Joop Weddepohl (Racing Coordinator)

We had some RAIN last Wednesday, but that didn’t stop five of our juniors from still wanting to sail the Splash. Kyran wasn’t one of them, so now he lost his overall lead to Justin Stoker, now on 44, with Kyran on 43, and Luke on 40.

On Saturday we sailed the fourth, and the last, of the Founders Trophy series. This was a real “Murphy” race: if it can go wrong it will! First the rescue team didn’t show up so we had to delay the start by half an hour to find some volunteers who then had to go out and lay three boys in Ashmead and Brenton. A BIG BIG ‘thank you’ to Dereck Wheeler and John Wiggs for literally ‘coming to the rescue’. And they didn’t have it easy! The Knysna weather didn’t live up to the forecasts. Instead of the promised 13 – 14 knots, it blew 20, gusting to 30, so some of the ‘oldies’ didn’t think it worthwhile to get out there. Then we had two adventurers who wanted to try out those demo Weta trimarans in a real race, Dudley Isaac and Andrew Finn, and both opted for a (pretty) crew. What we did find out was that those tris are not as fast as a Hobie 14, and after some careful calculations we thought their PYH rating should be about 960 versus the H14’s of 857. On that handicap they lost from the two Hobies of Duncan Simpson and Pat Tarboton, but they won hands-down from the one and only surviving mono, Jacek Orzechowski’s Finn. Brett Gething didn’t sail the right course and Jock McConnachie’s Laser came to grief and needed some serious rescue, not only by the rescue boat but also with assistance of Brett and Dudley getting out there on one of those Wetas to lend a hand. Thanks guys – you got there faster than any rubber ducky would have. Just to show how much it blew and how fast those Hobies were, just picture the rescue boat “Willo” going hell for leather to Brenton to lay the last buoy, hotly chased by Duncan’s H14. Duncan caught up and rounded the “Willo” and the buoy, which then had to be laid at that spot for the others.

Anyhow: Jacek won the Trophy on 20 points, followed by Dudley on 27, Colin Matthiesen on 30, Andrew on 36 and Joop on 37. As we had a total entry for all four races of 16 boats, a DNS cost one dearly at 17 points. In the Hobies the order was Duncan, Pat and Chick.

Meanwhile the Southern Cape Interschools were a success with some 34 boats on the water. Knysna High came second, after the Homeschoolers, but beating York High. Knysna Primary came middle of the schools in fourth place, after Glenwood, Holy Cross and Milkwood Primaries. Six races were sailed in varying wind conditions. Ciaran Sharrocks on his Dabchick showed an improving line with successively a 10, 7, 6, OCS, 3, 1. If it hadn’t been for that OCS he would have done much better than 7th out of 12, as there were no discards. Jason Cook came 7th out of 18, so our juniors are starting to become a force in the Provincial junior field. And the rest of the KYC team learned a lot, which will come in handy for ‘see below’.

The next Interschools is the one at Redhouse on 13th – 14th March. This is quite a traditional event!

It is the 34th one! And there will not be any racing at KYC!

The Notice of Regatta is on the Notice Board and it is quite straightforward.

Mirrors will not be sailing with spinnakers, and Dabbies are allowed 1-up or 2-up, but if sailing 2-up that crew must be sailing in all the races!

Helms and crews must be full-time pupils between Grades 1 and 12 inclusive.

The entry fee is R100 per person if entered before 7th March, thereafter it goes up to R130 pp. That includes: free camping, a hot lunch and morning and afternoon refreshments on both the Saturday and the Sunday.

This Wednesday, 3/3, it’s Splash with Andrew doing the bridge and Adrian the rescue. Then this Friday, as far as I know, it’s the keelers again with Joop doing the bridge.

Saturday, 6/3 we start the first of four Saturdays of sailing for the Commodore’s Trophy. Neil is OOD and on the bridge, and Johnny Vorster does rescue.