Received the following from ABYC Commodore Ian Littlejohn:

What a tremendous experience last Friday in Cape Town was. Ronnie Baer, Jim Foot and I went to see the Lipton Team and attend the Lipton Prize Giving.

It was cold, it was wet, and there was a biting wind as we watched the boats come in – our team a very creditable sixth place on the day.

In the wind and the rain, the mast was dropped, the L26 lifted onto its trailer and packed away. The same with the Rubber Duck.

It was brilliant to see the guys all working together to get everything sorted before a quick beer, and home to change for the prize giving.

Prize giving was held at the Civic Centre; our team came in, white shirts, ties, black trousers and Lipton jackets. They looked a team; they are a team and a huge credit to the Algoa Bay Yacht Club.

After prize giving it was back to the Royal Cape Yacht Club, where Kerry ran a “fines” evening. The elderly members – Jim, Ronnie and I – beat a hasty retreat and left them to enjoy it.

Some thoughts on Lipton Cup:
- We use a Rubber Duck to tow and service the L26, the winners used a R14 million Power Launch.
- Money is a major factor in winning Lipton Cup.
- We have requested the Commodore of TYC, the winners, to consider ABYC when they make the decision where to hold Lipton next year. He is obviously under huge pressure from RCYC and Durban to hold the cup there.
- Prize giving at the Feather Market would be ten times better than the Cape Town Civic Centre.
- ABYC could handle the on the water side of Lipton.

Finally, a big big thank you to the team, for the effort and time put in.

I have been looking for a little bit more sponsorship for the Lipton Cup 2008 and used a search facility that I seldom do to check just how many times a particular food retailing group had been mentioned on the MyPE web site.

Then I decided to do a search to see how many times ABYC had been mentioned, the result: ABYC received mentions on 5 470 pages.

Now, if only I had TEN bucks for each mention ............

The Lipton Cup Team leaves for Cape Town on Wednesday Evening from ABYC at around 6:30 p.m.

Diarise Wednesday the 20th August to pop down to the club for a beer and a wave to the team as they set off.

Your best wishes are appreciated and we will be reporting live from Cape Town during the regatta.

Our thanks go to all the Lipton Cup Team sponsors.

The Eastern Cape All Class Provincials incorporating the Mirror Class National Championship 2008 will be sailed at Mossel Bay Boat and Yacht Club from the 26th of September to the 29th of September 2008.

2008 East Cape Provincial Champs Regatta, Mossel Bay

Regatta details visit www.mbybc.co.za
Contact: Rob on 083 320 6362 for more info, or e-mail him at robholden[at]mweb.co.za

Information on accommodation available in Mossel Bay, Hartenbos, Little Brak, and Great Brak for the Eastern Cape Champs.

Camping available at Milkwood Primary School on the Point
Contact Denise at: 044 6911858, milk_dp[at]mweb.co.za

Greendoor B&B:
We have a beautiful 14 bedroom Guest House right in the centre of Mossel Bay, with great sea views overlooking the harbour and a fully licensed restaurant on the premises which serves the most delicious meals. I will most gladly offer a 10 % discount on my current rates to any of the participants. They must please quote the special booking code YCT when booking a room (which includes breakfast):

Double Rooms – Sea Facing (2 Guests sharing) R450 per room
Single Rooms - Sea Facing (1 Guest) R375 per room

Double Rooms – Standard (2 Guests Sharing) R400 per room
Single Rooms – Standard (1 Guest) R325 per room

Double Rooms – Skylight (Double Bed – 2 Guests sharing) R350 per room
Single Rooms – Skylight (Double Bed – 1 Guest) R275 per room

Family Room (1 Double Bed, 2 Single Beds) R450 + charge per child
Kiddies 2 – 12 years sharing R 80.00 per child
Children 12 years and older R100 per child
Children sleep in own room Full room rate

Amanda, 0729259641, email: greendoorbb[at]mweb.co.za

The Santos Express Train Lodge:
The Santos Express Train Lodge is a genuine train situated on the Santos Beach in Mossel Bay with all cabins facing the sea. With the ocean so close, you can’t really beat its unbelievable position and exquisite views.
RACK RATES 2008
Dorm R85.00 p.p.
R150.00 p.p.p.n. sharing
R160.00 p.p.p.n. single
R380.00 Caboose
R75.00 Children under 12

Tania Naudé, Tel. 044 6911995, Fax. 086 515 7779, Cell. 076 874 2234, E-Mail: admin[at]santosexpress.co.za, www.santosexpress.co.za

Blue Whale Lodge:
ROOM RATES:
Double room – R 300.00 (R 150.00 P.P.S) B&B per night
Single person – R 200.00 B&B per nigh

Mariki Zwiegers, Tel: 044 691 3147, Fax: 086 606 6772, Cell: 082 445 1972

b@Home Guest House:
b@Home guest house is centrally located and a five minute walk from the beach! Please feel free to log onto our website www.b-at-home.co.za and go on a virtual tour of b@Home.

Michelle Pretorius, b@Home guest house, 079 4977 679,

4 Bedroom House sleeps 8
Flats available that sleep 2, 4 or 10 people.

Contact: Gerda Heunis, 044-8791589, 0833039047

Dibiki – Hartenbos:
Martie Pretorius, 044 6950670, email: mpret[at]worldonline.co.za, www.dibiki.co.za

Corrie Vale Self-Catering:
Great Brak
Phone: +27 (0) 44 620-5124, Fax: + 27 (0) 44 620-2203, Cell Ph: + 27 (0) 83 378-1232, corrievale[at]mweb.co.za, www.tiscover.co.za/corrie-vale

Little Brak Beach house:
Philip Neethling, Tel: (044) 6966769, Cel:0721744537, pneethling[at]yahoo.com, www.littlebrakbeachhouse.co.za

Are YOU Going?

Let us know in the feedback section.

Meet the ABYC Lipton Cup Team:

Skipper / Trimmer - Kerry Bonnage, Kerry has been sailing for 24 years up and down the coast from Maputo to Saldanha Bay.

Helmsman - Wayne Watkins, Been sailing for 10 years including Optimist and Mirror World Championships.

Halyards - Theo Osterline, who has completed two trans Atlantic voyages.

Mast - Sithemble (Ocean) Solwandle, ex-coach at ABYC, only South African sailor invited to sail on the tall ship, Gothenborg. This is Ocean's fourth Lipton Cup campaign.

Bowman - Jason Schaefer, Has been sailing for 5 years, delivering yachtsalong the South African Coast and was recently selected to sail in the J22 Youths in Durnban.

Reserve - Kabelo Koyana, who is the present Sailing Coach at ABYC.

Kerry Bonnage	Wayne Watkins	Theo Osterline
Sithemble Solwandle	Jason Schaefer	Kabelo Koyana

Damager - Yours Truly

What a great fleet of entries to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Lipton Challenge Cup. 31 entries, almost a record. The Cape Town Lipton Cup is going to be the best Lipton ever.

And the good news is that The City of Cape Town will once again be hosting the Lipton Cup Prize-Giving Event at The Civic Centre, so it’s time to dust off those jackets – everyone seemed to have enjoyed 'dressing' for the Event, so we’d like to do the same again for this Centennial Celebration. Smart jackets or blazers and ties will be the order of the day.

Opening Ceremony – Mixing of the Waters and Blessing of the Fleet

The Mixing of the Waters Ceremony, will be held on the Deck at R.C.Y.C. on Saturday 23rd August at 17h00.
All teams will be bringing water (approx 250 -500ml) from the vlei/sea that they sail on, in a small, preferably decorated, container. The Mixing of the Waters Ceremony may be televised. Teams will be wearing their Boat Uniform and carrying the Burgee of the club that they will be representing. All Burgees will displayed in front of the Clubhouse after the Blessing.

The ABYC team will be reporting live from the Regatta, Lipton Challenge 2008

Leave your words of encouragement and sage advice for the Lipton Team in the Comments Section:

A question and a heads up:

Would you follow the Lipton Cup Live?

Have a look at this page - Lipton Cup 2008 - and let me know your thoughts please.

When: Sunday the 10th of August
Where: Chartroom - Algoa Bay Yacht Club
Why: In aid of funds for the Lipton Cup Team
Cost: Just FIFTY BUCKS for the BiG BREAKFAST
Bookings: Chartroom - 041 5852893, Reception - 041 5854058

Auction of a variety of goodies to follow.

The Giza Challenge 2008 was a great event, well worth the effort of sailing down in the feeder race (Intelegence Telecoms East London to Port Elizabeth Race), despite the light frustrating winds, lack of sleep, losing my prop, gearbox and all electrics.

Ian Williams
Moments

The Algoa Bay Yacht Club in Port Elizabeth has once again found it's sailing roots and hosted a successful four days of yacht racing in Algoa Bay from the 1st to the 4th of May 2008. After two years of dwindling competitors, with 27 yachts on the water in 2006 and 22 yachts in 2007, the Giza group of Companies stepped up as a late sponsor and injected much needed financial comfort into a regatta that was in serious danger of being renamed the ABYC Weak.

And the numbers show the difference that can be done by a committed sponsor and enthusiastic organising committee. In total there were 41 boats and 221 sailors on the water. The Pacer 27 class committed seven of their yachts to attending the Giza Challenge and held their East Cape Provincials, sponsored by Harveys Composites as part of the Giza Challenge Regatta as well, duking it out with the rest of the ABYC Class 1 fleet with a local PHRF handicap of 1.028.

