Flying around the Great Sound with Oracle Team USA, defender of the America’s Cup, proved to be an “awesome” and “exhilarating” experience for Premier Michael Dunkley.

After being fully kitted out and given a safety orientation, the Premier spent nearly an hour speeding around the racecourse for the 35th America’s Cup aboard Oracle’s wing-sail, foiling AC45 development catamaran.

“Initially it was nerve-racking because they made me sign a waiver before I got on the boat,” Mr Dunkley told The Royal Gazette. “It is a bit nerve-racking until you get used to the scene and what they do.”

Once on the water, Mr Dunkley quickly got into the swing of things.

“Overall it was exhilarating and breathtaking and I was just blown away by the experience,” the Premier said. “We went up to 40 knots at times and I was probably out there for 45 minutes.

“I could not believe how smooth the foil cat was.

“You don’t notice yourself going up and down on the foils or notice the boat is on uneven keel when you are tacking and stuff — and when it really gets up and goes when you get to the very fast legs of any course, they do. It’s almost like you are in a plane about ready to take off. It was an awesome experience.”

The Premier was “impressed” by Oracle’s skilled and highly efficient crew led by skipper Jimmy Spithill, the youngest skipper to win the ‘Auld Mug’ and 2014 ISAF World Sailor of the Year.

“It is very clear to me that these guys are some of the fittest athletes in the world, and I was impressed with the skipper Jimmy Spithill,” Mr Dunkley said. “I was totally impressed by the professionalism of obviously the world’s best sailors. Those guys are so good at what they do.

“I was worried about getting in the way and something happening. But I couldn’t get in the way because these guys were jumping over and going around me. I didn’t impede them in any way, which is amazing.”

Having experienced first-hand the breathtaking speeds the America’s Cup Class catamarans are capable of, the Premier said local sailing enthusiasts would be in for a real treat when Bermuda hosts the World Series in October.

“The racing in October is going to be absolutely spectacular,” Mr Dunkley said. “The people of Bermuda and everybody interested in watching are going to have a real thrill on their hands.”