Point Yacht Club
Hobie Epic
Thursday 19 February
A small fleet of adrenaline driven sailors set to embark on
the annual Point Yacht Club’s Hobie Epic, racing between Durban to Richards
Bay.
This is the sixth epic race, with the small catamarans
launching from the Point Yacht Club’s Beachsite or at the Zululand Yacht Club
and trek all the way along the coast. The fleet are hoping to set off on
Thursday, but will need to wait for a good weather opportunity and could be on
standby until Sunday 22 February.
Hobie Representative, Peter Hall explained, “If the conditions are a North
Easterly wind then the race is a Richards Bay to Durban race, and if the winds
happen to be a South Westerly then it is done in reverse from Durban to
Richards Bay. The last two years a front has come through on the weekend of the
race and a South Westerly has blown launching us at 6:00am racing to Richards
Bay.”
The rules are easy, launch at one of the yacht clubs site
and sail non-stop up or down to the finish at either the Richards Bay Harbour
mouth or at the beach landing at Vetch’s. All boats are fitted with a tracking
device to keep an eye on them, with race support shadowing them as they sail
along the coastline.
“We are hoping that eight boats will be lining up for this
year’s event. The weather window unfortunately clashes with the other sailing
endurance event, the well-attended 9 Hour event in Midmar, so we are expecting
fewer boats on the water this year.” Hall stated.
Hall has won the event five times on his Hobie 16, and
fellow sailor Mark Wijtenburg has dominated the event in the Hobie Tiger
division. “It usually takes the Tigers six to eight hours to get to Richards
Bay and the Hobie 16s a couple of hours longer.”
This gruelling event takes the small crafts along some of
the most treacherous coastline in the world, “The guys get off the water and
are exhausted, both physically and mentally drained. But the experience is well
worth the demands of the adventure. In a word it is epic!” Hall concluded.
Richards Bay or Durban awaits the arrival of a handful of Hobie
sailors as they compete in the Point Yacht Club’s Hobie Epic.
To follow the race, go to www.pyc.co.za or like the clubs Facebook
page.
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