The fleet were divided into three Classes; One, Two and Three. Seven Pacer 27 yachts sailed in Class One and contested their East Cape Provincials. Five IRC certified yachts sailed for IRC Honours in Class One. The Notice of Race also allowed for classes of four or more yachts to sail for class honours. In Class Three the Sadler 32 and Spirit 28's qualified for separate class status with four Sadlers and five Spirits taking part.

The Pacer 27's caused quite a stir and visual impact as they bobbed in the moorings closest to the club, with old cruising salts shaking their heads and looked for a stove, en-suite heads, teak finish and cruising comforts and came up empty handed, whilst young dinghy sailors looked upon the Pacer with naked lust in their eyes pleading with Dad to stump up the cash for one. Local Algoa Bay Yacht Club junior sailors, Philip Straton, Scott Stephens, Michael Collier, Thomas Ochabski and Luke Mann were the lucky sailors chosen to sail with Chris Frost from Durban on the Pacer factory boat, Pacer 3, managing a second as their highest race placing in the series and fifth overall in the Pacer Class.

MORE GIZA Challenge Photos Photo: Leon Hugo

Racing was scheduled to start midway through Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. and all the yachts left the harbour just after 9:00 for the race area. A serious lack of wind resulted in the entire fleet bobbing whilst we waited for the North Easterly to settle, a wind shift to the South at 12:30 p.m. and Race Officer Brian Reynolds sent Ronnie Baer and his mark laying team haring across Algoa Bay to lay the top and bottom marks for the first race of the Giza Challenge 2008. The slightly port biased line was set, the Class One preparatory and Course One flags hoisted and the fleet set off in a 6 to 8 knot East for the top mark. Class One had to do four laps of the Windward Leeward Course, Class Two three laps and Class Three two laps. The long beats and runs were ideal for Phil Gutsche's 60 foot Simonis, Warrior as the tall 'block of flats' made it's purposeful way through the fleet and lapped every other Class One competitor to complete the course in an elapsed time of 1 hour 30 minutes and thirty six seconds. The last Class One yacht to complete the course took two hours thirty five minutes and forty two seconds.

Close racing was the order of the day as the J27's; Just in Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE) and Jouster (Richard RATH) were out to accept the challenge to see just which yacht out of the J27 and Pacer 27 class is 'top dog', thrown down by Andrew Heathcote on Pacer 1. In Class Three, the Sadler 32's made a magnificent sight as they battled in close competition on the runs.

Race 1 Results:

Class One:
1st - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
2nd - Pacer 1 (Andrew HEATHCOTE, Pacer 27)
3rd - Chinook (Bill LEE, Farr 38)

Class Two:
1st - After Dark (Jessica LENZ, J22)
2nd - Duette (Kerry BONNAGE, Flamenca)
3rd - Adamo (Steve ARNOLD, Van Der Stadt 34)

Class Three:
1st - Skybird (Josef SCHABLE, Cape 28)
2nd - Sea Mole (Anton HAUTMANN, Sadler 32)
3rd - Take Six (Doug STANNARD, Holiday 34)

The wind was predicted to be light and fluky on Friday and not many sailors expected to have to sail at all and were seen to be tucking into the Old Brown and pasta, compliments of Giza with great gusto followed by large amounts of liquid refreshments disappearing rapidly down thirsty throats. Friday morning started with not even a cats paw on the surface of the bay and dire predictions of waiting around in vain for the wind to come up. Then the North East came up and seemed to be settling in. Normally the North East blows for around ninety minutes and then does a rapid swing to the West to blow really hard or back to the South for a strong steady blow. Brian Reynolds made the decision to start Race number two at 12:55 p.m. with the wind in the North East betting against the wind swinging significantly and was proven to have the right stuff as we set off on another windward leeward course with no significant wind shifts.

Warrior seemed a bit off the pace as elapsed time difference between her and the last yacht over the line was reduced to thirty five minutes on a much shorter course.

In Class Two Jessica Lenz on After Dark continued with her second first of the series completing the course in one hour twenty six minutes and twenty one seconds, followed four minutes and sixteen seconds later by Rob Smith on his 30 foot Muira, Tikalox II.

With time in hand Brian Reynolds, elected to start one more race and the third of the series at 3:57 p.m. Friday evening's results took longer than normal to be processed as the protest committee dealt with five protests from the day's racing

Race 2 Results:

Class One:
1st - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
2nd - Jouster (Richard RATH, J27)
3rd - Pacer 1 (Andrew HEATHCOTE, Pacer 27)

Class Two:
1st - After Dark (Jessica LENZ, J22)
2nd - Tikalox II (Rob SMITH, Muira)
3rd - Adamo (Steve ARNOLD, Van Der Stadt 34)

Class Three:
1st - Sea Mole (Anton HAUTMANN, Sadler 32)
2nd - Skybird (Josef SCHABLE, Cape 28)
3rd - Malgas (Pietro BOCCHI, L34)

Race 3 Results:

Class One:
1st - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
2nd - Jouster (Richard RATH, J27)
3rd - Chinook (Bill LEE, Farr 38)

Class Two:
1st - After Dark (Jessica LENZ, J22)
2nd - Tikalox II (Rob SMITH, Muira)
3rd - Adamo (Steve ARNOLD, Van Der Stadt 34)

Class Three:
1st - Sea Mole (Anton HAUTMANN, Sadler 32)
2nd - Skybird (Josef SCHABLE, Cape 28)
3rd - Lady (Eugene LOMBARD, Harry LAMPRECHT, Astove 30)

Saturday's racing only got underway at 1:06 p.m. after the fleet motor sailed out into the bay at 11:30 a.m. With the fleet sailing for Race number four to constitute the regatta Brian Reynolds elected to sail a windward leeward course in the light easterly wind.

Simon Baer on his newly acquired Benetau First Eight, La Chevalier, had his best result of the Giza Challenge and he sailed to third place in the flat sea and 8 knots of wind. We have seen in the past that La Chevalier is almost impossible to beat in such conditions.

Race 4 Results:

Class One:
1st - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
2nd - Jouster (Richard RATH, J27)
3rd - La Chevalier (Simon BAER, Benetau First Eight)

Class Two:
1st - Tikalox II (Rob SMITH, Muira)
2nd - Duette (Kerry BONNAGE, Flamenca)
3rd - Adamo (Steve ARNOLD, Van Der Stadt 34)

Class Three:
1st - Skybird (Josef SCHABLE, Cape 28)
2nd - Charisma (A. PSOAROUDAKES, Flamenca)
3rd - Starshine (Tony WELLINGTON, Holiday 34)

MORE GIZA Challenge Photos Photo: Leon Hugo

An early start on Sunday in a rising west which was predicted to go to 28 knots in the afternoon presented competitors with different conditions to the previous three days and the first of the triangular courses was laid with the windward mark close inshore between Happy Valley and Kings Beach, the tight reach mark off of Shark Rock Pier and the bottom mark well off to the east.

Most of the yachts in Class One opted for smaller jibs and no reef in the main and we set off in 14 knot rising westerly. The first reach was very tight with even the asymmetric Pacers struggling to hold their course. At the reach mark, Chris Frost and his young crew took the prize for the most successive broaches in the least time. Teak reef talk after racing put it at six broaches in a row. On the last of the triangle reaches Graham Wentworth on another Pacer, Unmatched, had a lesson in broaching as well, and then proceeded to entertain the passing sailors with many hand signals and a final clout to the tiller extension as his struggling crew forced his Pacer in circles over a submerged spinnaker. Not too many comments were passed, though, as most crews realised that they were also sailing on the edge and liable to the same form of treatment from a fast freshening westerly.

Harry Brehm, on Pacer Two, fresh from the experience of a dismasting and taming of the 28 knot Cape winds, revelled in the harder conditions and sailed to his first win on elapsed time in the Class One fleet, breaking Andrew Ward on Just In Time's row of bullets by finishing nine minutes ahead on elapsed time and seven minutes ahead over the line. Prize of the race had to go to Cooking who broached right after finishing.

Race 5 Results:

Class One:
1st - Pacer Two (Harry BREHM, Pacer 27)
2nd - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
3rd - Chinook (Bill LEE, Farr 38)

Class Two:
1st - After Dark (Jessica LENZ, J22)
2nd - Tikalox II (Rob SMITH, Muira)
3rd - Adamo (Steve ARNOLD, Van Der Stadt 34)

Class Three:
1st - Skybird (Josef SCHABLE, Cape 28)
2nd - Sea Mole (Anton HAUTMANN, Sadler 32)
3rd - Lady (Eugene LOMBARD, Harry LAMPRECHT, Astove 30)

The westerly increased to over 25 knots and Brian Reynolds kept the fleet out eventually choosing the sausage windward leeward course for the last race of the Giza Challenge and sent the first of the fleet off at 12:51 p.m. More fun and games with 20 of the 41 competitors deciding that discretion was the better part of valour and opting for a Did Not Compete (DNC) result rather than breaking more equipment.

