This update is from your webmaster, and Pants on Fire owner, Dwayne from Maputo (Batteries not included, vehicle shown with optional equipment, terms and conditions apply, not applicable in all states and prohibited except when allowed by others...) in other words not an "official" update!

Firstly, check out the race Gallery - it is filling up daily with uploads of the days happenings - click here. (< Or there...)

All the yachts arrived safely, except "Born Free" which never made it after running aground during the delivery (I cant give any more detail than that as I don't know the facts.)

Some yachts had some wind from behind, but most of us beat into a 20-25kt NE wind most of the way up - life at 35 degrees of heel...

We got water into our diesel tank (again... must actually sort this problem out for good) and then broke a pipe off the engine trying to bleed and clean the pipes, what a catastrophe! But with the help of my cousin, who lives in Maputo and lots of generous assistance and advice from (amongst others) the crews of  "Cracker Jack" "Bellisima" and "Leyna" we managed to find the only piece of silver solder in Maputo and got a friendly Russian guy at the small craft harbour to solder the part back onto the engine for us! Thanks to all involved as I really thought the problem was terminal. There is a genuine comraderie and eagerness to help - Good Thing" as Trevor Hulliman, our navigator would say - some of the other things he says I cant print here....

Tonight we all gorged ourselves on prawns at the welcoming dinner (Isn't that one of the main reasons we will beat for 3 days into a fresh NE wind???) and also a good few 2M Beers (Some more than others...) and a few people were seen to be a bit "looser" than they otherwise are around Durban... you know who you are!

Wednesday is the bay racing and we will all have to be up at 6AM to undo the tangle of yachts that is moored 20 deep in the small craft harbour...

Hopefully nothing else breaks or any other crisis' emerge and I will have time for one more update before we all hear for Durbs on Thursday afternoon.

In looking at the weather for the next few days, especially for delivery crews taking boats up to Maputo I se the following:

Looking at the area north of Durban to the Mozambique border, wind is primarily from the N/NE about 15 kts right on the coast and 20 to 25kts offshore. I would expect this to remain constant into Thursday evening and into Friday morning.

The wind will start lessening during the day and should move more NNW by early evening on Friday and will die during the night. Current modelling shows 10kts NNW at midnight on Friday and 5 kts by 0800

On Saturday morning, wind looks like it will clock around to the SW but will move back into the N as you work your way up the coast. Monday is showing 15kts N above Richards Bay in the morning and moving to the NNE by afternoon and dying to 5 kts.

Given this, I would expect that best time to depart for Maputo is late evening on Friday. Obviously with current against us and a definite wind band offshore, staying close inside is the way to go...

Kind regards
Matthew L. Thomas
CROCS Racing
www.crocsracing.co.za
Cape Town, South Africa
+27 82 093-2955

While some people have listed "Asthma" or "Penicillin" under there allergies we came across the most serious allergy of all on the crew list of Leyna, an Elan 434.... Owner Solly Heyns lists his only allergy as:

Force 10 Storms!

Now these guys clearly put some (maybe too much?) effort in to this... Makes for amusing reading...

Crackerjack's Crew Profile:

Stuart Ritchie - Owner and skipper
Stuart takes his love of speed from the bike track to the sea in his endeavour to win trophies. Stuart a likeable person at the yacht clubs and is always willing to help others, but hiding behind this sweet exterior is a Ngwenya .

Stuarts Motto in life is: AD PRAESENS OVA CRAS PULLIS SUNT MELIORA ! (eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow)

Hemraj Gokal - Navigator
Hemraj needs no introduction as he is a legend in Durban and Patagonia. Raj as he is affectionately known will bring his extensive knowledge in all matters of racing and also after a few beverages will whip out his diving knife which is well known in Durban and the surrounds. Hemraj with his navigational skills will hopefully bring us the PHRF trophy.

Raj HAS TWO Mottos. APUDDNE TE VEL NE? (Your place or mine?) VIR PRUDENS NON CATRA VEUM MINGIT ! (Do not urinate into the wind !)

Brian Miller - Winch Gorilla and Chef
Brian is our winch man on the boat and our bouncer in Maputo. He is the quiet one of the bunch as he prefers solitude and the music of Britney Spears.

Brians Mottois: NOLITE TE BASTARDIS CARBORUNDORUM (Dont let the bastards get you down !)

Adrrian Cullingworth - Foredeck
Professor Cullingworth as he is known has a degree fromColumbia University and is our interpretor. If we have any trouble in Maputo he will rescue us! as he is a cunning linguist.

Adrians Motto is .HOCINE BIBO AUT IN EURN DIGITOS INSERO ? (Do I drink this or stick my finger in it?)

Roy Close - Tactician
Roy is our secret weapon as he brings a wealth of knowledge and competitiveness which will sharpen the blunt instrument that is Crackerjack . In Maputo Roy will bring his Sartorial elegence from the boat to the streets of Maputo.

