Skebenga crosses first!

For the first time in ages and ages, line honours has not gone to either of Faraway or Megafreight! Skebenga, a well equipped Fast 42, is starting to show her potential in no uncertain terms. In last night's race, she crossed a full 87 seconds ahead of Megafreight, and about ten minutes ahead of Faraway. Conditions were extremely light and I have no doubt that a few holes played some part in this all, but it is equally amazing to see Skebenga do so well in such light wind. Well done Paul and team. There is definitely a new player at the front of the fleet! Watch this space.

Well done to JML-2 for winning on corrected time.

It is also nice to see Reaction in the fleet, we do need an RCOD to look at!

Results on corrected time:
1. JML 2 
2. Megafreight 
3. Skebenga 
4. QBI 
5. Faraway 
6. Savannah 
7. Reaction 

Full results here.

Wednesday Race Results

Five boats started in a 10kt Southerly. 

Megafreight took a clear lead and won by a massive margin! 
Savannah second on corrected time, followed by JML2, Skebenga and QBI.

Full results here.

Summer Season Wednesday Racing Starts Again!

The Wednesday Summer Series started in fine style with eight boats on the water, and fourteen knots of South-Easter. Megafreight just pipped Faraway over the line (3 seconds!) - to take first place - line honours and corrected time! Skebenga arrived only 7 seconds after Faraway! Hells Bells, what a finish! Skebenga is going to be a heck of a contender this season....

Have a good look at the full results here!

2014 Summer Opening Cruise!

Commodore's Party

Old and the New!

View from "Flying Cloud"

The newly restored "She" making a welcome appearance!

Many thanks to Roy McBride for the great pics!

Sunday Racing Results, 17 August

Apologies this one is quite late, just received it!

Appears to have been very little wind, with many DNSs and DNFs. 
Yacht A1 narrowly pipped Savannah on corrected time.

Race Results for 17 August 2014

Savannah gets a turn!

Savannah took 1st place on corrected time in a very close finish on Sunday afternoon. JML-3 and Faraway with less than 10s between them!

1. Savannah Keith Gemmell 0.910 1 03-Aug-14 15:40:26 1.000 2208
2. Aries JML 3 ?? 0.965 2 03-Aug-14 15:40:07 2.000 2323
3. Faraway No 3 Chris Sutton 1.130 3 03-Aug-14 15:34:25 3.000 2333
4. Skebenga Alan Harrington 1.165 4 03-Aug-14 15:44:03 4.000 3079

Full results here.

Megafreight returns with Avengeance!

Megafreight, pictured at Admirals 2014

Megafreight came back in great style this week to take a clear lead in the light winds. Faraway managed a good second place, and Skebenga did remarkably well to come in 3rd in a competitive fleet of 7! Interesting result as Aquamaniac, followed by the JML L26s brought up the rear, in these light conditions.

Full results here.

R.I.P. Keith Mattison, ex HBYC and Great Capetonian

Keith aboard his beloved "FTI Flyer"

Keith Mattison passed away this morning 17 July 2014 at about 4 am, peacefully. On Sunday he went sailing and then watched the World Cup final. Keith had a nasty case of some lung disease which saw him carrying oxygen around for the last few months, next to his beer! Despite all this, in January he entered the Cape to Rio.

Keith was one hell of a guy. Anyone with more lust for life I have yet to meet. Born in Toronto, Canada, he moved to South Africa for an early work assignment - I'll skip the details because there is a whole blog on his life here - which makes very interesting reading. He spent most of his adult life in Cape Town, being a notable academic  - head of department as I recall - at UCT in the I.T. Department, and was extremely well known in South African computing circles. He had various work assignments including Southern life, Shell (where I worked), IBM and others. Always larger than life, full of humour, and a joy to be around. He later went on to found Faculty Training Institute (F.T.I.), a notable I.T. and Project Management training institute in Rondebosch where I sent many of my own staff. He was an excellent musician and singer, and active in many music circles. Did I mention pubs? Best if I don't! Also a keen rally driver.....

And then there was sailing! I think sailing was Keith's main thing. He was the most enthusiastic and committed sailor for miles around, in his beloved FTI Flyer. His previous boat ended on the rocks on the end of Hout Bay's South mole one sad and very windy day - the mast of that boat stands as a timeless memorial to Keith in front of HBYC (as the club flag and signal mast). FTI Flyer entered every race and regatta there ever was in Cape Town, with Keith at the helm. He participated in HBYC's most recent Admiral's Regatta which was the last time I chatted with him. He had several ocean crossings to his name, including Cape to Rio and the Governor's Cup. What a champ!

I am proud to have known him!

Go well Keith! You will be well remembered at HBYC!

Humphrey Worthington-Smith took the amazing initiative to collect the various tributes to Keith at this blog, with Keith's full knowledge and support, before he died. It's a very interesting read.

Memorial Service:

It will take place at Christ Church Constantia this coming Monday (21 July 2014) at 3.00 pm. It will be followed by drinks and snacks at the Constantia Cricket Club club house next to Virgin Active.

Skebanga takes line honours....

Skebanga during opening cruise 2010

Results received from Keith Gemmell, skipper of Savannah:

1. JML3    L Yon  L26    0.965    3123.07     3013.76
2. Savannah    K Gemmell  Miura    0.910    3448.89    3138.49
3. Skebanga    P Dalton F42    1.165    3026.01    3525.30

Great to see that Skebanga is making a regular showing on the water, watch this space as they move up the ranks! Note they took line honours comfortably here - well ahead of JML-3, which in fact is not that easy in very light winds. Well done Paul! No pressure! Notice how we take the youth sailing results as benchmark now!

HBYC Youth Sailing Dominates!

JML-3 pictured recently during Admiral's Regatta

On a very cold Sunday afternoon - snow on the mountains - four boats ventured out for the Sunday Race! Three of them were our L26s crewed by the youth teams, and the fourth was Megafreight! It is fantastic to see how far this youth sailing programme has advanced - especially when one considers they all beat Megafreight in that race, which wins the club racing as often as not!

Many people have been involved in getting this programme to this level - I simply don't know who all - but special credit to Sam Legatt who certainly has been the main driver of this initiative. And a big thank you once again to Lotto - who donated a generous sum to get this off the ground. As you can see this has been put to very good use!

And lastly, well done to all the crews who have taken up this opportunity and become dam fine sailors along the way! HBYC is very proud of this!

I nearly forgot to include the results! Here they are on corrected time:

1. Trader 24 Theo Yon  3112
2. JML 2 ?? 0 3203
3. Aries JML 3 ??  3300
4. Megafreight Jendo Ocenasek  3444

Full results here.