Few sailors arrive at the start line carrying the kind of record Brad Butterworth has accumulated. Four America's Cup victories, a Whitbread win, and decades spent competing at the very top of the sport would be enough for most to rest on their laurels. Butterworth, characteristically, just shrugs it off.
“I DO THE JOB I ALWAYS DO,” HE SAYS SIMPLY.
This season has brought Butterworth back to New Zealand waters as tactician aboard Lucky, the 27-metre Juan K maxi owned by Bryon Ehrhart. The boat has just completed a fast Sydney to Auckland crossing, and the crew are now turning their attention to the PIC Coastal Classic 2025, the 119-mile offshore race from Auckland to Russell. For Butterworth, competing in his own backyard, it feels like a homecoming on several levels.
The Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race proved a genuine examination of boat and crew. The fleet faced headwinds, squalls, and a choppy, confused sea state throughout, yet Lucky moved through all of it with authority, establishing a lead early and holding it to the finish.
“IF YOU’VE LIVED LONG ENOUGH, YOU’VE SEEN THOSE CONDITIONS BEFORE,” BUTTERWORTH SAYS. “AND WORSE.”
That measured understatement is classic Butterworth. He calls the passage "wet and tough," but shifts credit quickly to the people around him and the preparation that went in before the start gun fired.
“THE GUYS WERE VERY GOOD ON THIS BOAT. THE CONDITIONS SUITED US, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO SAIL CLEANLY. THAT’S THE KEY.”
Bryon Ehrhart describes his tactician in terms that go well beyond reading the breeze. For Ehrhart, Butterworth is "the CEO of the campaign," a figure whose influence shapes everything from race-day decisions to the mood aboard the boat. On Lucky, his role blends strategy, mentorship, and a steadying presence the rest of the crew draws from when conditions turn difficult.
“OFFSHORE RACING CAN GET EMOTIONAL,” EHRHART SAYS. “BRAD’S THE REASON EVERYONE STAYS COMPOSED.”
The portrait rings true. Butterworth has never built his reputation through self-promotion or grand declarations. His currency is consistency. When the wind goes light and shifty, or the sea turns messy and unpredictable, he is the one quietly holding things together and keeping the boat moving in the right direction.
The PIC Coastal Classic will be his next race, and while he is too seasoned a competitor to start making predictions, there is genuine enthusiasm in how he talks about it.
“IF WE GET THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, WE’D HAVE A GOOD CHANCE AT THE RECORD,” HE SAYS. “BUT WE’LL JUST SEE WHAT THE DAY BRINGS.”
He will be sailing alongside the same blend of international and New Zealand crew who crossed the Tasman with him, including, as he puts it, "a few mates — local mates." After years on the world stage racing against and alongside the best in the business, there is obvious pleasure in competing on familiar water with people he knows and trusts.
“THE COASTAL’S A SPECIAL RACE. IT’S QUICK, TACTICAL, AND THE SCENERY’S HARD TO BEAT. EVERYONE HERE HAS A STORY ABOUT IT.”
The Coastal Classic is not where his 2025 season ends. After Russell, Butterworth heads back across the Tasman for the Rolex Sydney to Hobart 2025, another race etched deep into his competitive history. It is a demanding schedule, but nothing in his manner suggests he finds it anything other than motivating.
Between campaigns, he retreats to Waiheke Island, where his summers tend to involve fishing, sailing, and a deliberate distance from the spotlight. Ask him whether he still pores over weather forecasts in the days before a race and he laughs.
“I DON’T USUALLY. YOU GET A FEEL FOR IT. AFTER A WHILE, YOU JUST LOOK AT THE SKY AND KNOW.”
The knowledge is so deeply embedded that the process feels less like preparation and more like instinct.
While younger tacticians have moved into the foiling era and command most of the attention in contemporary sailing media, Butterworth remains one of the most trusted minds in the sport. He is not chasing recognition. His energy goes into mentoring emerging talent, guiding campaigns like Ehrhart's, and helping committed owners extract the best from serious boats in demanding races.
He is not someone who speaks readily about legacy. Yet his influence runs quietly through the careers of sailors who grew up watching him win the America's Cup and then discovered, when they reached the top themselves, that he was still there racing alongside them.
“IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK HERE,” HE SAYS SIMPLY. “THESE ARE MY WATERS.”
