Race Report from Elan

So there I was sitting on Élan watching the evening develop and hearing reports of race cancellation due to high wind! Then Gary lets me know that it is on. Cool no crew and 20kts plus. Élan is sitting pretty with a really clean derriere (French for bum for those of the Kiwi persuasion).Five days of scraping sanding and painting with much appreciated help from Marcus and Joss. She is as slippery as an Eel!

 So I make the call. 2 reefs in the main solo and no extras, none else to blame but myself if thing go wrong!  So of we (me and Élan) go flying down to the start line, but oops just I we entered start procedures the outboard #2 ref line becomes undone from the boom, nothing to do but get out of everyone’s way hove to and sort it out. A little late and we get going” Sacre blu” I had no idea that she could go this fast!!! 7.2 kts to Kauri Point then bare away and goose wing it down the rumb line to Rona. Hardened up around Rona and instantly knew we had too much headsail out!! A stonking beat back to pile saw water everywhere, including the galley sink which filled on stbd and the emptied itself onto the sole boards on port. Oh well nothing I could do just concentrate on not getting shut out by satisfaction!!. And keeping Waterwitch and Eyespy at bay! So fifth across the line absolutely unheard of with Waterwitch snapping at my heels. The old codger tells me he was being nice to me, (yeah right probably cannot remember where the handbrake is!) Thanks Gary you are a mate! With arms aching and salt in the eyes we flew back to the mooring very happy Élan was purring like a kitten, there is life in the old girl yet. Finally we were not last. Till next me au revoir!