KATANA

Design Sunfast 3600
Sail Number  36000
Length overall  10.80m
Length waterline  9.7m
Beam  3.55m
Draft  2.14m
About the boat: Katana was fourth on line and sixth on handicap in the #RNZ2019 and is back again for some more action in 2020 with a new Co-Skipper joining the boat for the lap of the North Island.

Sailed by Nigel Garland & Grant Wakefiled, Katana is a Sunfast 3600 designed by Daniel Andrieu and built at the Jeanneau factory in France.
Home base Westhaven
Facebook Katana SUN FAST 3600

NIGEL GARLAND

Name Nigel Garland
Age 54
Relationship to Co – Skipper Friend
Yacht Club Richmond Yacht Club, SSANZ
Tell us a little about your sailing history/ background Started in a P Class in Wellington. Then nothing much until taking a 1/4 share in the Young 88 Heartlight for 10 years, racing out of Westhaven and loved the short handed and solo adventures.
Have done a couple of Transpac’s – LA to Hawaii and Newport to Cabo on my brothers Hobie 33.
Since buying Katana in 2007 have sailed most of the short handed series and completed the 2019 RNZ!
What appeals most about doing the RNI The adventure and the people.
What are your essential food items during the race? Plenty of everything.
What will your meals be like during the race? Mix of normal breakfast and lunch things with either ready to eat or freeze dried for dinner.
What’s your favourite point of sail and why? Upwind 14-25 kn is where Katana is most competitive which is always enjoyable.
What do you like most about the boat you are sailing on? Forgiving and well set up for short handed sailing.
Describe your skipper/co-skipper in 5 words Positive, relaxed, dependable and great taste in whisky.
Tell us about the training and buildup that you have been doing for this race both on and off the water? Our first 2 handed adventure was the Anzac 250 back in 2015 on the Y88. Since then we have dropped the rig in the 2018 Auckland to Tauranga race, and then sailed the 2019 SSANZ Triple Series.
After completing the 2019 Coastal Classic 2 handed we carried on doing about 400nm in total, rounding Great Barrier and down to the Alderman Islands before heading back to Auckland.
Safety systems and drills will be be practiced during a mid December weekend.
Specific back strengthening exercises and a rowing machine will be added on top of the usual running and riding.
What’s your favourite drink and why? Water / tea / coffee / beer / whisky / rum – depending on the time of day.
Will you be taking any luxury items on the race? – If so, what is it and why? Too much of everything to make sure we are comfortable and enjoy it.
What’s your biggest fear when you think about the RNI? Getting caught in an uncontrollable situation.
Who’s your biggest opposition and why? Gale Force – who we race most often – and they usually beat us.
Tell us about your biggest supporters Wife Christine is very supportive in letting me neglect most other parts of family life for sailing. Daughters Anna and Kate occasionally show a little interest.
What’s most exciting/challenging about this race for you? Pulling all the pieces together and completing it safely and well. Getting in and out of Wellington well.
What sound system do you have on board? What’s likely to be playing? Fusion – or headphones. Dated mix of singer songwriters.
It’s the night before the big race – how do you get your head in the game? Overthink the first sail options.

GRANT WAKEFIELD

Name Grant Wakefield
Age 58
Relationship to Co – Skipper Friend
Yacht Club Drummoyne Sailing Club
Tell us a little about your sailing history/ background I am first and foremost a dinghy racer, competing at club, national and international level in the International OK Dinghy, but I have also done a fair bit of yacht racing on Auckland and Sydney Harbours, a few Hamilton Island Race weeks, coastal deliveries and so on, as well as some short-handed racing over the past couple of years.
I also race on the Historic 18 foot skiff Yendys on Sydney Harbour and have notched up a few Australian title wins on the Mighty Red Anchor after being lucky enough to fall in with a bunch of renowned former 18 foot skiff sailors.
What appeals most about the RNI It is a chance to tough out a decent short-handed race and the notion of circumnavigating part of Aotearoa appeals.
What are your essential food items during the race? Breakfast is the best meal of the day – a big dose of my favourite muesli with fruit and yoghurt. Sounds boring and healthy but it sets up the day.
What’s your favourite point of sail and why? Hard on the wind – because it is closer to my core competency of helming a dinghy with a single mainsail.
Describe your co skipper in 5 words Best cook in the crew.
Tell us about the training and buildup that you have been doing for this race both on and off the water? Nigel and I have been doing as much short-handed racing as possible over the past 12 months (and prior). We completed the SSANZ Triple Series. We extended the Coastal Classic with some extra qualifying miles and ended up doing close to 400nm on a tour of the Hauraki Gulf. Between now and the RNI start we will continue to build our miles together. Off the water I keep fit for all sailing by going to the gym, training regularly at karate and also the strength and conditioning that comes from racing the OK dinghy. As an “older” competitor there is no way to front up to the RNI without some good conditioning.
What’s your favourite drink and why? A sunset whiskey, as it courses through your veins, really helps celebrate the end of either a good day or a tough day.
What’s your biggest fear when you think about the RNI? Managing tiredness and of course staying safe.
What sound system do you have on board? What’s likely to be playing? Patti Smith, Nick Cave or The Kills if Nigel lets me anywhere near the stereo. Anything has got to be better than the RWC 2019 quarterfinal on AM radio somewhere off the Coromandel coast.
It’s the night before the big race – how do you get your head in the game? Stacking the ZZZZZZ’s.