Hello all,

This Weekend At Redhouse we have the premier Bailey Southwell Trophy, Island Cup and Southern Cross Trophy island races all being competed for with racing on both Saturday and Sunday. Both events are pursuit races with 14h00 start times.

These races are the most challenging of all events on our race calendar with competitors sailing all the way to the Motherwell bridge and back having to navigate the narrow and shallow channels around the islands both there and back without getting lost and heading up the Chatty River.

The Bailey Southwell Trophy and Southern Cross trophies will be competed for on Saturday and the Island Cup on Sunday.

By their deed of gift the Bailey Southwell Trophy and Island Cup are awarded to the best performing Laser and the Southern Cross Trophy is awarded to the best performing out of all other yachts who complete the full course.

The weather forecast predicts a brisk Easterly on Saturday followed by a mild Easterly on Sunday that, combined with the sunshine, will make this weekends racing a true test of skill for both the more experienced and less experienced sailors, especially as both races are pursuit starts affording every sailor an equal chance of being first across the finish line.

Please ensure you are rigged and ready to attend the important skippers briefing at 13h30 just ahead of the 14h00 start time on both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday Night Is The Crazy Bingo and Club Supper that was postponed last year replacing the braai that is listed on the sailing program.

You can trust me when I say that with loads of prizes and quite a few surprises thrown in for the evenings entertainment this is no ordinary old ladies bingo bash.

Cost including supper and your first bingo card is R25 per adult and R15 per child and is open to all including any guests / friends you may want to bring along. Please support this event and your Club!

Dates To Diarise - Besides the racing and Club supper this weekend other forthcoming events that you should please diarise now and keep free to support are:-

• 21 & 22 February - Fun Interclub Regatta at Knysna Yacht Club
• 21 & 22 March - The 2009 E.Cape Interschool's Regatta at RYC

Laser Sails - Next week I am back at work in the UK returning on 19 February. If anyone (not only RYC sailors) would like to save their class legal Laser sail for official regattas I am able to bring back replica Laser sails (standard, radial and 4,7) from the UK that cost a fraction of the price the official class legal Laser sails cost.

These replica sails are near identical to the official Laser sail and are supplied with the Laser class insignia, battens and sail bag but do not have the Laser button so they are not class legal for official regattas. The cost per sail is R2,350 which is a lot less than the R9,120 Central Boating in Cape Town charge for a class legal Laser radial sail. If you want sail numbers attached this can be done at a cost of around R25 per letter / digit.

If you would like to order one of these sails please email me on paulpettitt(at)gmail.com before noon on Wednesday 11 February. Space in my suitcase is limited so orders are taken on a first come first served basis.

Sailing School - There will be a full session of sailing school on Sunday.

I look forward to all members supporting both races and the Club supper this weekend.

Yours in sailing

PAUL PETTITT
Commodore
041 581-5394