Reported Breakages were; Cooking (Gavin Stephens) a main sheet block that went flying on the third lap, torn Number Two jib and lost batten, Warrior (Phil Gutsche) - a broken Spinnaker Pole, Chinook (Bill Lee) - a broken Spinnaker Pole. Chinook Bowman, Bevan Galloway said; "I was getting ready to get the spinnaker down and gather through the fore hatch when I heard an 'explosion' and, looking up saw the jagged end of the spinnaker pole pointing down at my head."

Race number Six proved to be the quickest race of the series with Phil Gutsche from Warrior remarking, "We were covering the downwind runs in around six minutes which certainly didn't give the six crewman in charge of bagging and wooling our spinnaker time to complete the job."

Race 6 Results:

Class One:
1st - Pacer Two (Harry BREHM, Pacer 27)
2nd - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
3rd - Chinook (Bill LEE, Farr 38)

Class Two:
1st - After Dark (Jessica LENZ, J22)
2nd - Tikalox II (Rob SMITH, Muira)
3rd - Adamo (Steve ARNOLD, Van Der Stadt 34)

Class Three:
1st - Sea Mole (Anton HAUTMANN, Sadler 32)
2nd - Skybird (Josef SCHABLE, Cape 28)
3rd - Lady (Eugene LOMBARD, Harry LAMPRECHT, Astove 30)

Weary crews made their way back to the Algoa Bay Yacht Club for prizegiving. At the prizegiving the Supersport Crew, who had been filming the entire regatta warmed the sailors up with a short first edit DVD of the last four days sailing, the normal thank yous were given to the race committee, Mark layers, organising committee and generous sponsors, Giza and the serious prizes handed out.

GIZA Challenge 2008 Final Results:

Class One:
1st - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
2nd - Jouster (Richard RATH, J27)
3rd - Chinook (Bill LEE, Farr 38)

Class Two:
1st - After Dark (Jessica LENZ, J22)
2nd - Tikalox II (Rob SMITH, Muira)
3rd - Adamo (Steve ARNOLD, Van Der Stadt 34)

Class Three:
1st - Sea Mole (Anton HAUTMANN, Sadler 32)
2nd - Skybird (Josef SCHABLE, Cape 28)
3rd - Lady (Eugene LOMBARD, Harry LAMPRECHT, Astove 30)

Harvey Composites Pacer 27 East Cape Provincials:
1st - Pacer Two (Harry BREHM)
2nd - Pacer One (Andrew HEATHCOTE)
3rd - Wild Thing (Russel MORGAN)

GIZA Challenge IRC Results: (Five yachts in total):
1st - Just In Time (Andrew WARD / Justin ONVLEE, J27)
2nd - Chinook (Bill LEE, Farr 38)
3rd - Pacer Two (Harry BREHM, Pacer 27)
4th - Warrior (Phil GUTSCHE, Simonis 60)
5th - Felix the Cat (Andrew WENTWORTH, Pacer 27)

Sadler Class:
1st - Sea Mole (Anton HAUTMANN)
2nd - Talisker (Iain BANCROFT)
3rd - Bee Haven (Kevin EVANS)

Spirit Class:
1st - Whisper (Tim LIPPSTREU)
2nd - Free Spirit (Mike ROBINSON)
3rd - High Spirit (Greg OCHABSKI)

Danny Tenner, CEO of the Giza group of companies showed what a committed sponsor can do to help raise the profile of sailing as well as gaining good exposure for his own business, promised to be back bigger and better next year with a target of 80 yachts on the start line.

The GIZA Challenge attracted some big names in sailing which included America's Cup Shosholoza team member David Rae, sailing on Warrior and Gary Sindler whose crewed with Mark Sadler in the J22 that won the 2008 J22 World Championships in Durban this year. Sailing with Simon Baer on La Chevalier was the Commodore of the Hoo Ness Yacht Club in England, Richard Cassem, who remarked; "I have sailed in many prestigious regattas, and the Giza Challenge and ABYC beat them all hands down for the friendliness of the sailors and sailing conditions." Also sailing on La Chevalier was the South African Sailing (SAS) president, Rob Mc Crystal who had a great time adding to the meat on the rail.

Dave Claxton, the builder of the Pacer 27 Yacht, said the following about Port Elizabeth and ABYC; "Their sailing waters have to be the best of all coastal venues, bar NONE."

One of the seminal moments of the Giza Challenge for me was watching Graham Wentworth on Ummatched, a Pacer 27, lose his spinnaker and then seeing his crew get it all wrong and force Unmatched to sail around the spinnaker under the boat.

The hand signals followed by a swing at the tiller extension by Graham were priceless.

Please read Graham's comments with that in mind:

Thanks to all for the regatta. My performance was somewhat entertaining and I am considering entering the non spinnaker class from now on. I thought I would share my thoughts about the regatta .

Thanks to all for a great regatta. Well done.

Received this note in the post from Struan:

Dear Alan

The crew of Struan would like to extend their thanks for a most enjoyable regatta.

The racing was great! and the fare ashore equally so. Although a little sore and weary this Monday.

I am sure that Struan will back next year.

Please pass out thanks onto the Sponsors, Giza, all involved in the organising and all who helped to put this regatta on the water.

Yours in sailing

STRUAN
1198

The Giza Challenge is being sailed from the 1st to the 4th of May 2008. Registration starts on Sunday the 27th April - why don't you make a day of it and come down for Breakfast before you register to sail?

The following is a breakdown of the activities:

Wednesday 30th April:
Opening Ceremony for approximately 300 sailors and invited guests. Food platters will be provided.

Thursday 1st May:
Breakfast will be available consisting of a Breakfast roll wiff egg and bacon (R15.00) or sausage, egg and toast with orange juice and coffee. A full breakfast @ R30.00 will also be available.
The normal Chartroom Lunch menu.
Dinner: Italian night. 3 x pasta with rolls and salad @ R32.00 per head.

Friday 2nd May:
Breakfast as above.
The normal Chartroom Lunch menu.
Dinner: Braai @ R35.00 per head with salad, rolls and braai pack.

Saturday 3rd May:
Breakfast as above.
The normal Chartroom Lunch menu.
Dinner: Fish, chips, salad and roll @ R32.00 per head.

Sunday 4th May:
Breakfast as above
The normal Chartroom Lunch menu.

Available from the 1st to 4th May:

* Toasted sandwiches available from the restaurant between 3:00 pm and 6:00pm R12.00

** Lunch packs available from the restaurant R30.00 to be ordered and paid for the day before.( 2 x rolls, juice, chocolate and fruit.)

*** Additional meals (non sailors) to be ordered and paid for the day before.

The Interclub Regatta weekend of the 27th and 28th April promises to be one full of activity with many dinghies sailing creating a spectacle for the Teak Reefers, Lunch Girls and General Layabouts better suited to talking about sailing rather that actually sailing. Now who said we weren't all things to all people?

The program as follows:

Friday evening: Restaurant open

Saturday morning: Breakfast-roll/egg/bacon(R15) or sausage/egg/toast with orange juice and coffee.

Saturday lunch: Lunch menu

Saturday evening: Spit braai (arranged by P. Stunden - please book in advance)

Sunday morning: As above

Sunday lunch: As above

Sunday evening: Lunch menu available AND the 27Dinner

Monday morning: As above

Monday lunch: As above

Monday evening: Lunch menu available

* On Saturday and Sunday toasted sandwiches will be served from the restaurant at R12 between hours 3pm-6pm.

** Camping on the lawn is available

*** The Car Park will be cleared for boat

Notice of Race and Entry Form HERE

A bunch of geeks and media people will be having their 27Dinner at ABYC on Sunday evening as well.

With the Giza Challenge a scant 10 days away it is time to get sailing fit. These tips and exercises come to you with compliments of the Scuttlebutt Blog with a nod to Derek for sending me the link:

* Sit on a bench with large metal fixtures cutting into your legs, stare straight up into the sun for 2 hours - for a more robust workout: invite 4 friends to come over and yell at you the whole time

* Go out and get very drunk, sleep 4 hours, then stand on a rocking chair for 6 hours.

* Go to bank and withdraw as much cash as you can - then set it on fire

* Sit in front of a commercial fan and have someone throw large buckets of salt water on you

* Cut limb off nearby tree, tie ropes to it, stand on rocking chair with tree limb and ropes - hold them over your head for 3 hours...at 5 minute intervals drop on your head - more robust version: have friends yell at you in 6 minute intervals

* Pour cold water in your lap and give yourself a wedgie, now alternate between sitting and running around bent over

* Tie ropes between 2 trees and sit on a hard barstool tipping yourself into the ropes and balance - push your body against them as hard as you can for 6 consecutive hours - don't stop for pain or bruising until the pins and needles in your feet make it impossible for you to walk.

* Nail wooden blocks covered in rough grade sandpaper to your stair make sure the sandpaper is wet , crawl up and down on your knees in shorts for several hours making sure to catch your fingers under the stair rods and smash your knees into the banisters

* Make 12 sandwiches on white bread with bad meat and margarine cram them into a plastic bag, sprinkle with sea water- eat one a day for 12 consecutive days ... make sure the last one is peanut butter and jam.

* Tie rope to rear bumper of friend's car, hold on tightly, but allow rope to slip through fingers as car drives away - TIP: works best with nylon.

* Upon completion of above sit down and drink 24 Mount Gay Rums and tell your non-sailing friends what a fantastic sport it is.

