This week's specials at the Algoa Bay Yacht Club Chartroom Restaurant:

TUESDAY: Quarter Chicken. Served with Chips & Veg

WEDNESDAY: Savoury Mince Pancakes. Served with Salad or Veg

THURSDAY: Liver & Onions. Served with Mash & Veg

FRIDAY: Hake & Prawn Combo. Served with Rice & Salad

All Specials only R39.95

Visitors and Non-Members Welcome

The first sailing regatta to be sailed out of ABYC after the disastrous break up of the Marina on 26 October was the ABYC Summer Dinghy Regatta from 21 to 22 November 2009.

Saturday, 21 November was blown out and Sailing started promptly at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday 22 November 2009. Race Officer Ronnie Baer elected to sail short course Triangle, Sausage, finish races in the harbour area.

A total of seven races were sailed in ideal Westerly flat conditions with the top mark close to the Chokka Boat Jetty.

The Top three finishers:

1. Jesse Martin - Optimist
2. Sarah Arnold - Laser 4.7
3. Wayne Watkins - Laser Radial

Click Here for ALL the Results.

Thanks to the bridge crew - Chad Jackson and Ronnie Baer, Mark Laying and Rescue - Kerry Bonnage and Darryl Garner.

Andrew Bosworth (Extra), Wayne Watkins (Laser), Dave Moorcroft and Jason Schaeffer (470) and Steve and Debbie Arnold (Dolphin)

Andrew Bosworth (Extra)

Jason Schaeffer and Dave Moorcroft (470)

More images on MyPE.

At 9:15 p.m. on Monday 26 October the gale force winds battering Port Elizabeth became too much for the Algoa Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) Moorings and they snapped around 30 metres from the shore ensnaring the Flamenca, Fandango, belonging to Chad Jackson, between High Spirt (Greg Ochabski) and Talisker (Ian Bancroft).

The image above is a BEFORE and AFTER aerial view of the ABYC Marina. More Images here.

Further movement of the moorings towards the fishing jetty rendered the walkway impassable, denying boat owners access to their yachts.

At the end of the first mooring leg Rob Butler, on his trimaran Scrimshaw, frantically tried to save his boat from sure destruction as the moorings shifted inexorably closed on his boat in a pincer movement. The high winds and rising waves surging down the channel ground the moorings closed around Scrimshaw and NSRI Rescue 6 Alpha plucked Rob and his son, Andrew, off of Scrimshaw to safety as the boat tilted at a 50 degree angle.

Boat owners scurried frantically back and forth retrieving valuables and inserting fenders in an attempt to stop further damage.

At 11:30 p.m. Patrick, from Port Control, reported wind speeds of 78 knots. Port Control is designed to yield to the wind and rock back and forth. Now, I have been there in 30 knots of wind and don't want to experience 78 knots!

Worried owners paced back and forth watching the howling wind and waves, forced to listen to their boats crying in agony as they scraped against one another and the mooring fingers.

With predictions from Port Control of the wind only abating at 6:00 a.m. weary owners set up a watch system and retired.

The destruction of the Marina has put a huge dent in the ABYC Sailing season and visiting yachts are having difficulty in finding mooring berths as they travel up and down the coast.

As at 12 November 2009 most of the yachts that occupied destroyed moorings have been taken out of the water, some are on trots and others occupy positions on the 'floating islands' that are left.

The Algoa Bay Yacht Club Pleasure Craft Marina directors estimate that they will be fully 'open for business' by June 2010 again.

ABYC Marina Destruction Images.

ABYC Summer Dinghy Regatta to be sailed on the weekend of the 21st, 22nd November 2009 out of the ABYC Yacht club

NOTICE OF RACE

1. ORGANISING AUTHORITY

The Algoa Bay Yacht Club

2. RULES

2.1 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2009/2012.
2.2 Boats participating in this regatta shall conform to the Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS),their respective Class this Notice of Race, and the Sailing Instructions.

3. ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY

3.1 In accordance with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Regulation 19 (Eligibility Code), all competitors (helmspersons and all
other crew) shall be members in good standing of a Yacht Club affiliated to and in good standing with SA Sailing or their Member National Authority in the case of non-South Africans. The Yacht Club name and membership details shall be stated on the entry form or crew list. Current valid South African Sailing Membership Cards or similar proof of MNA Membership in cases of non-South Africans shall be presented at Registration.
3.2 The regatta is open to all Classes
3.3 Eligible boats may enter on Saturday before racing from 9am until half an hour before the first race at ABYC.
3.4 Entry Fee; R10 per boat

4. CLASSIFICATION

The ISAF Sailor Classification Code, Regulation 22 shall apply.

5. SCHEDULE

Saturday: Registration from 9am up until 30min before first race. First race not before 2pm.
Sunday: 1st race not before 9am.
Results will be read out after last race at ABYC

6. NUMBER OF RACES

Saturday - push for 4, Sunday - no more than 3, 4 races will constitute a regatta.

7. MEASUREMENTS

Each boat shall produce a valid measurement / rating certificate. In addition the spot measurements may be taken at any stage during the regatta.

8. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Sailing Instructions will be available from the Regatta Secretary on completion of registration formalities.

9. VENUE

Racing will take place north of the harbour entrance at the oyster beds, weather dependant. A novice fleet will be run in the harbour close to the yacht club

10. COURSES

The Courses will be on the notice bored before the race.

11. PENALTY SYSTEM

For all catamaran classes Rule 44.1 is changed so that the Two-Turns Penalty is replaced by the One-Turn Penalty.

12. SCORING

12.1 The Low Point System of Appendix A4.1 will apply.
12.2 Four races are required to be completed to constitute a series.
12.3 (a) When fewer than 5 races have been completed, a boat's series score will be the total of her race scores.
(b) When from 5 to 9 races have been completed, a boat's series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.

13. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. Neither the Organizing Authority nor it's officials or other persons associated with the organization of the event will accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta

14. INSURANCE

Each participating boat is encouraged to be insured with a valid third party liability insurance recommended to have a minimum cover of R1,000,000-00 per event or the equivalent. Should insurance not be carried, the offending party must be prepared to pay for damages incurred

15. SAFETY

There will be support boats to assist the sailors. Life jackets must be worn at all times.

16. FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information please contact David Moorcroft on 0833710152 or Jason Schaefer on 0791806348