29/4/2026

Sailed Ilona, Lemon Tree to Corlette:

When I realised I'd left my wallet at home & had to backtrack 15k, I wondered how the rest of the day would go. I needn't have been so pessimistic.

Trying the Trailer Skids:

I had been frustrated with the old trailer set up. Four sets of rollers on two way tilting brackets tended to hammer the hull severely, knocking paint off, for one. 

   I'd followed my gut instinct to fit simple skids, two six foot long runners, topped with thin rubber wear strips. To say they worked flawlessly would be an understatement. 

Rigging Up  

I stripped her rig months ago & hadn't really reassembled her yet. So I rowed across the passage and anchored while I attached the halyard to the yard, & the mainsheet tackle to the boom & centreboard casing ... & got underway.

Wangi Queen Vibe

The "Wangi Queens Showboat" was boarding as I rowed away from the finger wharf. A few passengers had that whimsical look asxtgey eyed Ilona's simple beauty. I beat them clear of Bull Island because they went via Taylors Beach Passage. I was hauling off the wind, an 8knot SE, laying in the shade on the rear deck as they passed a good way abeam. A little later I drank my coffee, good coffee but the thermos was a let down. I ate pikelets with my favorite spreads; honey, peanut butter. I shot video to help her sell, even though I was wondering why. 

The Racing Fleet

By Soldiers Point the back markers were waiting for the off. Two trimarans, a large racer and a 15' open dinghy. The bigger boats left, the wind gusting between island & point on the last of the ebb. The dinghy guy said Ilona looked great & I confirmed he was the scratch boat. Hoots! He just about passed the larger tri on the first tack. 

Wild Oats AU7001

As I neared Corlette point ( Peppers Resort), I was grooving along. With these steady autumn sea breezes there was time to sit in the bilge and work on balance, momentum & sailing the groove. All whacky expressions I have for squeezing speed. I'd not hoisted the main high enough, this caused luffing, but was OK obviously. 

   Up ahead a dark figure emerged from the marina. Towering black sails, she had a menacing aura. She had been a way off, when I heard the grinding scream that race yachts emit as the pressure cone on the sails. A dozen figures buzzed the deck as she ran off with full main and a code zero, both jet black. It was Wild Oats, the latest iteration of a series of boats by that name that tussle for the lead in the Sydney to Hobart every year. I've never seen this type of thing on the water before, but today I saw her on all points of sail as she carried out drills, within a few miles of me for the next hour or so. 

Wild Oats, AU7001

Ready About

Not wanting to be caught as the wind eased, I turned back towards Lemon Tree. The tide had turned, wind was more E, we were sailing W course, so up board, and I sat on the rear deck. We flew. The lead racers were on a portside run across my course, starboard run, but I pulled away from everyone. No-one gained in us.

Homeward Bound

The reach across the open waters towards home was champaign sailing. I sat to leeward, board half down, well heeled & skimming along. 

On the Skids

Loading was embarrassing. Ilona's trailer was "custom fitted". The modifications I'd made had transformed it from nightmare to dream. She literally swam on. 

   Lashed down, chippies & home to rest up.