Craig Gilberd (left) and Phil McNeill defended the Sanders Memorial Cup in Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland
Between them, skipper Phil McNeill and crewman Craig Gilberd have more than 70 years of sailing experience.
However, the Northland yachtsmen hasten to add a fair bit of magic lies in the design of their javelin, Phlipnhel, after they retained the sought-after Sanders Memorial Cup on the final day of the Napier Sailing Club-hosted New Year's Regatta on Saturday.
"You have the edge with boat speed because it gives you quite a bit of comfort time to to think," said McNeill, after they put behind a did-not-start (DNS) in the opening race to win all other seven races, bar the penultimate one (runner up) for a resounding eight points over second-placed David Brown and David Feek (Manawatu) on 16 points.
The East Coast son/father of Ross and Colin Shanks had to settle for third place, a point behind. All of the seven-boat fleet could discard their worst score.
"A boat's speed can actually make sailors look great," Gilberd said, emphasising how that couldn't be any more obvious than the last America's Cup when Oracle tweaked things to come from behind to beat Team New Zealand on what appeared to be an unassailable lead in San Francisco.
The 58-year-old property developer from Whangarei said sailors just had to keep their noses clean, revealing the GPS on another javelin confirmed Phlipnhel was clocking about 23km/h but every so often flirting with the 27km/h mark.
Incidentally, Neill's javelin is named after him and his wife, Helen, pronounced "Flippin' hell" thanks to their mates, who call them that every time they turn up anywhere.
The 57-year-old retired accountant from Kerikeri and Gilberd won the cup last year in Taupo.
The cup holds a special place in New Zealand yachting history as the oldest piece of silverware sailed for under its original inception. It is the only remaining senior inter-provincial challenge competition still sailed for today since the inaugural races in 1921.
It has been up for grabs every year bar 1942-45.
Neill designed and built his 14-footer, putting it down to a year's part-time project.
He isn't shy to disclose he fleeced some aspects off Australians while on design work there on cherubs ("read everything and see what works"), which are smaller versions of javelins.
"I didn't get the shape or design but I still came first," he said, relishing the opportunity to make changes on the vessel but keeping within the ambit of certain restrictions on the foundation of some "guess work".
Gilberd jokes about how the pair forged ties: "He [McNeill] got through 49 other people and came to rest with me."
In reality, it is simply logical. Gilberd stands tall at 95kg and has good leverage.
Said Neill: "Young guys are keen but they aren't big enough to crew this [javelin]."
In the mid-1980s, former KZ7 skipper Chris Dickson had approached McNeill to attend trials to become a crew member in the America's Cup campaign but he declined.
"I was training with the Olympic sailors at the time in Auckland and I wasn't sure if I wanted to end my career [accountant]," he said, harbouring no regrets as such.
Added Gilberd: "I suppose it becomes more of profession than a job."
Neill: "No, I don't have regrets but I wish I hadn't said no to Chris so quickly."
The pair couldn't say enough about the Bay weather and the club for going out of its way to accommodate two races on Thursday for the javelin class.
Gilberd, who has raced here "on and off" in his 40-year stint, said if they had a say on it they would defend the cup in Northland next year.
Neill, who returned to the Bay after almost two decades, said the Napier club had one of the best facilities in the country and "lovely seas breezes in the afternoon".
In the other classes, Bay sailors had a heavy presence.
In div 1 fleet, James Sandall (Ross780) won on six points over Kevin Oliver (trailer sailor) on 14.
In div 2, Mike Dunlop (Hartley 16), of Wellington, claimed the Hartley class, four points ahead of Tim McVeigh (Farr 6000).
In the Europe fleet, Rhonda Hill overwhelmed Edwin Poon by seven points with Brendon Mitchell three points adrift at third in an all-Napier affair.
In the Hansa fleet (sailability), Katy Kenah (Napier) pipped Samuel Gibson (Napier) by two points.
Blake Woodfield (radial), of Taupo, broke the Napier trend in the laser fleet with a seven-point win over host member Roger Inwood (radial) and Gill Waiting (radial, Napier) two points back on third.
Bob Witham clinched the N25 class over fellow Napier sailor Neil Absalom but Scott Woodfield, of Taupo, dictated terms in the optimist class over Napier's Lauren Haswell.
Napier club members Warren Pearce (fireball), Hayden Percy and Dave Hall (OK) stamped their supremacy in the Open, paper tiger and single-handed fleet, respectively.