Will Hardy's Secret Mens Business sail in Europe?

by Rob Kothe on 27 Feb 2006 Sir James Hardy was on the helm of the Adelaide to Port Lincoln IRC handicap winner Hardy's Secret Mens Business. As owner Geoff Boettcher explained yesterday, 'We had a great race, a lot of laughs and a big mixture of conditions. Sir James certained proved hard to remove from the wheel.

'We sailed hard and we worked him like a dog, he thought he was going to be on a cruise. But he thoroughly enjoyed the race.'

While the veteran sailor, one of Australia's sailing icons had announced he will be packing away his seaboots, if his fellow South Australian has his way Sir James could be on the water at Cork Week in 2006 and also at Skandia Cowes Week and possibly the Fastnet Race, aboard Hardy's Secret Mens Business.

Boettcher revealed his plans in Port Lincoln yesterday. 'We still have a window of opportunity to ship the Reichel Pugh 46 to Europe. We will know in the next week or ten days. It would be great to do the Fastnet Race. Hardys and myself are working on it.'

The tough 1979 Fastnet Race is etched in the memory of sailors everywhere. Hardy sailed the Dubois 42 Police Car as part of the group that won the Admirals Cup for Australia that year.

Greg Pratt from the Adelaide based Paparazzi.com.au was on the water for the start of the 57th Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race on Saturday and has provided these images.

This week it's down to business for the Lexus Port Lincoln series.

Here is a selection of images with the full set available at
www.paparazzi.com.au