ADD YOUR exercises in the comments section.

GIZA Challenge 2008 NOR

With a challenge put out to other Yacht Clubs for this years race, The Intelegence Telecoms 2008 managed to attract a field of a total of 12 yachts, this being two entries up from last years race. 3 were from Port Elizabeth’s Algoa Bay Yacht Club, 1 from Arena Quays, 1 from East London Yacht Club and 7 from Buffalo River Yacht Club

Again all the skippers and crew were enthusiastic, making it a pleasure for the race committee to organise.

The Skippers briefing and sponsored evening for crews and their families, the NSRI, East London Yacht Club helpers, and Team Sponsors was held at the Buffalo River Yacht Club on the Friday evening, with welcome bags being handed out to the Skippers of the Yachts. Slaley Cellars kindly donated additional Sponsorship towards prizes and welcome packs with a very generous sponsorship of a selection of really top class wines. The Fish River Sun kindly donated a weekend getaway to one of the winners, and Automall in East London donated a whole lot of goodies and bags for the goodies.

Team Sponsorship of R500,00 plus T shirts for the crews of each yacht entered into the race, was sold by the Yachts to companies, all this money was then donated to the local NSRI, this year we managed to Raise R6000.00 from these sponsors. As well as Proceeds from raffling a Magnum of Slaley Merlot, kindly donated for the purpose.

THE RACE

The Start line laid off East London’s Esplanade, with the first marker buoy to windward, off Eastern Beach, the yachts then were to round the Ports Eastern Pier, and choose their own courses to Port Elizabeth with the finish line between a marker 200m in line with the end of the breakwater and PE’s Port control Tower.

The Race started promptly at 11:00 am in a approximately 10+ knot Easterly with Warrior from ABYC rounding the mark first, closely followed by Fleur from ELYC and Warrior from BRYC.

This 10 knot wind was not to last too long, and as the morning progressed into afternoon the wind died steadily, although the initial predictions of weather for the race were a lot more favourable than the 2007 race, this proved to be incorrect. This years race was plagued by not strong winds and rough seas, but rather very light winds and almost glossy doldrums seas, not Easterlies chasing the yachts on a fast downwind slalom run, but a slow and tiresome Westerly that the yachts had to beat into. This made the race far more tactical with some yachts choosing to go far offshore looking for a bit of wind and the fast flowing Augulus current, others choosing an inshore route hoping for a land and sea breeze to help them on their way.

During the night of almost windless conditions both inshore and offshore the majority of the fleet started to retire one by one until only four of the initial eleven of the starting yachts remained. Warrior PE, Warrior EL, and Fleur contending for the handicap mono-hull class, and Moments the only single handed entrant remaining.

Occasional relief came to the remaining yachts by means of squalls offshore, on the route that they had taken, with winds picking up briefly to around 18 knots combined with lightening streaked cloudy skies and torrential rain, soaking the crews to the bone.

As dawn broke Warrior PE was in the close vicinity of Bird Island, with Warrior EL and Fleur within sight of one another 10 to 15 miles behind, and Moments trailing a short distance astern of them.

Saturday mornings wind picked up slightly with a 5 to 6 knot Easterly, and saw the three leading yachts round Bird Island and take the inshore route around Algoa Bay.

Warrior crossed the finish line at 11 hours 43 minutes and 8 seconds winning Line Honours in just 24 hours 43 minutes and 8 seconds.

By 2 p.m. the wind shifted to the South East and picked up slightly, and Moments decided to cut directly across the Bay, now trailing 11 to 12 miles behind Warrior EL and Fleur. Fleur crossed the line at 18:17 just as the wind died, and Warrior struggled in the windless conditions, finally crossing the line at 18:40, managing to take the Handicap Honours. Moments then drifted throughout the night, beating against a light 2-3 knot Easterly and limped in at 6:55 on Monday morning in the very light conditions.

The feeling from all the yachts and crews that finished the race was, despite the race being exhausting both physically and mentally due to the light frustrating conditions, it was great fun, and a well-run event.

Prize giving will be held at the Giza Challenge ABYC Week.

The Organizers of the Race would like to thank:

East London Yacht Club for their help laying the Start Line and first mark, and manning the Start.

ABYC for the welcome on Arrival and the laying of the finish marker and especially Alan Straton for the interest he generated in the race from PE.

The Daily Dispatch for their excellent coverage of this event, with hope through this, our sport can grow in the Eastern Cape.

Intelegence Telecoms, for making the race possible, through their keen sponsorship.

Slaley Wines for their generous donation of fine wines as prizes and welcome packs and to raffle off in order for us to Raise Funds for the NSRI.

Fish River Sun for their donation of accommodation for a weekend away to one of the winning yachts at their luxurious hotel.

All the Team sponsors of R500.00 to the NSRI and T-shirts to the yachts crews, this year we raised R6000.00. THANK YOU.

The NSRI, for keeping track of the race by taking positions of the yachts every few hours.

Final Results:

1st: Warrior East London, L34, Chris Church
2nd: Warrior Port Elizabeth, Simonis 60, Phil Gutsche
3rd: Fleur, Farr 38, Mike Ross

The Interclub Dinghy Regatta takes place on the 26th and 27th April. Entry fees are; R50.00 single and R75.00 double.

On the 26th April Phil has planned a Spit Braai - R60.00 gets you the ticket to carnivore heaven with a bit of Rabbit food on the side.

We are trying out a new solo artist as well, Mary K. Mary K. is sure to appeal to the younger of the greybeards at ABYC.

Please confirm your attendance at the Spitbraai at the ABYC Office or phone Anna on 041 585 4058 to book.

Download the Interclub NOR and Entry Form HERE

ABYC Week, become Isuzu Challenge, then ABYC Week, then this year we had a number of incarnations; 'The Spirit of Giza Regatta', 'Giza Technologies ABYC Week' and finally 'GIZA CHALLENGE'.

Be that as it may, the 1st to th 4th of May will be full of great sailing fun, highs and lows as we take part in the GIZA Challenge.

The CHALLENGE now is to get the moorings empty on every single day of our long weekend. I remember the days when the moorings at ABYC were 80% empty every day that we sailed ABYC week. It is time that we put a little effort back into our sailing and completely emptied the moorings for the GIZA Challenge.

So far we can confirm:

The Pacer 27 Class is confirmed.
The Sadlers are almost confirmed as a class.
A Melges 24 will make it's appearance.
We have enough boats for an IRC Class.
Subsidised / Free Entertainment and meals have been organised for every night.
The opening will be held on Wednesday night 30 April
Registration will take place on 27 April and Wednesday 30 April.
A photographer has been employed to take photographs which will be distributed to each boat.
Supersport will be filming the event.
Danny will organise a helicopter for the photographers and film crew.
T-Shirts, plaques and prizes will be given away.
For an entry fee of R350.00 the photographs are worth the cost - you cannot lose.

WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION - it is not only about racing but about the JOY of sailing and taking part in ABYC's premier regatta.

Make our sponsors, GIZA, proud and let us see EMPTY moorings on each day of sailing.

The Interclub Regatta will be held at the Algoa Bay Yacht club on the 26th and 27th of April 2008. Monday the 28th is a public holiday.

The Interclub Regatta is an all classes event traditionally sailed between ABYC, Knysna Yacht Club, George Lakes Yacht Club, Mossel Bay Yacht Club and Redhouse Yacht Club. Entries are invited from all dinghies for this popular event.

The last Interclub Regatta was won by Redhouse (incorporating ABYC).

Entry fees are:

1. Single Handed: R50.00
2. Double Handed: R75.00
3. Single Handed Juniors: R30.00 (Under 15)

Sunday the 27th is also registration day for the Giza Regatta which takes place from the 1st to the 4th of May 2008.

Download: Notice of Race
Entry Form

As the tension mounts in anticipation of the start of the East London to Port Elizabeth race we seem to see that chances of Warrior completing the 134 nautical mile dash in less than 10 hours fading with the wind.

All is set for the race start, except that Wattoo had an unexpected setback and had to return to Port Elizabeth after clearing Bird Island on Wednesday evening. Can I hear someone grumbling about postponing the Great Circle only for Wattoo now being a waste of time? Sod Off, you.

The East London Daily Dispatch newspaper has got some good coverage of the race in todays edition - SEE HERE.

This Wednesday Evening Sail is sponsored by Proline Computers. Johan can always be relied upon to promote sailing and ABYC in a BIG way whenever Proline sponsors an event.

Indications are that Johan will have in 101 guests attending and he will be looking for berths for 92.

This is a small heartfelt PLEA for as many boat owners as possible to make space available on their boats to accommodate Johan's Guests.

Proline have hired the band The Tom Boys to play on into the wee hours of the morning so we are expecting a fitting finish to HUMP DAY.

Please mail Johan or Myself with numbers that you are able to accommodate on Wednesday evening or let us know in the COMMENTS section below.

Predictions for this years race range from 10 to 14 hours for the first boat to cross the finish line.

So far a total of eleven boats have entered with hopes for two late entries by Friday.

The race starts at 10:00 a.m. in East London on Saturday the 12th of April and most people are touting Warrior as the line honours winner.

The finish line will be between the end of the breakwater and a mark approximately 200 metres to seaward.

