The new engine is installed and running and I’ve got a crew.  The breeze perfect to shake the cobwebs out of my old number 1 (that’s one sail checked).  Motoring up to the club at an easy 5-6 kts I really didn’t think the day could get much better.

Getting to the start late showed my lack of practice but Tai Rangi crossed about the same time then I started listening to Gary and we were off.

I still don’t understand what happened and can only put it down to brilliant crew and my lovely little Nova but somehow we rounded Kauri Point first!  

Then there was talk of kites, pole and light sheets and a mad scramble to find them and enough random bits and pieces to make a downhaul.

I confess to having to ask the crew to confirm the course before we reached Chelsea - I was expecting to be following everyone cos that’s what I’ve always done.

Around the mark and downwind for the next test - I’d packed the kite (for the first and only time) about a year ago  - I imagined wine glasses, hour glasses and any number of other inappropriate sail shapes but Rob was a magician and made it fly perfectly straight out of the bag.

Meola and back to Chelsea again then another sweet kite run back around Kauri Point, somehow we were still well ahead of the fleet and heading towards the finish line.  

Then the wind changed, we tacked and tacked and tacked very slowly into a hole.  There was light breeze ahead and breeze behind us rapidly bringing the fleet up with spinnakers flying, we watched as Satisfaction sailed through them and then past us until they were slowed by the breeze we were in.

There must have been a boat length in it at the end and only 3 minutes separating the fleet.  Well done Jude and Phil.

I love to crew but there was something really special about having Ché out on the water again, the wind in her sails doing what she was built to do.

Thanks Gary and Rob you guys rock, we sent it! and Pete you got us started and finished thank you.  It was a brilliant day which will be hard to repeat.