Wednesday 29th April
16h00 to 19h00: Registration
19h00 onwards: Music - Glen Fuller
Food - Pizza (free)

Thursday 30th April
O7h30 to 09h30: Breakfast
Scrambled Egg & Bacon Roll, Coffee: R25-00
Full English Breakfast and Coffee: R40-00
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

Lunch Packs Available: R30-00
Two rolls with various fillings, Fruit, Chocolate and Liquifruit

19h00 onwards: Music - Errol Cuddembey Trio
Food - Chicken Curry, Salad & Rolls

Friday 1st May
07h30 to 09h30: Breakfasts
Lunch Packs
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

19h00 onwards: Music - Baakens Valley Bog Trotters Band
Food - Sausage & Mash, Salad & Rolls

Saturday 2nd May
07h30 to 09h30: Breakfasts
Lunch Packs
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

19h00 onwards: Music - Lindie
Food - Braai, Salad & Rolls

Sunday 3rd May
07h30 to 09h30: Breakfasts
Lunch Packs
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

PRIZEGIVING

The flag poles on the hard standing recently got entangled in a 'right royal bugger up' with many of the lines strung together like a washing line and one line all entangled in the barbed wire around the marina entrance.

Due North Rum Club stalwart Warrick Owen and mates have now sorted the mess out and restored the lines to ship shape order as befits a yacht club and not a 'Chinese Laundry'.

It is possible that whoever used the flagpoles last got a little bit mixed up and 'forgot' how to cleat and properly secure the lines back in their rightful place.

Members must be circumspect when thinking of hoisting flags, pennants and 'colours' from club flag poles, both on the small hard and on the main mast. Approval must always be sought and after the event, all lines must be left in good order.

Flying flags at half mast - the rules:

* a flag or a pennant must ONLY be lowered to one flag 'height' from the mast head - i.e. the width of the toggled/looped white ribbing, on the pole side of the flag. The flag must be raised to the mast head first and then lowered to the desired height to accomplish this ritual. Contrary to popular belief and as the term applies, the flag MUST NOT be flown half way down the mast, like a naughty boy's rugby socks

* on the occasion of a members passing the club burgee should be lowered thus

* it is ONLY by state decree that the National Flag can be flown at half mast, and then only, usually for one day.

The importance of following safety procedures was highlighted recently when a holidaymaker nearly lost his life off the coast of Knysna whilst on a day fishing trip.

The skipper, on holiday from Johannesburg, left Knysna in the morning for a days fishing. When the sea turned rough a few hours later he phoned his wife to say that he was heading back and would be entering the Knysna Heads at around 11.30am. When he had still not arrived at 2pm his wife alerted the Knysna NSRI that her husband was late.

The skipper, who was not wearing a lifejacket, fell overboard whilst checking his lines. He had left the engine running and when he surfaced he could no longer see the boat. He then spent the next five hours of his life swimming to survive in rough seas 18 nautical miles outside of the Knysna Heads.

When the NSRI received the alert from his wife they informed the Harbour Master at Port Control in Mossel Bay, who requested a fixed wing aircraft to assist in the search and rescue operation.

Four hours from the time of his wife calling the Knysna NSRI, the skipper of the ski boat was found. The ski boat washed ashore on Wednesday at Kraanshoek, east of Knysna.

If it had not been for the fact that the skipper had called his wife and given her an approximate expected time of arrival, his chances of rescue would have been dramatically reduced.

This incident emphasizes the importance of contacting someone with regards to arrival times and location when at sea, even if only for a short fishing trip.

Furthermore, and may be even more important, is the issue of safety at sea in general:

1. Should the incident have happened outside cell phone reception no call would have been possible and since the person fell overboard the other safety aspects are of utmost importance.
2. Not to be alone - take a qualified person with that could have handled the boat and to initiate a rescue straight away.
3. Ensure safety equipment ie lifejacket is worn at all times.
4. Ensure a method to "cry for help" is in place to activate the SAR backup system ie activate an EPIRB; radio call etc. A cell phone cannot be regarded as sufficient at all!!

In this case the survivor may consider himself extremely lucky to be alive and safely back on land.

The importance of serviceable and proper safety equipment is of utmost importance and must not be underestimated! A few miles further away - it may have ended in a (unnecessary) tragedy!

As Hoary Old Salts we often forget just what sailing represents to people who are bitten by the bug.

What invariably happens to the sailor that has spent days crossing the Ocean or hours at a time racing around the cans, is that he or she gathers with his own in a celebration of camaraderie. This makes it difficult for someone to 'break in' to the clique and become part of the 'club'.

Often it takes one small thing to realise just what sailing represents to people falling in love with the sport for the first time.

A recent participant in sailing sent me this image that he designed whilst dreaming about his sailing experiences thus far:

Thanks Edward.

Tell us about your first sailing experience.

Those that heeded the call of the sea for last night's social sail were well rewarded with a gentle north west that created balmy conditions for a sundowner sail.

