Artemis Racing has come to the aid of Bermuda Schools WaterWise.

The Swedish challenger for the 35th America’s Cup has offered to repair a damaged Optimist dinghy used by Sandys Middle School students enrolled in the WaterWise programme that was stolen from the West End Sailboat Club.

The single handed sailing training boat was removed from the club, located next to the lodging where Artemis Racing team members are staying on Watford Island in Somerset, just over a week ago.

The boat, which was borrowed from The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, was found several days later in a cave in the Great Sound — racing venue for the 35th America’s Cup in 2017 — with damage to its hull.

“Our boat builders would like to volunteer to fix the Opti and get it back on the water,” an Artemis Racing spokesperson said.

“We could fix it at our base at the Dockyard. We’re more than happy to help out our neighbours where we can.”

Gus Miller, who developed the Bermuda Schools WaterWise curriculum, graciously accepted Artemis’s generous offer.

“This is great,” the veteran Finn sailor and Olympic sailing coach said.

“It is exactly the kind of ground level connection where the America’s Cup can make an immense positive impact on Bermuda.”

Miller also praised West End Sailboat members Gladwin Lambert and Jamie Harvey for driving the repair and upgrade of their facilities that made the WaterWise and the club’s summer youth programme possible.

“With the charitable grants from Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation and the Bermuda Security Group, Bermuda Schools WaterWise was able to pay for cleaning up hurricane damage and buy the sails and parts necessary to repair their (West End Sailboat Club) Opti fleet,” he added. “West End Sailboat Club is a working man’s club and, as such, do all of the renewal and maintenance themselves.

“After sailing with them in the End to End Comet Race (Long Distance Comet Race) I consider them some of the best sailors in Bermuda. Their intense competition on the water and willingness to coach and help each other ashore reminds me of what makes the high standard that has driven the Finn to be such a continuously powerful group.”