Vasco da Gama Tune-Up Race

Royal Natal Yacht Club

Vasco da Gama Tune Up Race

Saturday 5 April

In the build up to the upcoming International blue water event, the Vasco da Gama Yacht Race the Royal Natal Yacht Club will be hosting a tune-up race on Saturday 5 April.

The Commodores Cup will be a ‘long’ distance race to Ballito and back. The race is vital for skippers and crews to be able to get some night hours ahead of the race that starts in June in Maputo.

Rear Commodore for the Royal Natal Yacht Club, Rob Samways said, “The idea is to have a later afternoon start, with the race progressing into the night. This format of distance racing into the night will be invaluable training for anyone wishing to master night navigation and port entry ahead of the Vasco. Sailing at night is completely different to sailing during the day; you depend heavily on the lights for navigation.”

The start is scheduled for 04.00pm on Saturday afternoon, with a start line being set off Vetchies. The finish line will be a virtual line between the lights of the north and south breakwater piers at the entrance to Durban Harbour. There will be a cut off time with yachts needing to finish at midnight.

Westville resident, Samways continued’ “The guys will have two virtual GPS marks set that they will need to round off Ballito. We have taken into consideration light conditions, so the first GPS mark will be a good 5nm closer to Durban than the second. So, if the leading yacht has not progressed as far as expected by a ‘given time’, the closer mark will then be deemed the turning mark.”

 Hosted by the Royal Natal Yacht Club, the Vasco da Gama that starts in Maputo on 19 June and finishes in Durban is a gruelling 300 NM race. It originated in 1967 running from Maputo to Durban and then from Durban to East London during the Mozambique Civil War and then again early in the millennium, returned to Mozambique.

The race is open to both racing yachts and cruisers with the record being held by former Commodore of the Royal Natal Yacht Club, Chris Frost. Frost will be lining up to compete in his tenth Vasco this year; the accomplished skipper set the course record in 2006.

Durban sailors will have the opportunity to get in some night hours ahead of the premier blue water race, the Vasco da Gama with the first tune up race, the Commodore’s Cup on Saturday 5 April.

For more info visit the Royal Natal Yacht Club’s website www.rnyc.org.za or like the Facebook page Vasco da Gama 2014