Hello all,

This Weekend at Redhouse we race the full Christmas Series trophy races after they were blown out last weekend and we also have our annual end of year Christmas cocktails social function.

The Christmas Series races (minimum of three) have a 12.00pm start and will finish on a good high tide. The long term weather forecast predicts a nice warm day and a 13 knot Southeasterly wind which is ideal for all classes of sailing dinghies and sailors.

The Christmas Cocktails Social is set down to start from 6.00pm in the Clubhouse allowing enough time to pack away boats and change after the races.

All members, not just the sailors, are requested to please attend the social on Sunday evening and more importantly to please bring at least one plate of savoury snacks per family for the buffet table.

A full cash bar will be available as per normal.

The RYC Boot Sale last Sunday morning generated a nice buzz at the Club and raised just over R700 for Club coffers. thank you very much to all who supported it.

A SMS Sailing Alert system is being setup for our members to let them know of any last minute changes to the sailing program and also to remind you of Club events. If you have not yet submitted your SMS contact number please click here and do this now.

The Junior National Regatta is at HMYC in Natal next week. RYC sailors participating are Josh Woolard and Sarah Arnold. The very best of luck to both of them.

The Mirror Nationals are over the New Year week at Gariep Dam. RYC is being represented there by Johan and Eben Vivier who, following their outstanding performance at the E.Cape Provincials and GLYC inter-club, are expected to rank amongst the top performers. Good luck and a safe journey to both of them.

More New RS Racing Sailboats has just landed in another 40ft container filled to the brim with another twenty six shiny new RS sailboats.

Besides more RS Tera, RS Feva and RS Vision that are joining the fast growing fleet of RS sailors in South Africa two RS Vareo high performance sailboats have also been imported.

The good news for RYC is that both RS Vareo have already been purchased by RYC sailors and will be sailing on our waters. At least one of these new RS Vareo will be at Redhouse for the Christmas series this weekend and it will be available for our more experienced sailors wanting to have a real blast down the river to try out after the racing.

Volunteers are still urgently been sought to help manage the 'tuck shop' during the Grey School rowing camp at Redhouse from 01 till 08 January 2010. Besides keeping the rowers supplied with sweets, cool drinks and snacks the tuck shop will raise much needed funds for our Club.

If you are able to offer your time to perform tuck shop duty (you only need to sell - not make any food) for even just one of those days please let either myself or Rhona know as soon as possible.

Sailing School for both junior and seniors is as normal from 9.30am this Sunday. This will be last sailing school session before sailing schools resumes in earnest on Sunday 17 January 2010.

The Men's Ablutions Renovations have been taken over by a new contractor who promptly stripped the previous effort and began again virtually from scratch. In just one week the amount of progress made has exceeded that by the previous contractor and we will certainly be starting the 2010 sailing year with sparkling new facilities.

I personally apologise to all members for the inconvenience and lack of ablution facilities they have had to endure since August due to no fault of the Club. Thank you for being so patient.

The renovation of the ladies ablutions will be completed by the same contractor during February between the E.Cape Inter Club and Inter Schools regatta to minimise inconveniencing our lady members as much as possible.

Have a really great weekend sailing at Redhouse and I look forward to you joining us on the water this Sunday for the Christmas Series races and the cocktail social function afterward. This is our last weekend of organised sailing for 2009 - please diarise and support it!

Yours in sailing

PAUL PETTITT
Commodore
041 581-5394