Roy's Motto is: NOLITE ID COGNE ,CAPE MALLEUM MAJORUM ! (Dont force it, use a bigger hammer !)

Phil Downing
Phil is the istening post to all above about all the exploits they have ever done. Phil brings nothing to the boat except Captain Morgan and a bit of class.

Phils Motto is: NEMO SALTAT SOBRIUS NISI FORTE INSANT ! (Only the insane dance sober !)

As you can see Craker is full of Pirates and Rogues who's only intrest is self-gain and keeping their women happy.

CRACKERJACKS MOTTO: " EYAMADODA IYAPHELA " ("what goes on tour stays on tour")

Since your RNYC/Vasco Webmaster is a competitor and yacht owner in this very race, I am going to post updates in Adobe pdf format to save time where possible,

 Competitors News Edition 1

As you all should be aware the race regulations require:

"Competitors will be required to communicate their position, and other information, twice every 24 hours. This may be via Mobile phone, Satphone, VHF, HF or e-mail. Failure to comply will result in an automatic 15 minute time penalty being added to the yacht´s elapsed time for each occasion a position report is not received."

Should you require an Iridium Satellite phone you can contact David Lipton at Globalcom Satellite This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 011 612-3660

To download an information guide and pricelist click on the image below. Mention Vasco da Gama race to qualify for this great deal!

Phew! 20 highly competitive entries had been received for the mcel Vasco da Gama Race when entries closed, with late entries at a premium entry fee still possible.

This is a HOT fleet, with a betting man likely to hedge his bets as to who will take the honours. It´s going to be close and very, very competitive. Plus, 16 of the 20 boats will be racing under IRC.

I may be jumping the gun, but this could well be the most competitive fleet ever for the race from Maputo to Durban. We now know who the boats and skippers are - but the mystery are the crew? I am sure there are some real hot-shots coming out of the woodwork - which will add even more excitement to the race.

I am sure that all members of the Royal Natal Yacht Club join me in thanking all the owners who have entered for supporting their 150th anniversary.

Late entries will be accepted until 48 hours prior to the start.

New entries are:

• Kimaya, a Fast 42 is owned and skippered by Gavin van der Merwe. He will be sailing 7-up and will be sailing under the RNYC burgee.
• Zeus is another Fast 42, and she too is owned and skippered by Don Voysey (Noisy Voysey) who will sail 6-up. Zululand Yacht Club is his home port. I am personally delighted that Don has entered as up until a few days ago his entry was unlikely. Good on you Don!
• Skitzo, a Fast 42 too, is owned and skippered by Nigel Milln, the Commodore of the Point Yacht Club. He will be 7-up and will be sailing under the PYC burgee.
• Orion Unzipped is a Pacer 42 which has been chartered for the race and will be skippered by Mark Sadler. There will be 8 on board and they will be sailing under the RNYC burgee with Commodore, Chris Frost on Board as well as Ellian Perch from Orion.

At this point I would like to thank Felix Scheder-Bieschin and MACS Shipping for shipping four Cape Town boats to Durban for the Race. Three of the boats are being loaded in the next few days.

At the same time I must thank Matthew Thomas who has made all the shipping arrangements, who is loading the boats and will be unloading them in Durban this coming weekend. This is a thankless task made so much easier by a knowledgeable and competent person. Thanks Matthew.

• Verbal Indication of Entries to come:
  
  Tony Cunningham Fast 42 Wynleigh
  Sway Fast 42

See a full list of entries on our Confimed Entries Page

Crew
Crew lists are now required please. We need to know numbers, as do our partners in Maputo, so please would all owners and skippers let us have names please.  We have been asked by Clube Naval to please advise them numbers of men and women competing, so please indicate this when sending your info.
URGENTLY PLEASE

Bus to Maputo
Number for the bus to Maputo from Durban are now required URGENTLY. Should Sandy not receive your booking by close of business on Friday 11 July, you will not be considered. And if there is insufficient interest the bus will be cancelled as it is very expensive to hire and has to be finalised.

The charge per person will be R500.00, which must accompany your booking. It is planned that the bus will depart from the RNYC early on Tuesday morning 29 July, and arrive in Maputo later that afternoon. It will return the following morning. Please contact Sandy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Pics & Crew Info
Please would all entrants let me have a good action pic of their boat, and info on the crew and campaign in general as this will be placed on the website. Plus it will be used for media purposes too. Without this we certainly cannot publicise your entry.

The Finish Arrangements
The RNYC are pulling out all the stops to make the finish, and after-party a memorable one. Durban Marina has also thrown their weight behind the event and have agreed to moor all competing boats right in front of the RNYC when they finish.  So, with the RNYC diningroom and main pub looking over that part of the marina, the winners will be able to enjoy their hot breakfasts and cold libations from the comfort of a warm pub - and watch their competitors come in.

