John “Hap” Fauth, a successful businessman and American Maxi 72 owner/skipper, was seven years old when he fell in love with sailboat racing. He raced on the Great South Bay off Long Island on boats such as Beetle Cats and Penguins. Fauth is well known for his geniality and approachability, and he remains as captivated by the sport as he ever was. He won his local division in the junior Midget Cup three times and finished second in the Sears Cup, a US national junior competition.

Fauth eventually returned to yacht racing in 2003 with the launch of Whisper, a 120-foot Hood/Fontaine designed superyacht in Amsterdam. He shipped his new boat back to the United States, renamed it Bella Mente, and put together a half Corinthian, half professional crew to do some racing. Fauth has since won numerous regattas, and in September 2017, he and his 19-strong crew aboard the Maxi 72 Bella Mente pulled off their second consecutive world championship victory in Porto Cervo, Italy.

in 2017, Fauth teamed up with Doug DeVos to form the Bella Mente Quantum Racing, shortly after picking up a third principal, Roger Penske. The team would go on to become American Magic and represent the New York Yacht Club as a challenger for the 36th America’s Cup. While the team suffered a catastrophic crash that took it out of contention in 2020, the team is back to challenge for the 37th edition to be held in Barcelona in 2024.

Boat International Interview:
https://www.boatinternational.com/luxury-yacht-life/owners-experiences/hap-fauth-life-
in-boats

Bella Mente Maxi 70 Yacht Racing Life Profile:

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