KICK

Design Elliott 1050
Sail Number  8349
Length overall  10.58m
Beam  3.72m
Draft  2.28m
About the boat: Kick, an Elliott 1050, designed by Greg Elliott and built by Eagle Yachts, is a recent arrival from across the ditch.

Kick, sailed by Brendan Sands and his father Richard Sands will have plenty of competition as Gale Force, Sniper and High Voltage are also all Elliott 1050’s who are just as keen as them to “Kick Ass” and take the bragging rights from the other 1050’s. You can expect to see some fierce competition in this division.

Home base Weiti
Facebook Kick Ass Yachting – Elliott 1050

BRENDAN SANDS

Name Brendan Sands
Age 30
Relationship to Co – Skipper Son
Has anyone in your family ever done the race? My father did the 2002 race in Outlaw but broke the rudder off Gisborne not finishing the race. This time around my father will be my Co-Skipper on my boat Kick.
Yacht Club Weiti Boating Club
Tell us a little about your sailing history/ background I have grown up boating, my parents have always owned keelers so I had a fantastic childhood cruising the Gulf on the weekends through summer. As I got older I got into dinghys, sailing Optis out of Manly and Murray’s Bay. I gave P-Class ago for a season then went on to 420 teams racing and then progressed onto the RNZYS youth training scheme.

While I was working my way through the different dinghys I raced on my parents boats until I was in my late teens when I lost the bug and decided to start racing cars (almost as expensive as boats!) In my early twenties I sold my race car, and got back into sailing. I brought my first boat, a challenge 29 in 2012 which I heavily modified with plenty of help from friends and family and now I can’t get enough!

What appeals most about doing the RNI? The challenge and doing it with my father.
Who’s your biggest opposition and why? The other 3 x E1050’s, We have a bottle of rum for first 1050 on line for each leg!
Tell us about your biggest supporters My Fiancee Bianca and 2 Kids, Ella (4) & Cooper (2), They will be dressed in their crew uniform cheering us on!

RICHARD SANDS

Name Richard Sands
Age 58
Relationship to Co – Skipper Father & Friend
Have you ever done the RNI before? Did the 2002 RNI on our boat at the time a Davidson 41 called Outlaw. We did not finish the race as we broke the rudder of Gisborne, lucky it wasn’t the leg before as we saw 70 + knots of Cape Palliser before we lost the wind gear of the top of the mast.
Yacht Club Weiti Boating Club
Tell us a little about your sailing history/ background Did my first offshore race when I was 19 it was the 1979 Tauranga to Vila race on a boat called Venture, have since done 3 x Fiji races, 1 RNI, 1 Sydney to Hobart delivery 19/91 world offshore IMS series. Too many Coastal Classics to remember, most of the coastal races going out of Auckland and 10,000 + miles offshore cruising and deliveries.
What appeals most about doing the RNI Finishing.
What will your meals be like during the race? I can’t cook so if it is my job they will be pretty basic although Janice my wife is working on something to make me look good.
What do you like most about the boat you are sailing on? There are 3 other Elliot 10.50s entered will be a race within a race!
Describe your skipper/co-skipper in 5 words Very competitive, can cook.
What’s your favourite drink and why? Apple cider when it’s hot, otherwise rum and coke.
What’s your biggest fear when you think about the RNI? No fear have prepared well and am confident in boat and skipper
Tell us about your biggest supporters My wife Janice, I don’t think she understands why I do these crazy things but she backs me every time and my daughter Amanda who loves sailing but probably won’t do anything this extreme.
What’s most exciting/challenging about this race for you? Competing as a Father and Son team.
It’s the night before the big race – how do you get your head in the game? Go to bed and sleep. I’m lucky I can switch off and do that.