Visas for Mozambique
Sandy tells me that unless you travel on a South African passport you will have to have a Visa. So if you travel on any passport other than a
South African one, please make sure you get your visa timeously.

Customs & Immigration in Maputo
Jorge Campos of Clube Naval in Maputo has advised that from MONDAY 28 July, They will be at Clube Naval, until the day of departure. If closer
to the date you can give us an estimate of the arrival of the boats that would make it perfect.

Crew Dinner at Clube Naval
Tuesday evening prior to the race has traditionally been a Crew Dinner at a restaurant. By popular demand Clube Naval will host the dinner this
year. Monica Campos is arranging this as an `eat-as-much-as-you-can´ seafood extravaganza for just R150 per head - and that´s excluding drinks.
That´s reason enough to enter the race!

Monica Campos has sent me the menu details which are follows:

• Starters: Garlic bread & tuna paté
• Main course: prawns; chips; rice; and various salads
• Desert

For catering purposes it is necessary that we get numbers soon, so again, would all skippers and owners please let us have an idea of numbers
for your crew. SOON please.

Mahante Trophy (Mahante means shrimp)
A tradition with this event is to have a fun race the day prior to the start. This year Clube Naval have presented a trophy - the Mahante Trophy - which will be presented to the winner of the TWO Wednesday races. There will be a Pursuit Race and a Fleet Race in the channel in front of Clube Naval, starting at 14h00 and approximately 15h00. This will be followed by a lavish prize giving and farewell to the fleet.  These guys at Clube Naval know how to lay on a good spread - so expect it to be very special.

These races have been requested by mcel our sponsors, so please would all competitors make an effort to compete.

IRC
Please note that if you are requiring an IRC rating or a revalidation, please contact Donald ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at SAS KZN who will give you
all the details and costs.

Thanks
My thanks to Felix Scheder-Bieschin of MACS Shipping for shipping the Cape Boats. We are indeed indebted to you Felix, and wish you were with us on the race. Also, Matthew Thomas who has made all the shipping arrangements and taken responsibility for loading and unloading the boats.

Important Dates

• Late Entries Close Tuesday 29 July
• Valid IRC certificates to be lodged with Race Secretary Friday 18 July
• Crew Dinner `Seafood Extravaganza´ Tuesday 29 July
• Maputo Bay - mcel sprint and pursuit races - Wednesday 30 July
• Race Start Thursday 31 July
• Prize Giving (12h00) at RNYC Sunday 3 August

Contacts

• Richard Crockett 083 265 3885 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Sandy Ostendorf 031-301 3078 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Rob Samways 082 496 6839 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

In closing I would like everyone who is interested in racing to make early contact with myself or Sandy Ostendorf, or Rob Samways who is the
Race Officer and in charge of Safety Inspections. We are happy to answer all and every question, plus it makes planning so much easier. And, I
know that the Clube Naval and the Royal Natal Yacht Club look forward to putting on an excellent race - and to hosting you and your crew.

Willing Delivery Crew
Richard Stubbs, whose details are below has been in contact to say that if he cannot get a berth on the race, he would be prepared to do the
delivery passage. Please contact him if you need delivery crew.

Crew - looking for berths

• Nick Muller (48) and his son Kyle (16) and looking for berths on the race. Contact them on: Tel. 011-868 1276 or 082 55 73937
  
  
• Linsay Ferguson is looking to crew. She is an experienced dinghy sailor and is happy on the foredeck. She will be doing her yacht skippers
  course through sunsail towards the end of July and is keen to put her newly acquired knowledge to good use. Linsay can be contacted as follows:
  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 082 675 7856.
  
  
• Brian Kennedy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) wrote: I was hoping to enter my boat (leisure 42, 8seconds), but, won't be able too. I am, however, still
  wanting to take part, so, if you know of anyone looking for crew, I'm dead keen and available. I have a SAS Coastal ticket, my position of
  experience is bowman (bowman on Thunderchild L52 for about a year), and, I've been skippering (and helming) 8seconds for the last year. I've
  done all 3 of the Mossel Bay races, the last one as skipper and helmsman on 8seconds. If you have a place for Brian, please give him a call on:
  Mobile: 0027 (0)82 4944994 Fax to Email: **27 (0)866 394935
  
  
• Richard Stubbs ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) is looking for a berth. In an e-mail he wrote "I have great memories of sailing this race in 2001 , when we
  won the race on Kindred Spirit, with Craig Millar and Robbie Dove." He has a coastal skippers ticket (RYA).

Regards
Richard Crockett
Chairman Organising Committee

Entries continue to roll in - and it looks as if we are going to have an exceptionally high quality fleet competing in this years race.