One of the EIGHT Pacer 27's that will be sailing in the Giza Technologies ABYC Week, Unmatched, sailed by Graham Wentworth is also taking part in the East London to Port Elizabeth race.

Make the time and come and greet the crews as they arrive from East London at ABYC.

In the past the crew's race was a little slow jaunt to some navigational point and back.

In light of the fact that we have ONLY this weekend available to the racing fleet and that, in my humble opinion, we ALL need to understand the round the cans racing in the build up to the Giza Technologies ABYC Week from the 1st to the 4th of May.......

This weekends Crews Racing will be a full weekend of racing, starting on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and again on Sunday at 10:00 p.m.

Maybe if your crew get to see THEIR positions from the perspective of 'behind the management line' we will assist them in becoming a more understanding and far better team.

ANYONE WANT TO OFFER THEIR YACHT AS START / FINISH BOAT? Please contact ALAN NOW.

I have had a request from the present holders of the Great Circle Trophy to postpone this race to the weekend of the 19th of April 2008.

The present holders of the Great Circle Race trophy will be sailing the East London to Port Elizabeth race on the 12th and desperately want the opportunity to defend their trophy.

My personal feeling is to grant them their wish.

If you feel vehemently opposed to the moving of the Great Circle Race to the weekend of the 19th of April then please voice your objection in the comments section below.

A final decision will be taken this Friday.

ABYC Week 2008 has now got a generous sponsor, Giza Technologies have stepped up and offered to sponsor ABYC Week 2008.

Thanks Danny and may all your problems be manageable projects......

More good news for ABYC Week is that the Pacers will be holding their provincials at the same time and there is a possibility of eight Pacer 27's attending.

Signal your intention of taking part in the Giza Technologies ABYC Week by signing the 'entry form' on the notice board outside the bar.

Last night's Wednesday Evening Sail, sponsored by Arnschell Hydraulics was BIG in more ways than one. With a predicted wind speed of 18 knots we had many boat owners down at ABYC expecting a pleasant sail. Most of the guests were accommodated on Warrior with a few of the die hard adrenaline junkies on the smaller boats. When Sean explained to a group of guests that it was expected to be wet and a little bit rough, four of the male guests willingly gave up their berths in favour of their wives who joined Cooking for a sail.

Now, at the best of times, Cooking is a wet boat well known for dishing out a bit of adrenaline and getting people wet. After all, what is a good sail if you can't go fast and the spinnaker looks so much better with a belly full of 30 knots as opposed to listlessly hanging from the halyards in 5 knots!

The normal Wednesday Evening start line was manned by Ronnie and Glynis and most boats elected to proceed out of the harbour with only a jib up. Much debate on Cooking saw us choose to eschew the main and stick with the number 3 in the rapidly increasing wind. The only hard core boat that went out with main and jib was Chinook. Much to Young Bill's disappointment, in a war between main sail and wind, the wind came out eventual winner and tore Chinook's mainsail.

Leaving the harbour precincts was pleasant enough until around 500 metres out with a little bit of surfing on the waves marching OUT from the land toward the open sea. Port Elizabeth's famous North Wester made it's appearance and the wind speed rapidly increased - great fun if you are used to sailing and are prepared to get wet with the right gear on, not such great fun if your impressions of sailing are gently chortling along in a mild breeze and sunshine with a gin and tonic in hand served by an impressively half naked serving person, the gender of your choice.

With the wind rapidly increasing to what some measured as 47 knots in the harbour it was time we thought to tack and make our way back to the harbour. Owing to the relative inexperience of our guests our first change in direction was a gybe - just to get people used to moving to the windward side on the boat. The gybe was not too shabby with everyone eventually assuming the pie on the rail position.

Now we were beating against the waves and starting to become thoroughly soaked, even Gavin at the stick rapidly assumed the 'standing in a shower' look despite being shielded by five people ahead of him. Then the time came for the tack and, adrenaline time for all on board - a combination of crew not moving quick enough to the windward side and a stalled sheet put Cooking on her side. Megan was holding on for dear life and shielding guests from falling further into the water whilst we were stalled, on our side, dead in the water. A quick tug to release the sheet and we slowly righted the boat with people scrambling onto the windward side. What an experience for Sean's guests to take home.

Will they come again? One guest, the only one to have brought a change of clothes with, indicated that she would love to come again. The only problem is that further sailing has been dulled down for her as evenings like last night come around far too little. The other three guests rapidly exited and raced home to get into dry clothes and back to the club to enjoy the fine hospitality laid on by Arnschell Hydraulics.

I think the next order of business is to organise a whole set of T-Shirts for the guests on Cooking that says; "I Survived 47 Knots" - something that many of our sailors will be just a teensy bit jealous of.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Algoa Bay Week 2008:

Post your willingness to crew and your crew requests in the feedback / comments section please.

ABYC Week 2008 NOR

Confirmed entries from the Pacer 27 class are Wild Thing Russel Morgan), Felix the Cat (Ant Wentworth), Unmatched (Graham Wentworth) and the Pacer 27 works boat from Cape Town sailed by Harry Brehm.

Dave Claxton has also offered to trailer down one factory boat himself as well as make another factory boat available for anyone else who would like to trailer that boat down. These Pacer 27 factory boats will be made available to APPROVED skippers and crew.

Apply for your chance to sail the Pacer 27 at ABYC Week 2008, through Russel Morgan - 082 253 5483.

Post your willingness to crew and your crew requests in the feedback / comments section please.

ABYC Week 2008 NOR

The 2008 Algoa Bay Week takes place from the 1st to the 4th of May 2008. Thursday, the 1st of May is a Public Holiday, so you will just have to take ONE day off of work.

Registration will take place the Sunday before AND the Wednesday evening before.

The NOR has been approved and the Sailing Instructions and Entry Form will be approved shortly.

In the meantime, download the Notice of Race for the 2008 Algoa Bay Week.

Post your willingness to crew and your crew requests in the feedback / comments section please.

ABYC Week 2008 NOR

Foolish, foolish! There’s no other way to describe the process of thinking the worst of a situation without contemplating the obvious. So when you think the VHF has gone on the blink try the on-off button? Instead of taking the panel off getting the multi-meter testing everything that could be tested,” gee everything is live?” Only to have Kenny press the on off button and viola’ on comes the VHF, I felt a fool! a little wiser, but a fool non the less.

Before, Struan, could once again head for where the sky meets the sea, there were once again, as always, a few boat chores, to get her shipshape. The spinnaker winches were making a noise like an ox-wagons after the rain! With trepidation the taking a winch apart without a manual was taken on. Needless to say the fears where groundless as Barbarossa had thought of that, so the process was rather simple and with cleaning and a little go fast, in no time I had the winches “werrring” comfortably.

The water-cooling took a little longer but through the process of elimination and a lot of starting the engine, running down to see if the water was being pumped, and then running to the tell tale to see if the water was running? The problems areas were sorted out and once again we have water flowing through the interchanger. memo to self “Never ever doubt Kenny!” Yes the Jebsco pump did need a gasket!!!!!!

Struan was once again good to go!

We headed off!! Going no where slowly to that point where the sea meets the sky, only to turn around and head for home. With cold beers on the deck and friendly banter, another Sunday well spent! Going nowhere slowly! Mission accomplished!!!! Next week we’ll go there again?

Derek Bouwer

Maybe next week Struan will get there. :-)

Sunday the 10th of March saw the staging of the double handed challenge. Seven boats sailed the Harbour - Jaheel - Harbour course; Duette, Skybird, Shady Lady, Cooking, Umbaleki, Jouster and Tikalox. Josef, on Skybird, sailed solo. Along for the ride were Struan, who graciously acted as start boat in the harbour, and Mystic Lady. Phil's representation to be included as a participating boat as "we are four people and promise to only use one hand each" had to be denied, unfortunately.

The start, in line with the normal Wednesday Evening start and the stern of Struan, was in a North Easter of around 8 knots. First out of the start block and in front on one tack the entire way to Jaheel was Cooking reveling in the light conditions. At one stage Cooking was sailing at 7.5 knots in the steady wind of 10 knots which increased to around 14 on the way around Jaheel. The conditions for the trip back were ideal for Umbaleki carrying an asymmetric and we kept on remarking that Wild Thing, a Pacer 27, would have flown if taking part.

Going around Jaheel demanded a bit of thought and cautious sailing for this relatively unfamiliar mark and the site of the new Coega Harbour on the starboard side brought the reality of this immense project closer to home for many of the sailors.

The battle royale between Jouster and Cooking began on the trip back - a tight reach and with the wind predicted to swing more to the South, no chance for either boat to carry a spinnaker. One third of the way back Jouster went below Cooking and took the lead. No amount of sail tweaking, bailing, 'sail placement adjustment down below' or barber hauler tactics were good enough for Cooking to close the gap.

Back towards Jaheel, Umbaleki were making their bid on beating wily campaigner, Rob Smith on Tikalox, and the assymetric made it's appearance as they tried to reel Cooking and Jouster in. With no shipping for the entire day the finish was across the normal Wednesday Evening finish line and Jouster was the first over the line in an elapsed time of 3 hours 8 minutes and 6 seconds, then Cooking in 3 hours 11 minutes and 45 seconds followed by Umbaleki in 3 hours 18 minutes and 50 seconds.

