Wind Elf MkI
➜ABOVE Time fl ies:
Peter Poland
enjoys being back
at the helm of
a Wind Elf
50 years onRIGHT Josa II’s
crew in 1968 – a
young Peter
Poland and sailing
buddy Anthony
BrunnerLEFT Brunner on
the tiller running
with the Trades in
the Atlanticand were heavily built by modern
standards. So I knew how such yachts
handled in a seaway and how to set, trim,
reef and lower sails. I even knew how to
steer a compass course – although not
necessarily how to plot one. When it came
to using a sextant and celestial navigation,
neither of us had a clue until we studied
Mary Blewett’s book Celestial Navigation
for Yachtsmen.
Our shortlist of suitable boats for this
adventure comprised a Folkboat, a Vertue,
a Contessa 26, an Invicta 26, a SCOD and
a Harrison Butler Z 4-tonner. But those
that we found were all beyond our
budget. Then a friendly yacht broker
called Peter Bagley phoned suggesting
a 25-footer that was on his books. “It’s
a bit like a Folkboat, but heavier and
much more spacious. The owner’s
asking £1,400,” he said.
Launched in 1954 she was a Wind Elf
MkII built by Priors in Burnham. I drove
down to Bosham where she was laid up
ashore, loved the look of her – and so
we dealt.
Just over 50 years later, the Wind Elf I
was now going to sail was built in 1950
(so is 69 years old). Named Hightime
she’s a Wind Elf MkI and has a
Photos:^ Andrew
Sydenhamfor^ PBOPeter^ PolandPeet
r^ Pol
and