Welcome to the Elliott 5.9 Class Update for February 2014. Quite a short update this month, with some information about the Kawau weekend (which is shaping up to be huge!) and some indicative dates and venues for the 2014 Traveller Series.

Race Five and Six were sailed today in the heaviest conditions of the regatta thus far, the wind prior to the first race was gusting to 18.3 so the race committee waited for several big puffs to pass through before starting.

The final count-down is on to the first ever Volvo National Sailing & Boating Day. Sailing and boating Clubs across New Zealand, from Northland to Bluff, are gearing up for Sunday’s celebration of sailing and boating.

Day Two of the A Class World Championships started in more wind than predicted, and certainly more than expected; today the breeze averaged 13 knots with puffs into the seventeens.

The 2014 A Class worlds kicked off on Monday with the practice race, the event drawing a record fleet of eighty one entries from twelve nations.

The Lake Mahinapua Aquatic Club is gearing up to take part in the National Volvo Sailing and Boating Day this Sunday. It follows the club’s successful annual regatta two weeks ago. The day is a celebration of sailing and boating and clubs from all over New Zealand are taking part.

It all started in a distant land renowned for it’s sand and desert, rather than for it’s water, and ended up with a coincidence that still makes me think how very small the world really is. In 1978, I was working in Jubail, on the north-east coast of Saudi Arabia. A real experience, but at times quite boring with not many of the usual “outlets” that we’re all used to enjoying at home.

The 2014 SSANZ Two Handed Round North Island Race (RNI) supported by NZL Yachting Trust got away to a perfect start at 2pm on Saturday 8th February. Sun was shining, 15-20knots of breeze and an easy lay up the coast. As the team on Wedgetail put it during their first radio sked "20 kt reach and sunshine. Exactly what was in the brochure” Crew’s were kept busy with sail changes between jib’s, code zero’s and gennakers and the boats were making good speed up the coast.

Results from the 2014 Finn National Championship held at Maraetai Sailing Club in February.

Results for 2014 New Zealand Zephyr National Championship held at Naval Point Club Lyttelton in February.