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Ken Read: A life on the ocean waves

Updated 11:40 AM ET, Mon October 19, 2015

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Ken Read, one of sailings most decorated yachtsman, stands at the helm of the French-designed, American-owned yacht Comanche as it sails past the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge in December 2014. The boat is like nothing that has been built before and was made to push the limits of sailing.
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Nautical and nice – Ken Read, one of sailings most decorated yachtsman, stands at the helm of the French-designed, American-owned yacht Comanche as it sails past the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge in December 2014. The boat is like nothing that has been built before and was made to push the limits of sailing.
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"What we were after with Comanche was do something just better than had ever been done before," Read told CNN Mainsail's Shirley Robertson. "Something that had the capability of breaking records but it had to be safe."
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Steep challenge – "What we were after with Comanche was do something just better than had ever been done before," Read told CNN Mainsail's Shirley Robertson. "Something that had the capability of breaking records but it had to be safe."
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"A lot of times these boats get dangerous because people get a little crazy," explained Read. "We thought we knew where that edge was where we could build a boat that stayed in one piece but pushed the boundaries in everything it did."
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Time out – "A lot of times these boats get dangerous because people get a little crazy," explained Read. "We thought we knew where that edge was where we could build a boat that stayed in one piece but pushed the boundaries in everything it did."
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Read believes the boat has the capability to transcend sailing and draw a new audience to the sport he has dedicated most of his life to. "It has to show off sailing in a way that non-sailors take notice and say, 'Whoa, what the heck is that?' Whether they see it on the water, whether they see it on the internet," Read explained.
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Choppy waters – Read believes the boat has the capability to transcend sailing and draw a new audience to the sport he has dedicated most of his life to. "It has to show off sailing in a way that non-sailors take notice and say, 'Whoa, what the heck is that?' Whether they see it on the water, whether they see it on the internet," Read explained.
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"The internet has done amazing things for sailing because all of a sudden these glamorous boats, these crazy boats are being seen by people who've never even been on the water before," added Read. "So Comanche was definitely an attempt to help sailing expand, expand the base and maybe get more people interested and doing the sport that we love so much."<br />
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Two's company – "The internet has done amazing things for sailing because all of a sudden these glamorous boats, these crazy boats are being seen by people who've never even been on the water before," added Read. "So Comanche was definitely an attempt to help sailing expand, expand the base and maybe get more people interested and doing the sport that we love so much."
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The two-time United States Rolex Yachtsman of the Year poses during a photoshoot on a mountain near Alicante, Spain, ahead of the Volvo Ocean Race in November 2011. Like the boat he steers, Read is well known to many who aren't avid sailing fans.
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
On top of the world – The two-time United States Rolex Yachtsman of the Year poses during a photoshoot on a mountain near Alicante, Spain, ahead of the Volvo Ocean Race in November 2011. Like the boat he steers, Read is well known to many who aren't avid sailing fans.
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It all started in 1999 when legendary sailor Dennis Conner -- known as "Mr America's Cup" -- called on the then inexperienced Read to be part of his 2000 America's Cup team.
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
On the lookout – It all started in 1999 when legendary sailor Dennis Conner -- known as "Mr America's Cup" -- called on the then inexperienced Read to be part of his 2000 America's Cup team.
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"Well, 1999 he called me up completely out of the blue, I thought it was a prank call from one of my buddies," Read said. "I was shocked and stunned and it turned out to be really one of the best campaigns ever because there were no expectations."
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Champagne moment – "Well, 1999 he called me up completely out of the blue, I thought it was a prank call from one of my buddies," Read said. "I was shocked and stunned and it turned out to be really one of the best campaigns ever because there were no expectations."
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"Dennis didn't have any expectations, he essentially handed a bunch of kids the keys to an America's Cup program and said, 'Just don't screw it up and embarrass me and see how it goes.'"
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Winning feeling – "Dennis didn't have any expectations, he essentially handed a bunch of kids the keys to an America's Cup program and said, 'Just don't screw it up and embarrass me and see how it goes.'"
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Despite remaining an active sailor, Read has turned his attentions to business in recent years, taking the reigns as president of North Sails -- one of the sailing industry's biggest corporations.
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Tiring work – Despite remaining an active sailor, Read has turned his attentions to business in recent years, taking the reigns as president of North Sails -- one of the sailing industry's biggest corporations.
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With some of the sails produce costing up to $800,000, the pressure is on Read to deliver on land as well as on the sea. "I think these big race boat programs are exactly like running a company like North Sails," he said. "Obviously a smaller version of it but it's really team building, I mean that's all any company is whether it's a race team company or whether it's a sailboat manufacturing company."
Photos: Meet 'Mr. Sailing'
Sail sales – With some of the sails produce costing up to $800,000, the pressure is on Read to deliver on land as well as on the sea. "I think these big race boat programs are exactly like running a company like North Sails," he said. "Obviously a smaller version of it but it's really team building, I mean that's all any company is whether it's a race team company or whether it's a sailboat manufacturing company."
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Ken Read Comanche yacht SydneyKen Read yacht ComancheKen Read Comanceh yacht SydneyKen Read ocean race yachtKen Read Tom Addis Puma ocean raceKen Read Alicante Volvo Ocean RaceKen Read yacht Volvo Ocean Race Sanya ChinaKen Read Puma Ocean Racing Volvo Ocean RaceKen Rad yacht GalwayKen Read Puma round the world yacht raceKen Read Stars and Stripes Louis Vuitton Cup
Ken Read, renowned as one of the world's finest sailors, has won more than 40 world, North American, and national championships and has twice been United States Rolex Yachtsman of the Year.