PYC Offshore Sailing

Point Yacht Club

Offshore Sailing

The Easter weekend was a busy patch for the more competitive sailors of Durban with three major events concluding around the country.

Down in Port Elizabeth, brothers Thomas and Peter Funke achieved their intentions of finishing in the top ten at the SAP 505 World Championships. Funke squared came eighth overall after eight races. They were the top South African finishers on the leaderboard, behind legends Mike Holt and Carl Smit from America who cleaned up with five first places.

The Robinson brothers, Ricky and Brennan representing the Royal Natal Yacht Club had a fantastic series, showing their dexterity on any sailing craft, finishing 13^th. Amanzimtoti’s Jay D’Engle sailing with Cape Townian Dewet Nel ended his regatta in 18^th.

In Durban, oodles of Hobie sailors took to the warm waters to compete in the Hobie Nationals. The bright and colourful fleet enjoyed superb conditions over four days. Race officer from Cape Town, Doug Allison got in eleven races. After a tense start to the regatta with three false starts in the opening race and a black flag being raised for the remainder of the day, the adrenaline junkies managed to roll in the results.

Taking honours in the main class, William and Lucinda Edwards from Knysna Yacht Club wrapped up with six first places and three second places concluding the four days as deserved winners. Iconic Hobie sailor and World Champion, Blaine Dodds competing with his gorgeous daughter Roxanne, tallied up four firsts and six seconds, settling for silver just two points behind the Edwards. Top local PYC members, Ewald and Ali Erasmus were in the top ten, with their seventh place overall.

Special mention goes to Aldino Gorlei, who recently celebrated his 80^th birthday, finished an impressive fifth in the Hobie 14 class.

Up in Richards Bay an impressive fleet of 14 large keelboats are safely moored after fantastic downwind sailing, they set sail from Inhaca Island in Mozambique on Good Friday in the long distance race to Zululand. Most of the entries used the event as practice for the upcoming gruelling 400 nautical mile Vasco da Gama to Port Elizabeth.

Taking line honours in the 25^th edition of the Inhaca Yacht Race, local entry from Zululand Yacht Club Zeus skippered by Don Voysey in a pacey 23 hours 16 minutes and 48 seconds followed by the Rear Commodore of Point Yacht Club, Jon Marshall sailing on Majimoto just half an hour behind Zeus. Marshall, sailing with his daughters and crewman Edrich ‘Lucky Eddie’ de Lange, were crowned handicap winners. Another PYC member, Greg Donkin helming Alkistis finished third in both handicap and across the line.

April continues to be a busy sailing season with the start of the Vasco da Gama Ocean Race on Saturday 25 April and the SA Laser Nationals taking place from Wednesday 29 April with close to 100 boats taking part.

For more info go to www.pyc.co.za.