The corrected times show a very close race with 56 seconds separating first and second place, 2 minutes and 2 seconds between second and third places and 2 minutes and 15 seconds separating third and fourth places.

Warren and the Longhair (Sorry Kitty, couldn't resist!) on Shady Lady did themselves proud with Kitty's first double handed. AND, they were talking to each other when they got back ........... Often this type of sailing can make or break a relationship, so; "Good on yer, guys, well done"

Now about those 56 seconds separating first and second place: Based on past performance, isn't it time that we had a long hard look at the handicaps?

Full Results: CLICK HERE for Double Handed 2008

The calls were made, the crew is ready, the last minute problem, “damn that kill switch”, is attended too with a little oil going a long way. Now safe in the knowledge that once you’ve started the donk, once the sails are set you can actually silence the beast and slowly succumb to the silence of the sea.

The crackle of Port control allows you to be where you want to be, “out there!”

Sails set and once again Struan does what she was born to do, wooed by the wind and caressed by the sea she heels ever so slightly and sails.
With the easterly still in its infancy, the boat, nudges you to a direction, “so where are we going?” “over there!” the reply and the hand describes an arc where between sky and sea your destination lies.
Minds wander as hand make small adjustments to the boats yearnings as she responds to wind and sea, cares fall away, thoughts find homes in you head, the sun warms you to relax.

The murmur and talk with comments and laughter pertaining to nothing while yarns are spun and retold. Boats are identified or just remain a mystery until they’re closer. Somehow at a gentle 4 knots there is no place for anger, coffee and bread rolls come up from below and somehow taste better then when had at home.

The horizon comes closer while the shore falls away, lost in the haze of the city. “Shall we go with the spinnaker?” Question asked, decided upon and there is the activity of getting ready, lines are run halyards are tugged and pulled. Struan bears off and up she goes, filled sails are furled, the main eased and the wind appears to die? all is still, except for the motion of the boat, the wake disappearing to vanishing point and the gurgling 4.5 knots makes down the hull. With the only sound being, the playing of the sheet, as the trimmer coaxes the big bag to fly.

We’ve turned at our point out there! land’s getting bigger, passing fishing boats and the bell buoy, soon! all too soon! “I think we should dump the spinnaker”. Feverish activity in the cockpit, on the foredeck and the big sail disappears as if swallowed by the forepeak hatch.

Once again port control welcomes us to Port Elizabeth, sails are furled, and the motor coughs under water in the props wash. Struan nose’s into her berth and once again restrained to land, tugging to the call of the sea.

Banter and cold beers as to “where did you go?” “We went there” once again the hand indicates that point where the sea meets the sky. Knowing next week we’ll be going there again! The art of going nowhere slowly is born.

Derek Bouwer

This years Scimitar Cup was sailed over two weekends - the 2nd and 3rd of February and 1st and 2nd of March 2008.

The first day's racing took place in a strong South Easter with a large swell. Brian Reynolds and Harry Lamprecht on the committee boat, Lady had a hard time getting their pick to settle and had to reset the line and pin a number of times. The course was windward- leeward and made all the more difficult as the top mark was a smaller buoy which was difficult to spot in the conditions. Two boats OCS and breakages on Wild Thing whittled the fleet down even further. A course length of two hours ensured that the sailing was hard, wet and tiring. Back on Lady, Harry and Brian had a trying time keeping the mark laying duck under control and tethered, as the duck had a mind of it's own successfully breaking loose and trying to make friends with a passing fishing boat. Young David Moorcroft on Wild Thing made a fine job of playing 'Rescue Ranger' and flung himself into the water to return the duck to it's rightful place.

A sponsored braai and music followed a long and tiring day for the sailors.

Sunday, dawned with 30 to 40 knots of howling west and it was prudently decided to can the racing for the day.

The second weekend and day three and four of racing were quite the opposite. Fine weather, flattish seas, sunshine and great sailing. Eugen Lombard, Tian and Lesley Webber did the committee boat honours on Saturday afternoon and Eugene and Lesley again on Sunday.

Saturday's course was again a windward leeward, but with a twist.The pin and committee boat were designated as bottom marks of the course as a gate, the top mark was set slightly off to try and give the assymetric boats a bit of a reach and boats were allowed to pass through the gate and round either mark. A variation on the America's Cup course. The 8 to 10 knot South East wind moved to the East and failed to give the expected tight reach. A shortish course was set and the boats went off on a journey that would take them five time around the top mark. Hard work for some boats, like Chinook as the guys on the pointy bit can attest with the shorter than normal beats, two or three spinnaker gybes and the weather drop, as all boats opted to go around the pin, necessitating having to reset the kite on the way up. On Cooking I was drenched in perspiration the second run down and by the time the fifth run came along we were so confused and had made so many mistakes that we never even got the kite up. As we finished the last round the predicted Westerly bluster could be seen marching up the course to engulf the stragglers.

Sunday saw a lot of our amateur weather pros get it all wrong. The predictions were completely contrary ranging from major wind to no wind. In the end we decided to take the fleet out, lay a starting line and get a top mark down later. The wind settled in the East North East and we decided to go racing after setting the top mark just a little to the South as this is the direction that the wind normally swings to after a short time in the North. At least we were right in that assumption and Eugene wisely shortened the course to three rounds when it clocked over to south east.

A little bit of waiting and the settling wind made the Bell Buoy a perfect natural mark for our final race of the day in a fading south east.

It was good to have Sea Mole, Tikalox and Skybird along for the race. Just how does Josef manage to race alone with a spinnaker up and make coffee?

Results

Huh? Read on for the full report from Jenny Zurcher:

At the recent interclub held at the Knysna Yacht Club over the 16th and 17th of February, a good week end was had in wonderful weather for both sailors and campers. Faye, Josh and I left home at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday morning and arrived at the Knysna Yacht Club at 8:00 00 a.m. closely followed by Andrew Bosworth. We tent and started breakfast on the skottle in time to greet the Arnold, Onvlee and Bulter families who had traveled down on Friday afternoon.

Racing started at 13:00 hours after a skippers briefing at 11:00 There were only 9 sailors from Port Elizabeth consisting only of ABYC and RYC members. It was decided that we should join forces and, as the biggest number were Redhouse members (Eds note: Not so sure about the math there Jenny as I count seven ABYC members and seven from nine leaves two Redhouse members!) we would compete as Redhouse, as it would be the only way to have a chance against Knynsa. Mossel Bay joined up with George lakes as their youngsters used George lakes Optimists and O9'r.

Racing got underway at 13:00 hours with 2 races for the Optimists in 3 Groups and 5 races for the Open Class.

A great braai and pleasant evening was had by all afterwards and racing was set for 10:00 hours on Sunday. Sunday was a lovely day and the Open class got two races in around the buoys followed by a long distant race at 14:00 hours. The Optimists did 2 races before lunch and 2 after lunch making it 6 races in all.

Racing finished at 15:00 and the big pack up began for the home ward trip after prize giving. Our group did very well indeed. Joshua Woolard winning the A Optimist Fleet, Patrick Butler getting a 5th place, Sarah Arnold first girl home in the Open Group. Justin Onlvee winning the Open Group. Rob Onvlee 5th in the open group. then came the adding up and details of how the points were worked out. Total number of competitors divided by 3. We had to have 2 DNS in each race to make up the average. SO we thought that was the end of us and George lakes as they also had to have 2 DNS.

The final results were:

3rd: .... George Lakes
2nd: ..... Knynsa.............Screams and shouts.................
1st: Redhouse.

The Team: Rob Onvlee, Justin Onvlee, Steve and Debbie Arnold, Sarah Arnold, Andrew Bosworth, Patrick Butler, Joshua Woolard Trevor Kitson and Ian Gooden.

Are these the kind of scenes we can expect when the Optimist Selections take place out of Algoa Bay Yacht club next month?

Matías Capizzano published a series of stunning photographs of Optimists doing some incredible sailing on the Mar del Plata, Argentina recently.

Click on the thumbnails to see a larger version

Matías Capizzano contact details
Matías Capizzano web site

The Port Elizabeth Daily Photo blog site is one of many around the world that posts a photo of a city a day with a small description.

A couple of weeks ago I invited 'Sam' along to the yacht club for a sail and the opportunity to click her camera to her hearts content.

I see some of those photographs popping up every now and then on the web site and am particularly impressed to see that a photograph of a J27 with the Donkin in the background was selected as the runner up as being an image that best epitomises Port Elizabeth:

Sam says: In trying to decide which photo would depict our city for yesterday's theme, we considered many options. In the end the beach won. But this photo was one we also wanted to use, because the Donkin Reserve is the sort of PE icon image, and can be seen on the hill in the background here (the lighthouse and pyramid). Also because we are a Port, and this shows part of the harbour, and renowned for watersports, thus the yacht.

Now, which J27 is in the picture? Hit the comments link to let us know.

Visit Port Elizabeth Daily Photo HERE

I see that Wild Thing is really throwing out the challenge in the Bell Buoy Dash.

On Sunday the 10th of February 2008, in a favourable North Easter of around 12 knots Russel Morgan and crew on Wild Thing posted a time of 45 minutes and 59 seconds for the dash from the Harbour to the Bell Buoy and back.

Wild Thing have definitely set a time to beat for the monthly R200.00 prize.

