Plymouth Sound brims with seafaring history and this week the hallowed waters witnessed another historical plot - China's audacious assault on the oldest sporting trophy in the world, the America's Cup.
Team China have been squaring up to the world's sailing powerhouses including Spain, France, the United States and New Zealand in the second leg of the America's Cup World Series, which concludes today.
But it has not all been plain sailing. The Team China crew escaped serious injury when they pitch-poled and capsized their state-of-the-art catamaran - a yacht designed with such action in mind so as to attract a new global audience with thrills and spills.
On board the week-long Chinese challenge were novice sailors Cheng Ying-kit, a Hong Kong businessman, and mainland veteran basketball player Ma Jian.
Like the rest of the five-man crew, they were unhurt in the capsize - though the boat needed urgent and costly repairs to continue.
Cheng and Ma represent the Chinese compliment among the international professional race sailors assembled by mainland billionaire businessman Wang Chaoyong.
Wang is bankrolling the multimillion-dollar venture in what is China's second showing in the 162-year-old competition.