"Klakring" completed a light-off examination on 8 September 1983, followed on 15 September by her initial crew certification. Prior to leaving for Charleston, SC, Klakring visited Newport, Rhode Island. The Klakring crew was able to explore Newport while the America's Cup battle was underway. Many sailors experienced getting their "land legs" back after their first days at sea. The ship reached her initial home port of Charleston, South Carolina, on 18 September. Family members and friends on the pier displayed homemade banners while they welcomed the ship as she maneuvered up the Cooper River on 28 September.