Hello all,

Spring Series Race 3 & 4 - This Sunday at Redhouse we have the second half of the Spring Series regatta with an early 11h00 start followed by a bring 'n braai.

With a nice sunny day and 8 - 14 knot SE wind forecast the racing should be challenging for all sailors and also provide for a nice family day out for your supporters and family. Please ensure you arrive early enough to rig and launch before the 11h00 start and do join your fellow Club members for the braai and a couple of beers afterward.

East Cape All Class Regatta - Having just got back from an extended trip down to Mossel Bay and our first provincial regatta of this season I, as I am certain everyone else who sailed at Mossel Bay are too, am full of praise for the folk at MBYC who really exceeded all expectations and laid on an extremely well organised and enjoyable regatta long weekend for all.

Not having sailed in the open sea before and been told rather scary stories about unpredictable westerly winds that appear from nowhere it was with some trepidation that we headed down to Mossel Bay on Friday afternoon.

After a long drive in gale force winds that did little to boost our confidence we arrived just after dark in Mossel Bay, parked our trailer at the yacht club and headed off to our accommodation.

Arriving back at the MBYC early Saturday morning we were greeted by brisk wind and a rather rough sea with some really big (by Redhouse standards anyway) swells. With little time to get our boats off the trailers, rigged and complete our regatta entries before the 11h00 start we managed to keep our Oppie sailors consisting of Patrick and Taryn Butler, Josh Woolard, Luke Rist and Sydney Pettitt sufficiently distracted for them not to be too daunted by their pending initiation to sailing on the open sea.

The black flag came down at 10h30 and our Oppie fleet accompanied by Matt Van Rensberg and Sarah Arnold on their Lasers were watched by anxious parents (including Andrew Butler and myself who found excuses to miss the first race and the rough seas) as they sailed out to the committee boat in the middle of the bay.

After being swamped by a swell Sydney returned to shore followed shortly afterward by Matt who chose to change his radial for a 4.7 rig before heading back out again together with Andrew and myself for the second and third race. The weather and sea progressively calmed resulting in a really enjoyable day of sailing.

Glorious sunshine and a light breeze welcomed us on Sunday morning but unfortunately the wind departed completely shortly after the start of the first race resulting in that race all remaining races for the day being cancelled.

Monday morning and the promise of moderate wind had everyone launched and headed across the bay to the committee boat shortly after 9h00 for the first race of the day and the fourth of the regatta in very light winds. Unfortunately contrary to the weather forecast the wind died completely a few minutes into the second race and after two further starts and general recalls the race committee chose to call an end to the regatta.

Redhouse did not bring any trophies home but did return with many good memories and a very positive opinion of Mossel Bay as a fantastic sailing venue.

Very well done to all our sailors, a sincere thank you to the parents and spouses who supported our entrants and hearty congratulations to MBYC for organising and managing a really great regatta.

Sailing School - There will be no sailing school this Sunday due to the early start of the racing and our coach being away in Cape Town. Sailing school members are however still welcome to use the club boats and sail / participate in the races this Sunday but will need to do so under their own parental supervision. Formal sailing school will resume as normal from next week Sunday 12 October.

I look forward to you joining us on the water this Sunday and to enjoying your company at the braai after the racing.

Yours in sailing

PAUL PETTITT
Commodore
041 581-5394