What we have been missing in the Sailing Calendar is a decent offshore race and with the return of the East London Port Elizabeth Race, sponsored by Intellegence Telecoms, we have the opportunity to walk the walk and talk the talk, as Eugene Lombard says; "With the East London to Port Elizabeth race around the corner I had a look at my records to try and determine which members have done any serious offshore sailing during the past 3 years. I was a bit disappointed given the amount of talk that happens at the teak reef at any given time."

Aaah the Teak Reef, it has snared many an unwary sailors with it's insidious grasp on dispensing of various cold beverages ensuring that many a sailor becomes one that talks about sailing the deep blue, rather than actually getting his / her wet and blown back.

According to Eugene; "I am sure we have many capable sailors that could air their oilies and do the East London Port Elizabeth race and I challenge them to do so."

For the record, the following is a list of members that have done notable offshore passages over the past 3 years. If we have missed somebody please mail ALAN or Eugene or add your details in the comments section so that we can get the information up to date.

PASSAGES OF MORE THAN 2000 MILES:

Kevern & Tich Evans - Bee Haven; Madagascar and back via Mayotte and Mosambique
Steve Burnell - Bee Haven; Madagascar return passage
Mike van Wyk - Warrior; PE to Mauritius and back
Tony Zurcher - Warrior; PE to Mauritius
Eugene Lombard - Warrior; PE to Mauritius
Dylan Mitchell - Delivery Knysna 44; Knysna to Tahiti
Kerrie Bonage - Gumption; Durban to Mauritius and back
Dave Bilsbury - Sea Flirt; PE to Ascension
Alba Bilsbury - Sea Flirt; PE to Ascension

PASSAGES OF MORE THAN 500 MILES:

Pietro Bocchi - Multiple deliveries as skipper to Durban, Richards Bay and Cape Town
Dave Bilsbury - Gaia; PE to Inhaca and back to EL
Alba Bilsbury - Gaia; PE to Inhaca
Lee Godwin - Wings; PE to Richards Bay
Eugene Lombard - Wings; PE to Richards Bay and back
Gavin Rother - Gumption; PE to Durban; SeaQuell - Zanzibar to PE
Iain Bancroft - Sarah; Durban to PE
Patrick Wilson - Sarah; Durban to PE

OTHER COASTAL PASSAGES:

Mike van Wyk - Warrior; Durban and Cape Town, multiple
Eugene Lombard - Warrior; Unzipped; Shady Lady; Gaia; Durban and Cape Town, multiple
Kerrie Bonage - Warrior; Gumption; Durban and Cape Town, multiple
Dave Bilsbury - Warrior; Durban to PE, Gumption; PE to Cape Town
Mike Robinson - Warrior; Cape Town
Johan Herselman - Warrior; Cape Town
Sean Wiseman - Warrior; Cape Town
Tony Rogers - Warrior; Cape Town
Warren Kritzinger - Shady Lady; Durban to PE
Danie Roos - Shady Lady; Durban to PE
Darryl Garner - Cape Town

Related Link: East London to Port Elizabeth Race

BRYC are putting a lot of effort into promoting the East London to Port Elizabeth Yacht Race starting on Saturday the 12th April 2008 at around 10:00 a.m.

The race this year is once again sponsored by Intelegence Telecoms and is being billed as a feeder race for ABYC week.

I notice too that BRYC have got their web site up and running and the details for this race can be found HERE.

Anyone looking for crew to sail? Let me know and I will ask in the e-mails and in the lead up to the race.

EDIT: Some news from Ian Williams:

Tenacity, a Caribea 30, sailed down Single Handed last week in a practice run and did 21 hours. On handicap I think that would be pretty good so she is dead keen.

I will enter single handed if there are a few more entries.

Are there many single handed sailors in Port Elizabeth? This could be a great opportunity for them to try their hands at a blue water race, albeit a race that takes around 24 hours.

East London holds the honours for last years race, does anyone in Port Elizabeth feel that they could take this away from us? I challenge them to try. Crewed or single handed.

Eds Note: Fighting words and the gloves are off.

The Knysna Interclub will be held on the 16th and 17th of February. The Knysna Yacht Club are planning a fun filled weekend.

Accommodation - Camping will be available on the lawn and the Loft will also be made available.

I have been holding off on this post waiting for Sue and Max to start posting their photographs from the Wednesday Evening sail that took place on the 23rd of January 2008.

With almost perfect conditions of flat sea, a dying south west wind that started at 14 knots, clear skies and just enough warmth to warrant eschewing wet weather gear we had 25 boats on the water.

Wednesday Evening's sail was sponsored by new club member, Zane Zurcher, from Zurchers Electrical (Click on the link to get Zane's contact details, the next time load shedding strikes!).

The tireless Wednesday Committee of two, Darryl and Nigel elected to send us on a little jaunt down the beachfront to the Shark Rock Pier and back.

Duette and Wild Thing were scheduled to do the Bell Bouy dash. Duette have decided that their new 'bowsprit' and 'asymmetrical kite' configuration is the bees knees and the way to ensure that they get the best out of their boat. Unfortunately for them the load on a 'bowsprit', made by lashing a normal spinnaker pole to the bow, is enormous and will lead to breakages. Cest la vie and back to the drawing board for Sean and Kerry as they now need to manufacture a fatter and shorter pole to experiment with. I just wonder what effect this will have on their rating?

Wild Thing were a little late in leaving and didn't do the dash - I believe it was because Russel didn't get his pass signed by the longhair and had to spend time tracking her down to get the forms, allowing him to go sailing, signed in triplicate. Cooking's BWB defected to Wild Thing, apparently "to take better photographs of Cooking". Yea right we believe you girl.

Anyway, Sue and Max run a blog featuring a daily photograph of Port Elizabeth, called, appropriately enough, Port Elizabeth Daily Photo and hitched a ride on Dougie Stannard's Take Six and, as Sue says; "proceeded to take hundreds of photographs". The first of the series has started going up and you can see two examples HERE and HERE. Sue has promised to give me a ring so that I can pop down and get the photos from her for members that may want copies. Stunning photographs and well worth a visit to their blog.

Those of us who were very naughty and made our respective longhairs pace the passages waiting for us to come home after Gavin Stephens birthday celebrations on the 16th of January choose the prudent route of leaving the club at a respectable hour after enjoying a sosatie roll courtesy of Zurchers Electrical.

Recent returnee to the fold, Eugene, apparently took up the cudgels and in a fine display of batting for the home team introduced all and sundry to the Zululand Yacht Club's weapon of choice, the Hand Grenade consisting of various shots of vile alcohol of massive headache inducing proportions. I can only thank my lucky stars that I was safely at home when all this went down!

The ABYC deck was full, Port Elizabeth dished out the best weather ever, happy smiling faces and camaraderie - what more do you want out of a mid week break?

Don't forget:

• Dinghy Racing this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. We start at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.
• Round the cans Scimitar Cup on 2nd and 3rd February 2008.
• THIS IS SAILING on 23rd and 24th February 2008, which is open to the general public.

Sien Joe op die water!

Maybe I should retitle this one to:
"Slow Boat on the Water, the Sock is in the Sky!"
Think about, it, and if you can't work it out we will discuss the meaning over a cold beer at your expense.

Once again Derek Bouwer has come to my rescue and sent an amusing account of Sunday's SLOW BOAT CRUISE, organised by Dave Jackson. (Dankie Dave, en dankie vir die foto's):

SLOW BOAT ON THE WATER

Sunday the 20th of Jan and the slow boat cruise, this was a novel cruise where the fleet had to follow the slowest boat in the fleet of the day. This Honour (Dubious to any red blooded sailor) fell to Maricia, who at the start were right at the back of the fleet having experience difficulties with their roller furler. With "frantic" foredeck action, they got this sorted out and headed for the harbour entrance, The object of the exercise was to stay within 200 meter of the "hare" well in the light airs that prevailed in the harbour entrance this was not a difficult task as the forecasted winds where almost non-existent.

On clearing the harbour entrance this exercise looked like the race for those with no sense of direction as each boat skipper chose a different point of sail. Struan worked slowly until eventually the "hare" was away astern and there was only "Lady" in front (mmm!!! competitive spirit methinks?)
Eds Note: Nope with a genuine racer on board (at least that was what Harry called me!) the temptation to tweak, prod and pull to get the boat going was just too much. PLUS, we had my partner in grime on the MyPE web site, Hilton, and his lovely wife, Debbie along for the ride as well, so the TEMPTATION to sail faster, she was great.

Like they say there is no substitute for waterline length! You do not waste the gentle 12 knots of Southerly breeze so we made our way towards the bell buoy the intention was always to pop the kite, having the requisite crew on board. Preparation where made and we hoisted the "white red & blue" then it was a gentle run down towards the harbour entrance, even gybed the kite! A little rusty as this was a first on Struan and was effected rather slowly with a lot of rope releasing and then pulling, and a constant barrage of calling back and forth, but eventually we where on the other gybe and sailing smoothly. Communication breakdown! Being on the sharp end and the ears aren’t too good, I thought the object was to dowse the kite? I proceed to pull in the sock whilst the guys in the executive suite out back tried for all their worth to fly a sock! Everything stowed away we dawdled toward Channel mark listening to the Stowaway soap opera "Days of our lives up a rudder stock" unfold on the VHF we gybed back to the harbour. On time and behind Maricia!! Being the only boat within 200 meters of Maricia as she entered harbour! Did we win the prize?
Eds Note: Prize? - the damn prize was getting to sail on the bast bay in the friendliest company in South Africa. Get over it!

