Dubai: Emirates Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton has spelt out the secret of his team's success during Act 12 of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

"Our new boat is fast and the crew is so far faultless. But in the end it is about doing 100 things 1% better, rather than doing one thing 100% better," Dalton said midway through Act 12 being held in Valencia, Spain.

Dalton is a man who does not mince his words. He is a no nonsense Kiwi who is focussed, driven and tells it like it is. And his focus now is on winning the 2007 America's Cup.

"Sailing is very much like motor racing, the best drivers tend to have the fastest cars," Dalton said.

"If you have a strong sailing base, then everything else develops around you. The core of the thing is people, and if you have the right people the rest tends to come together if they are managed properly," he added.

Dalton is a legend in his own right. He is the only man ever to have raced seven times around the world.

Quiet, unassuming and hard as nails he is a former Iron Man competitor Dalton could be on the verge of making New Zealand's sailing community proud of its traditions once more and writing himself large in the great traditions of that country.

"I believe that you have to take a bit of short-term pain for long-term gain," Dalton said.

Twelve teams are competing for the 2007 America's Cup, but there is a gulf growing between the big four Emirates Team New Zealand, Team Alinghi, Luna Rossa and BMW Oracle.

"Four teams have new boats in the water now, with the new Alinghi boat still to be shown. Things are fine, but we can go faster and we have another boat coming later this year which is a step on from NZL84, but I think we will make another incremental step up," Dalton said.

He is a strong believer in himself and he prefers leading his team from the front. "The playing field is pretty even and any crew can win on the day, you've just got to be the one that wins."

"Strategically, in the long term I think the Dubai connection is hugely important to us. There are a number of sports that are casting their eye to the Middle East, motor racing being the best example of this, but in the long term sailing is absolutely the perfect fit," Dalton said.

The action wraps up on July 2 with the end of Act 12 and then Grant and his team of 100 odd sailors will pack up and head back to Auckland for a tough season training at their home base.