Elixir - Flic Gabbay/Roger Barber

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For bethan Jonathan and forends from Sheila and friends

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Sun, 26/06/2011 - 15:09

Nanny filmed dolphins and said their family is called "pod"... we
thought it was a funny name... then, last night,nanny showed us a rope
that had fallen in the sea and was all sparkly when you moved it.. she
said it was little creatures... nanny was supposed to be trimming the
big purple sail not showing us things. It stopped flying because she
wasn't looking. Then today we saw a shark. It came really close to
the boat - nanny thought it might be a silly man with a hat on, but
300 miles from anywhere it seemed gunlikely. Tara said she wasn't
bothered as she has a big shell..

All the Gs

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Sun, 26/06/2011 - 15:04

All the G's gribs, gybes, grinding, greasing (winches that is),
gobbling to catch on lost energy and grumbling about the lack of
wind... but then it came back.... Elixir is off again..

For bethan, Jonathan and friends and sheep do fly...

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Sat, 25/06/2011 - 16:48

Last night Nanny came down from driving. It was getting dark. She rang
Trev. Nanny went to sleep, it was noisy and Rog shouted for her.
Boat all over the place. A draw broke loose and Sheila saw Nannies
glasses fly into the sink.. Sheila thought she will never find those -
she was right! Then Sheila flew into the the berth. Tara, Molly and
Eddie were still on the perch.. Tara thought "crazy these folk who
travel ON the water". But a sunny day and a flatish boat today - oh
but too hot for Eddi!

Wind for Elixir

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Sat, 25/06/2011 - 16:44

Did I say hunt for more wind.. Just taken a nap, midnight, Rog says
"I need you quick its windy" "I glance at the chart table instruments
"***" in good medical terminology - 29 knts! Full rig and poled out A4
and and surf to die for. Options, kite down = broach, peel = broach,
go trawling = potentially no big kite for next down wind 300 miles or
so, push on = broach or Chinese. Rog experimented with the chinese,
didn't enjoy that but still upright - only one option .. gallons of
adrenaline and neurofen for lunch...

For Bethan Jonathan and friends

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Fri, 24/06/2011 - 13:23

Sheila, Tora and Molly are enjoying the sunshine and the flat boat
which rocks like a cradle although Flic rocked it a bit too far a few
times yesterday when she was steering there was a lot of noise. Eddi
is looking forward to some cooler weather... Sheila says ther are
still at least four or five days to go...

A4 yee ha weather

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Fri, 24/06/2011 - 13:19

Lunch cost several miles on the fleet (and no alcohol was drunk!)!
Then on A4 9-14 knts with surf sounds like flume below! But what was
the current? SOG only tops 9. Much better over night. Now hunting for
wind with the joys of a port tack just for a change! What's going on?
Taika just passed behind us - oh yes J's and down wind...! Our one
moment of glory...!

Thursday or for Rog Wedneday somehow he lost a day!

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Fri, 24/06/2011 - 13:11

No time to blog from Elixir yesterday, though we did chicken out at 25
nts and put up the baby kite and had a three course lunch, soup a la
Ainsley Hariet, azorian pasties and and sardine "nicoise". That is the
end of the lettuce!

For Bethan Jonathan and friends

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Wed, 22/06/2011 - 19:06

Sheila thought the azores were very green but not many sheep and lots
and lots of cows. Molly saw ducks at the hot springs and thought it is
must be nice to live next to hot water. Tora was happy as Azorians are
pround of their turtles. Poor old Eddi just couldn't get cool - fur is
not good when it is very hot....!

Here we go again...

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Wed, 22/06/2011 - 18:57

Day 1 hot and muggy down below on Elixir - long starboard passage
again - this time west! Now on course for home and surrunded by Class
3 boats - some ahead -going very nicely - bit of a challenge!
Restablishing routines - only a weekish to go.

