Hello all,

This Weekend At Redhouse we have race 3 and 4 of the Special Trophy series.

Start time for the racing this Sunday is 14h00 sharp and with a mild 12knot Southerly forecast the weather will be good for all sailors including the less experienced.

Last Weekend the majority of members stayed home due to the rain and howling wind in town that made sailing a most unattractive prospect.

Subsequently just four yachts had the courage (or brave stupidity) to launch in winds gusting to 35knots and attempt to race a full course.

I should have taken note of Frank's capsise ahead of the start and kept clear of the water instead of launching only to get around the first corner with great difficulty before my boat refused to remain upright any longer. After a few attempts to right my Laser failed dismally I chose to rather drift to the sandbank, furl my sail around the mast and head back home in winds so strong that even with no sail I managed to sail back to the clubhouse.

Hats off to Justin Onvlee, Frank Collier, Josh Woollard, Pieter and Lukas Groenewaldt who managed to complete the course in record time without breaking anything.

The good news for everyone else is that as there were fewer boats than required for a formal race last weekends racing has been rescheduled for 11h00 Sunday 15 March affording everyone the chance to still win the special trophy.

More To Life Than Laundry has been updated with Melissa's second chapter and more interesting reading on her learning to sail at Redhouse.

Sydney, my own daughter, has identified her sailing experiences to date with Melissa's story and says that I treat her the same at sailing as Frank treated Melissa. Dunno if coming from a ten year old this is good or bad but I guess we will have to just wait and see.

As we follow Melissa's progress ahead of her epic 5,300 mile voyage in our RYC newsletter you may wish to show some RYC generosity and sponsor her with a small donation of as little as £2 - half of which will be donated to the Philip Green Memorial Trust. There is a PayPal donate button on Melissa's blog making it quick and easy to make a contribution and if you are unable to use PayPal then I am able to use my PayPal account to make the donation on your behalf.

The latest update to melissa's blog is posted at http://www.moretolifethanlaundry.com/?p=58

The Official East Cape Interschool Sailing Regatta that is a major item on the RYC calendar is now just two weeks away. More information and entry forms for the East Cape Interschool Regatta is posted at www.ryc.co.za/interschools.

Sailing School - There will be sailing school as normal at Redhouse from 10h00 this weekend.

With a few of the regular RYC sailors attending a Coach Development Course this weekend it is very important that everyone who is not away please sails and supports their club this Sunday to ensure adequate boats are on the water for the races to be official.

Yours in sailing

PAUL PETTITT
Commodore
041 581-5394