bid, which seemed to be rejected in a general memorandum the club issued to all challengers last Saturday.

“Mr. Fay requested a more formal, direct response to the Mercury Bay Boating Club,” Alford said. “We said we’d consider that at our next board meeting.”

Otherwise, Alford said, “We told him we thought that that (memorandum) was a response to his challenge.”

Fay said that the meeting was a “very cordial discussion” and that he planned to return to New Zealand tonight to await word from the club.

“What they’ve given out is very vague,” Fay said.

Alford said the next board meeting would be scheduled “whenever we can get everybody together.”