All quiet on the port hole shelf .. for Bethan Jonathan and friends

Submitted by Flic Gabbay on Sat, 11/06/2011 - 19:22

Eddi doesn't like the noise of the boat hitting the waves, Sheila has
stopped talking about Scotland.She Is unusally quiet and can't wait to
arrive and their home will stop moving around. Sheila wonders whether
there are sheep in the Azores. Molly and Tora have decided to sleep
through this bit.

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Elixir

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Flic Gabbay

Skipper Nationality:

GBR

Roger Barber

Co-Skipper Nationality:

GBR

Type

Elan 380

IRC

1.036

Class

Elixir has been set up specifically for 2-handed offshore sailing. The emphasis has been on ease of handling rather than ultimate speed. She has single line reefing mainsail and hanked on slab reefing genoa. Downwind she has a prod and a very long spinnaker pole. Both kites are asymmetric, plus a nylon furling code zero. Down below she well equipped with central heating and an oven etc.

Skipper Profile

Flic started racing boats when her children left home though had logged more than 20y of cruising on a First 325 and latterly a restored Hillyard. She was enticed into double handed racing to sail on Pyxis, an X332 owned and sailed by Kirsteen Donaldson a colleague. She also races fully crewed, she was bow on Hot Stuff (40.7) for the infamous 2007 Fastnet and retired at Plymouth, along with a few others! She has done some less taxing racing in regattas in Pittwater/Coffs in Oz, Guernsey and St Martens and has completed three seasons on Brightwork (another X332) including weekly club racing, Cowes, Cork, IRC Nationals and Round the Islands. In 2009 she swapped her Hillyard, that had predominantly become a racing mother ship, for an Elan 380 and completed Round Britain and Ireland in 2010. Flic has two childrena, two grand children, a 91 year old mother and a extremely spupportive partner. She will get her bus pass next year and is contemplating celebrating by racing the Atlantic in the TWOSTAR race from Plymouth to Newport Road Island if her day job permits! Placings: Royal Southampton Double handed series 4 years on (Pyxis X332) best placing overall 3rd Class 2, JOG Illingworth Challenge 2008 1st double handed (Pyxis X332), RORC Myth of Malham Race 2009, 3rd Double handed and 3rd in Class (Pyxis X332), RORC Fastnet 2009 (15th double handed, Pyxis X332), Sheland RB and I 2010 1st in Class 2 and 4th overall IRC (Elixir, Elan 380).

Co-Skipper Profile

Roger grew up sailing with his parents. Windsurfing then took over followed by a Hobie 16. Moving up to a Hobie 21 saw the start of adventurous offshore sailing including from the Solent to The Channel Islands and back. An introduction to yacht racing in a RORC race triggered a return to yachting and much in- and offshore racing mono’s and multi’s, including 4 Fastnets. The Hobie 21 was replaced by Meridian, a 30’ trimaran built for the Ostar. After a complete re-build, she became RORC & MOCRA champion in 2001. In the 2002 Round Britain and Ireland she was the smallest boat entered and after overall line honours in legs 1&2, was dismasted off the Shetland Islands. In the 2003 AZAB single handed she won leg 1, but capsized while leading just before the finish of the return leg. Roger was skipper of the formula 40 trimaran ProVu for 2004, the fastest yacht racing in the UK at the time. Awesome fun! Roger currently owns a share in a Swan 57 Yellow drama IV. Roger is 47 and is also a gliding instructor and paraglider pilot. Placings: RORC & MOCRA multihull champion 2001, RB and I 2002 legs 1&2, Overall line honors, AZAB 2003 leg 1, 1st multihull and 1st single handed (but capsizing while leading leg 2), RORC 2-handed champions 2005, (“Slingshot” J105), 3-Peaks Race 2006, Overall winner. (Reflex 38), Middle Sea Race 2007, 2-handed class 1st, (“Slingshot” J105), RB and I 2010 1st in Class 2 and 4th overall IRC (Elixir, Elan 380).

Azab