Élan – 15′ Francois Vivier Ilur Sloop (2021)
A kit set build of Francois Vivier’s classic cruising dinghy, Élan is my first sail boat build and I suspect the second of this class built in New Zealand (that I’m aware of). She’s the first sloop of her kind here I suspect.
The kit was cnc cut but a furniture factory to my suplied plans and along with the marine ply features sapele keel, gunwales and centreboard trim. there’s also NZ native Kauri on the deck and some rimu in the rowlock risers. Sole and thwarts are macrocarpa. Mast and spars are Douglas Fir.
Élan was built over 19 months in my garage that she shares with a cedar canoe and kayak and was a thoroughly enjoyable project.
Élan was finished at Christmas 2021 and was easily righted and prived her robustness when I got myself in strife with a capsize in high winds on her first outing. There’s plenty of adventure, and more sedate sails, I hope, ahead with her.
In a nod to her French origins her name is the term for something done with energy, enthusiasm and flair.
Given her two mast steps (for with and without jib) she features a French one Franc coin from the year of my birth inset in one, and a NZ 50c coin featuring Cook’s endeavour in the other.