Royal Natal Yacht Club
Dinghy Series and Umhloti Mayor’s Race
Harbour: Saturday 24 January
Offshore: Sunday 25 January
Two days of blue sky sailing hosted by the Royal Natal
Yacht Club for a variety of Durban sailors took place offshore and in the
harbour over the weekend.
The conclusion of the Dinghy Series hosted by the Royal
Natal Yacht Club on Saturday saw Campbell Alexander and Chris Clark take the
honours in the Flying Fifteens, Rob Samways and Jared Quinn on their Dart and Henri
Frencken in the Laser class.
Race officer Jennifer Weyer only managed to get in two
races for the 11 boats on Saturday. The conditions were near perfect with blue
skies and 13 – 15 knots of wind powering the dinghies. Setting a long windward
leeward course on the far side of the bay, the fleet took off punctually. Just
as the boats neared the finish line, the first race was abandoned due to a
large vessel being moved near the course. Racing eventually got under way.
There were two starts with the Flying Fifteens and Lasers
sharing a start sequence and the two Darts and one Halcat going off in the
second. Graham Weyer and Neil Wadsworth got off to a cracker of a start in both
races, camping near the line and timing the start magnificently.
After the race, Neil Wadsworth stated, “My body is
broken! But what a thrill being on the Dart, it carves through the water.”
Newcomers to the Flying Fifteen fleet, Struan Campbell
and Richard Weddle worked hard and pushed the more experienced Flying Fifteens.
The duo managed to take the second race after a fantastic race.
Offshore on Sunday 13 yachts started in the Umhloti
Mayor’s Race in light winds and lumpy seas. The long distance race took the
fleet north a nautical mile beyond the uMhlanga lighthouse. The Bill Piddington Trophy was won
by Rick Parker, the trophy is awarded to the first over 60 year old helmsman.
Rick Parker was at the wheel of second placed Bellatrix.
Ray of Light helmed by Heidi Kavanagh streaked ahead
straight out of the starting blocks. The team seemed to have a comfortable lead
as they neared the weather mark offshore of uMhlanga. Warren Clark skippering Pallucci
had a cracker of a beat having opted to go offshore and out of sight while the
rest of the fleet stayed inshore, Clark rounded the buoy moments after Ray of
Light.
On the finish, Ray of Light showed her prowess crossing
the line first with Bellatrix having a marvellous run, finishing six minutes
behind of Kavanagh’s crew. There was a long wait until the third boat with the
committee boating waiting just over an hour. Pallucci had a disappointing run
claiming third in line honours with Jon Marshall at the wheel of Majimoto
finishing five seconds behind Clark.
Another tussle took place in the multihulls between Bill
Ellens on his trimaran Magic Dragon and Sean Jones on his catamaran Bandit.
Ellens had a little more puff thad Jones, crossing the line two minutes ahead.
The Commodore of the Royal Natal Yacht Club, Graham Rose
armed with his secret weapon, top hot shot sailor who is competing
internationally, Jared Quinn; were unable to complete the race in the allocated
5hours and 15minutes for the race.
Of the 13 yachts that started only seven managed to
finish, five retired from the race and Zap unfortunately not making the cut off
time.
“I only have one word for that race,” Gavin Wadsworth,
skipper of Therapy said back at the club house, “Frustration! There were loads
of holes where we stalled. We had a decent beat, lying second at one stage but
often lost boat speed in patches were there was no wind.”
This weekend sees the Point Yacht Club Class Champs on
Saturday and the Royal Natal Yacht Club Waterfront Catamaran Series resumes.
For more info visit www.rnyc.org.za or like their Facebook page.