But, for those who have not yet entered, entries close on Monday 7 July - that´s TWO WEEKS away - so fill in that form and submit it otherwise you´ll have to pay the late entry fee.

Confirmed Entries to Date:
1 Crocs Simonis 42 (mod) Nicholas Mace/Patrick Holloway
2 Phezulu Fast 42 Leo Kroone
3 Bellissimo Hanse 401 Vernon Goss
4 Leyna Elan 435 Solly Heyns
5 Shanen (cat) Prout 38 Wendy Venter
6 Tenacity Fast 42 Errol Stern
7 Alacrity Taylor 36 David Taylor
8 Pants on Fire J105 Dwayne Assis
9 Addis in Cape Archambault 35 Alexandre Monat
10 Foxy Lady RCOD Chris Sutton

Verbal Indication of Entries to come:
Keith Stewart RCOD
Nigel Miln Skitzo
Rob Bowman/Wim van der Loo Elan
Sunsail Chris Bonnet/Luke Wagner
Tony Cunningham Moquini 2
Dave Elcock Simonis 35
Crackerjack Stuart Ritchie
Unzipped Ellian Perch
Ballyhoo Too Iain Park Ross
Kimaya Gavin van der Merwe
Born Free Francois van Dyk

Since our last newsletter we have Errol Stern from Cape Town entered his Fast 42. `Tenacity´ is a well campaigned boat, and she is not coming for the prawns alone! Dale Kushner and Andrew Edwards are part of the crew.

Dave Taylor of Richards Bay has entered his 36-footer `Alacrity´. Dave is no stranger to the race either.

`Pants on Fire´ did the race last year and showed a quick turn of speed at times. She has a `hot´ crew of Paul Thompson (Skipper): Dwayne Assis; Jorge Assis; Trevor Hulliman; Trevor Donald and James Keir, and these guys are there for the silverware this time.

`Addis in Cape´ is a French designed and built 35-footer which I am told is well sailed - and fast under her owner and skipper Alexandre Monat. She rates well under IRC and although I know little about her, I am told that we should not write her off. You have been warned.

Chris Sutton is one of the more committed Durban sailors around, and is taking the race seriously aboard `Foxy Lady´. RCODs have an envious record in this race, especially if it´s a downwind slide. But, anyone who sails an RCOD along our coast is `hardened´ and totally committed.

I´m told the race entry record for the race from Maputo to Durban is 24 - and with 21 boats listed above a new record may well be on the horizon? BUT THAT WILL ONLY HAPPEN IF WE RECEIVE YOUR ENTRIES!

Pics & Crew Info
Please would all entrants let me have a good action pic of their boat, and info on the crew and campaign in general as this will be placed on the website.

Well my last newsletter solicited the response I was hoping for as it lit a fire under those lethargic `vaalies´ who are hibernating as winter sets in. Gavin van der Merwe from the Fast 42 was quick to respond with the following:

"Kimaya is being prepared for the race. We have essentially assembled our crew consisting of some old salts, rock stars and handsome young punks. (The crew can select which category they prefer to fit into) Many of the crew is Joburg based. What is great about our crew is we have some excellent regular sailors; a relative newcomer, some part-timers and we are bringing some sailors out of retirement. An eclectic, but competitive bunch that may surprise our competitors by their passion and commitment. Our goal is we collect some silverware and as important, at the end of the race, a firm commitment from the motley crew to do it again next year. We too will sail under the RNYC burgee."

And hot on his transom came news from Solly Heyns who has entered Leyna (Elan 430). Solly has indicated that he is serious about taking some silverware home too - so keep an eye open for him - an old hand on the race.

And then came Vernon Goss´ and Bellissimo a Hanse 401. Craig Millar of Clipper Race fame will be the skipper, with Gavin Smith backing him up.

And earlier today Iain Park-Ross e-mailed to say that he was entering Ballyhoo Too a modified Mumm 36. Iain has a number of Vasco races between Durban and East London under his belt, with a few wins too, so he´s no slouch out there and will be wanting to add a Maputo to Durban title to his already impressive sailing CV.

Things are fast hotting up, with some quality entries.

See the Confirmed Entries page for an up to date list

I´m told the race entry record for the race from Maputo to Durban is 24 - and with 21 boats listed above a new record may well be on the horizon?

SO COME ON - LET THOSE ENTRIES ROLL IN, and those who are not mentioned here, PLEASE make contact.

Shipping
Matthew Thomas (082 093 2955) has kindly given of his time to assist with shipping from Cape Town. He is dealing with MACS and is arranging a good rate for yachts wanting to ship for the regatta. If you have any intention of entering, please give him a call as he does need to start finalising numbers, shipping dates and also the many other details which go into shipping boats along our coast. Or, let me know your details and I will pass them on to Matthew.

IRC
Please note that if you are requiring an IRC rating or a revalidation, please contact Donald ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at SAS KZN who will give you all the details and costs.