The full moon in the East and orange red flecked sunset awoke the romantic in the couples on packed Margie.

I did warn Rob, though, that if he allows me to sail with him he would be overrun with transitory beings wanting to experience sailing.

What a joy it was to reminisce with Roy, a Lipton Cup 30 Square Metre sailor from the early 60's. Remember those years? Ships were wooden, men were men and down in New Zealand sheep were still scared!

Darryl has done a sterling job of looking after the Wednesday Evening Social Sail.

As normal, the sail was too short, the Fanta Browns cold and the meal in the Chartroom filling and pleasant. Aaah normality and familiarity how I have missed thee.

The Flag Signal to "Splice the Main Brace!" as flown by the Royal Navy consisted of 4 flags - the Alpha, the Delta, the 2 and the 8.

The great sailing ships of the past were propelled only by the wind in their sails that were attached to spars called "yards". The lines to trim the sails were called "braces", running from the ends of the yards to the deck. On the first rate men-o-war, the main brace was the largest and heaviest of all the rigging, being up to 20-inches in diameter. To splice it was one of the most difficult tasks on board ship. Sometimes in the heat of battle, the braces were shot away making the ship unmanageable. To those that "Spliced the Main Brace!" under these conditions went a double issue of rum.

It became customary to "Splice the Main Brace" before battle, always after victory, and to reward a ship's crew, or sometimes the entire fleet with the order to "Splice the Main Brace!", which meant a double issue of rum for a job well done. The ritual was always preceded by hoisting the flag signal to "Splice the Main Brace!"

In recent times, to fly the signal on a vessel is an invitation to board for free drinks, and to say to a friend, "Let's 'Splice the Main Brace!' is akin to saying, "Let's have a drink"!

The Due North Rum Club, based at ABYC will be flying the Alpha, Delta, 2 and 8 flags from the yards at the club on Saturday 11 April, inviting all to come along and Splice the Main Brace!

Avast Ye Ugly Buggers, look lively and Splice the Main Brace!

This is a novel approach to a sailing event, and fairly simple in its concept, obviously a plan hatched by a laid back cruiser. On a given Saturday once a month a turning mark is identified and off you go.

The start: well, that's up to you as you can start anytime between 11:30 and 14:00, you can even start between 11:30 and 14:00 the next day (Sunday) and off you sail to the turning mark
The Start line: the normal Wednesday start line between the end of the ore berth and the end of the fresh produce quay
The finish: is a transit line between the End of the breakwater and the Port Control Tower 200meters to seaward.
The Object: You take your own elapsed time and then try to improve on it the next time you race the course. No winner, no losers
After the TT: braai fires would be lit bring your own meat.

Well on Saturday 14th March was the inaugural Ngqura TT, with 8 boats on the start line, Struan feinted to starboard and started on Port. Here's the rub although not officially a race, when two boats are in close proximity, one always wants to go faster than the other and voila! a race.

As we watched the fleet behind, the speculation started, Mystic lady has her reacher up and so does "Valiant" (not really) we had mistaken Sky bird's new reacher for Valiant's Orange and red spinnaker.

"Do you think we can carry the bag?"
"Looks a bit tight"
"Well let's stick it up and see?" "If it doesn't work we can always drop it again"
So lines are run and up go the old Red White and Blue, she's holding!! Yippee

A careful watch is kept on the log, as glances are cast astern "I think they are catching us?" Next on the list to find the designated fairway buoy for the new port of Ngqura. Not any one but the starboard closest to the Harbour of PE. No cannot see it but as we get closer so the little pimples are seen floating off the harbour, now which one of those pimple is the right one, "It can't be that one?" "if it is then the kite has to come down". Sadly we douse the kite and start fetching for the mark, the radio crackles into life its Mystic Lady asking us where we are, we informed them that they were eating our rudder dust, then let them know when we rounded the mark that they could not miss it as it is big with red and white stripes (Sorry Phil just could not resist it).

After rounding it was a one tack "fetch" all the way to the finish line. True to form back on the land with a cold beer in hand (one of many) with steak chops an boerewors sizzling on the braai the banter continued and great fun was had by all.

See you at the next Nqgura TT

Derek Bouwer

The last wine tasting at ABYC was very well attended by 'noses', 'posers', 'slukkers' and 'refugees from the papsak'.

In fact I now regret not buying a lot more of the fruit of Bachus as it was so cheap.

Coming up on Monday the 6th of April is another Wine Tasting (Robbie - read that again, please; it says TASTING!).

This one is presented by Obikwa (the Philistine in me is not aware of their wines, so please do not ask) and takes place from 5:30 p.m. in the Chartroom.

Twenty bucks gets you a glass that will allow you to dip into the lake of grape and eats will be provided.

Contact your nearest Dee to secure your seat at the table.

The following update on Benny the ex ABYC Car Guard comes courtesy of Derek:

Last seen March 2009 the Bridge Car park white hat and all.
I do not know what happened to the Benny sosatie stand.

Goooood Evening .............