New concept! The result - at least 10 boats on the water with "Plumb-bob" the new Miura welcomed on the water, cold beers on the deck to finish off the day, (Thank goodness Eugene Lombard from Wings, who arrived on our way out, left us some cold ones!) a great days sailing had by all.

Absolutely bloody marvelous.

Eds Note: Of course whilst the Cracer was off practising his spinnaker launching and sock flying,(who needs to practise with a sock?) other boats were drifting down to the Shark Rock Pier with braai smoke wafting behind them. And got close to the Rubber Duck racing that was taking place. I have often thought that Rubber Duck Racing is like going to KFC, quick and greasy. Whilst Yachting is like going to a five star restaurant, genteel, filling and extremely satisfying.

Have a look at the PHOTOS HERE

Wednesday the 16th January sailing was sponsored by Bill Lee from East Cape Wiring.

We had 19 boats on the water and left the harbour in a fresh west south west of around 15 knots for a quick tootle to Shark Rock Pier and back to the club in time for the celebration of Gavin Stephens Birthday. I believe that it was also PJ's Birthday as well so a belated happy happy to you too 'PJ wiff one dwarf'!

January is quite a stellar month for Cooking as we celebrate three sailors birthdays up to the 18th of January. With one other in December, also during Goat season, we have a total of four Capricorns on the boat.

On board Cooking was an old mate of Gavins', Gary Sindler, who used to charter with Gavin in the good old days in St. Maarten. Gary is fresh from the 2007 J22 Worlds Championships in Durban that he Mark Sadler, Paul Wilcox and Julia Sfarlea recently won.

As Cookings' resident BWB* remarked; "The photographs from tonight will go onto the web page only once Alan has recovered from the festivities!" Thinking back I realise now that it is very true as if I leave early and get a decent nights sleep then the report is up on Thursday. It is now late on a Friday so, draw your own conclusions.

The boats that we noticed (in other words, the boats that were quick enough to keep up with us) were Sereia, Oddysea, Wild Thing and ECW. Russel it seems has taken up caligraphy as he was practising his cursive with his tiller extension only to give up and hare off in a semi straight line with his pink assymetric towards the Bell Buouy after turning EARLY. Yes, Russel, we see all and store those trangressions for later use. Only problem with the Pacer in a West is that you have to come back to shore after your fun run screaming like a girl with spray in your face.

Great music, good company and a few laughs set us up for a MASSIVE evening to be followed by an even more MASSIVE headache the next day.

Now if only I can remember exactly what it was that we decided was the solution to the worlds problems. By the way, Rob, an Octuple Bacardi and Coke does not taste the same as a Castle, especially when you make someone else drink it.

What time did we finish? State secrets will only pass my lips in response to a cold Castle, suffice to say that my long suffering longhair eventually phoned the club early in the morning after pacing up and down for hours worrying herself sick that I had been hijacked, arrested or killed. Sheesh, I am not worthy!

In the inimitable words of Big D; "Was it worth it?" The fun, Yes. The sailing, Yes. The headache, No. Making the longhair sick with worry, No.

Watch out buggers, the next MASSIVE session will be attended by both the longhair and I and you will all suffer as we will see the sun come up.

BWB* - you will have to ask Megan what that stands for. Certainly not Bluewater Bay.

Photographs HERE

This weekend sees the Redhouse Yacht Club Championships and Redhouse are laying down the gauntlet and challenging ABYC dinghy sailors to a sail off of gigantic proportions.

The river champs take place on the 19th and 20th of January from the Redhouse Yacht Club (Just in case you didn't put two and two together!)

The following classes will be accommodated: Novice, O9’er, Optimist, Mirror, Dabchick, Gypsy,Laser, Laser II, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial & Open. Additional classes will be introduced if 4 or more of the same class craft enter. Now, if only we could get 3 more Miracles sailing.

Their is no entry fee at all and a Bring & Braai is scheduled for Saturday Evening.

Out of town sailors (ABYC?) will get free camping or caravan stands for those planning to take Ossewanya down for the weekend.

Entry is open to all sailors and Club, school and individual entries are welcome.

Entries will open at 11h00 on 19 January 2008 and close at 13h45 on 19 January 2008.

The first races on Saturday and Sunday will not start before 14h00 and the prizegiving will be held one hour after the last race.

The weather looks to be pretty pleasant with a forecasted 12 knots SW on Saturday and high tide at 13:56. Sunday's forecast is for 16 knots SW and high tide at 14h58.

Please direct all enquires to Aunty Rhona Clark (041) 463 1611

This Wednesday Evening Sailing is being sponsored by an old skipper of Birthday Boy, Gavin Stephens.

We are going EAST of the CAPE and will check the WIRING whilst the old BILL sails in the LEE.

Bring your wives, mistresses, kids, grannies, grandpas, girlfriends, boyfriends, dwarves, furry friends and others. (Furry as in of the dog and cat variety you dirty dog, get back in the gutter, shame on you!)

We sail at 5:30 p.m.

The Windguru says that there will be 23% cloud cover, 22 degrees warmth, 12 knots of South West fading and a 1.9m swell.

Sien Joe Daar!

The following report comes courtesy of Derek Bouwer *

How to knurl in 2 knots of breeze.

Sunday the 13th of January's St Croix Race, dawned with a "a grey mist on the sea’s face and a grey dawn breaking" (J Masefield) and rain, did I mention rain?

The course was Harbour start, Brenton to Starboard and the finish through the transit of the control tower and the light on the break water to seaward. Great! That’s a piece of cake! Cup of coffee single up and leave but don’t forget the rain!

Struan dawdled up and down the start line, rather easy, as Wattoo not taking part had headed for the harbour entrance, Tikalox II was to leeward and we’re bigger than Unmbaleki so they had to get out of our way (Joking, Johan, it was the rain!). Off we went in 9 knots of South Easterly out the harbour with Tikkiebox showing a clean pair of heels, Umbaleki to weather and heading higher than Brenton, into the rain.

Well, "there are times in the affairs of men if not taken in the flood" yada, yada, yada, fishpaste.....
Flood? Wind? Rain? So the wind dies, no it does not die, so much as hangs around tantalising you to hang in and keep you interested like watching the breeze play with a girl's mini, but, IT DON'T MOVE NO BOAT!

Even a gorilla can sail in 20+ knots of wind but it takes finesse on a big boat to keep it moving in any thing under 5 knots, being neither a gorilla, nor having said finesse, Struan had to contend with knurdling.

There we sat all to leeward. The log reads 0.0 knots and thank goodness the GPS says we got 0.8 knots current in the right direction. mmmm did I mention the rain? Westerly? Yes! The Wind’s coming from the west and we get the boat moving. Tikalox II is moving, soon the tiny ripples of way are gurgling merrily! I’m happy, the crews happy and the West dies. Damn, the log reads 0.0 once more, but the current is still to the good though, not to forget the rain! All to leeward once more with crew sick of my inane boat chatter.

"OK, so if there’s no wind at 14:00 we’ll go home"? "Are we all in agreement?" YES! But wait! (I do not have to mention the rain it had given it a break by now) but wait! What are those? Yes! You know those little tendrils of South Easter? So we knurdle the boat into one and once again the way is merrily gurgling down the hull and we’re heading for Brenton! 13:30 and we’re only half way there! The wind holds and the rain, she, rains! Rounded Brenton behind both Umbaleki and Tikalox II at 15:30 (The last race we were cracking the first cold ones on the deck already!)

We a headed for home 240° Magnetic. Great! One tack back! On the way home we reached the blinding speed of 7 knots in an 18 Knot puff which was to be our top speed of the day. Then the wind got more west in it allowing us to clip along at 5 plus knots, the wind eased to the East so we eased the sails to keep the speed and the heading. The wind now backed with more west in it and started dying. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! We finished with the wind down to 9 and the log on 3.3 knots. By this time Umbaleki and Tikalox II where tying up, with the thoughts of a few cold ones, dancing in their heads.

"Never in the course of human endeavor has so much been done in so short a time" as putting Struan to bed! Almost packed away by the time we tied up, I haven’t mentioned the rain which threatened but stayed away for most of the afternoon!

Frustrating at times? Yes! Wet at times? Yes! Would I do it again? Yes! A great way to end a vacation by spending 6 hours 49 minutes and 38 seconds on the water you betya!

* With only MINOR edits by Yours Truly!

The time has come to shake off those up and down country visitors, to get back to work and ease your way into 2008 and what better way than in taking part in the Slow Boat Rally, proudly presented by the Veranda Cruisers Association, this weekend the 20th of January.

The format is as follows:

• At the skippers meeting to be held at 9:30 a.m. we nominate the “Slow Boat”.
• A course will be decided upon to take us out of the Bay.
• The Fleet will set sail at 10:00 a.m.
• On clearing the Harbour you may not be further than 200 metres away from the “Slow Boat”.
• Should time and weather allow, we will return to Shark Rock Pier for a braai.
• However – DON'T GET CAUGHT PEEING FROM THE PUSHPIT. Click Here for the full horror!