Kick comes off the 2026 Doyle Sails Round North Island Two Handed Yacht Race with a fourth on corrected time, third on points, second in Division 3, and seventh overall on line honours. In Leg 2, she won outright on handicap.
Her offshore record runs deep across New Zealand racing. From the 1,250 nautical mile Round North Island race to the 500 nautical mile Three Kings Yacht Race, the results have been consistent. In 2022, Kick placed sixth overall on PHRF at Three Kings. In the 2025 Cavalli Islands race, she took line honours in the two handed division and finished second overall on handicap across the full fleet.
She is a regular in the PIC Coastal Classic, most recently seventh in Division 2 with a youth crew, and is well proven across SSANZ short handed racing, where her setup comes into its own.
She has long punched above her weight, coastal and offshore, and remains unapologetically the highest rated 35 foot cruiser racer in New Zealand.
That same capability carries straight into cruising.
Brendan Sands and his family use her properly. Weeks at a time through the Gulf and further afield. Summer often means two to three weeks living onboard. From October through April, most weekends are spent on the water.
She moves easily between both roles.
Kick is a 1994 custom Elliott 1050, designed by New Zealand naval architect Greg Elliott alongside Ian Harvey of Eagle Yachts, her original owner. She stays true to the 10.5 metre platform, with a 9.7 metre waterline and 3.7 metre beam, but pushes the design further where it matters.
She carries more draft than standard at 2.45 metres, and you notice it straight away when underway. For a 35 footer, it is generous. Proper working space under sail, with room to move when it matters. At anchor, it shifts gears completely. Kids, friends, long evenings, it all happens here.
The layout stays clear during manoeuvres, with no need to climb over seating, and carbon foot chocks can be fitted for racing or removed when cruising.
The rest of the boat follows the same thinking. A deeper keel without the Elliott Jandal, a rig around one metre taller than standard, and a shorter cabin top that opens up both the foredeck and cockpit. You get a longer, more usable working area on deck without sacrificing interior volume. The raised, flat cockpit is one of her standout features, equally suited to racing or time at anchor.
Below, the volume still surprises. It was a key factor in the original decision to buy the boat. Even now, many 40 footers struggle to match the usable space. There is a large V berth forward, a private aft double to starboard, a port quarter berth, and plenty of storage throughout.
She displaces 4,359kg, giving her real presence offshore without dulling performance. On the water, she is quick across most conditions, but really comes alive in under 10 knots, where she will run past much larger boats.
In heavier conditions, she holds together. Carbon reinforced keel floors have stiffened the platform, and the boat stays solid driving upwind and composed downwind under full masthead gear. She is direct, predictable, and stays under control when it matters.
Short handed sailing has been a major focus. A hydraulic autopilot has transformed how the boat can be managed, steering confidently in demanding conditions. At the same time, she remains balanced and effective when fully crewed.
Despite that, she is first and foremost a family boat. In cruising mode, she carries everything needed for extended time aboard, hot and cold water, indoor and outdoor showers, 300 litres of water storage, a full sized oven, 12 volt fridge and freezer, and the storage to make longer trips practical. It is a setup proven through repeated Gulf cruising and extended stays aboard.
Her story runs deep. In her early years, Kick was raced hard out of Bucklands Beach Yacht Club lining up in many of Auckland’s major events until 2002, when she crossed to Australia for Airlie Beach Race Week, where she was sold.
Brendan Sands grew up sailing with his father, Richard Sands, known to many as the owner of Outlaw. Richard had previously lined up for the Round North Island race but never finished, and in 2018 the two began talking about taking it on together. That conversation sparked the search.
Kick was found in Pittwater. The broker was called, a deal was done, and she was brought back to New Zealand in 2018, returning her to the conditions she was built for.
Since then, the work has been extensive. She has had a full deck repaint, topsides refinished, and the hull taken back to an epoxy barrier coat before antifouling. Standing and running rigging have been replaced, and the boat has been largely rewired with new B&G electronics and a hydraulic autopilot. Structurally and performance wise, she has continued to evolve, with carbon reinforced keel floors, a new Thompson designed keel in 2024, and a new Thompson rudder in 2026. The sail wardrobe has also been updated, including an Evolution carbon membrane square top main.
On the racecourse, she remains a known quantity. Since returning to New Zealand, she has competed in the Round North Island, Three Kings, Route 66, Akarana 350, Cavalli Islands, and numerous SSANZ Triple Series events, along with regular club racing out of Weiti Boating Club and Gulf Harbour Yacht Club. The standout campaigns remain the three Round North Island races in 2020, 2023, and 2026, supported by ongoing development of her systems, sail plans, and foils.
Through it all, she has stayed the same boat at heart, forgiving to sail, easy to manage when cruising, and consistently competitive on the racecourse.
Today, she sits in full cruising configuration for summer. A family boat, as intended.
Letting her go will not been easy. The next step is different. Brendan and his family are looking further afield, planning extended time offshore with their children before school commitments take over. His focus will shift from racing to cruising, but time on the water continues.
Kick has been central to that journey. Now she is ready for her next one.
Learn more
Contact Brendan Sands
0211752127
Or email brendansands123@gmail.com
