SAILING MATTERS
by the Rear Commodore, Gregg Dobson

Christmas Regatta
The annual RNYC Christmas Regatta incorporating the Flying Fifteen and Hobie 16 KZN Provincials started on Wednesday the 16th in a 20 knot South-Westerly wind and relatively flat sea. Some close, exciting racing was experienced especially at mark roundings where various interpretations of the new rules were rapidly communicated amongst the crews. At the end of the day Pat Harris/Jeremy Kriek (Ffoxxoff) and Gregg Hurter/Gregg Dobson (Freya) both had scored a 1st and a 3rd, and Mike Wright/Ian West-Lewis (Bad Influence) had two 2nds leaving all three teams tied on points.
Thursday saw a 15 knot North-Easterly blowing and the race-officer, Rob Samways, made the most of the conditions by holding 5 back-to-back races. Patrick and Jeremy showed that steering and sailing in a short, sharp North-Easterly chop is an art and demonstrated their mastery by blowing the opposition away with 5 firsts, although in one race they were challenged by Gregg and Gregg until contact was made with the ensuing penalty dropping the Gregg's down the field. Mike and Ian with three 2nds and a 3rd moved up to second overall.
Peter Hall and Sue Lawrence with four 1sts on the day overtook Sean Fennesy/G Pretorius at the top of the Hobie leaderboard.
A 20 knot South-Westerly that moderated slightly during the day once again allowed the race officer to test the sailors fitness and endurance levels by holding 4 back-to-back races. 'Ffoxxoff' missed the first start allowing Freya a win. Patrick and Jeremy then proceeded to win the next 3 races leaving Gregg and Mike to fight it out for the minor positions. A group of sore and weary sailors were towed out of the harbour in a thankfully light South-Easterly breeze on Saturday morning for a final race. 'Freya', needing only to finish a position behind 'Bad Influence' to finish 2nd overall, led until just before the penultimate mark where she was overtaken by Mike/Ian and the team of Steve Hegerstrom/Ian Hogg. Mike and Ian only had to sail through the finish line to secure 2 overall when they miscalculated and rounded the leeward mark nd leaving a bemused Gregg and Gregg to finish behind winners of the race Steve/Ian, to secure 2nd overall.
Congratulations to the 2009 Provincial Champions Patrick Harris and Jeremy Kriek, also to the winners of the Silver Fleet Neil Yelland and Russel Briant.
Peter Hall/Sue Lawrence won the Hobie Provincials followed closely by Mark Wistonbury/Niki Obree in 2nd and Sean Fenessy/G. Pretorius in 3rd.
Our thanks to Jarryd Quinn and Mike Gibson for performing rescue duties, to recorders Carol Ferguson and Elizabeth Crockett , Steve Barton-Hobbs, Brad Bindel and Leighton Samways for being there.
Thank you to Rob Samways for laying true courses and start lines and for proving that you can sail plenty of races in one day and enjoy them. Last but by no means least, thanks to Sandy Samways for organising the event from start to finish and making it all happen.

Hobie 16 Results (With two discards)
1 Access Peter Hall/Sue Lawrence
2 Parrot Products Mark Wistonbury/Nikki Obree
3 No Name Sean Fennessy / G Pretorius
4 Hurtle Gary Hubach/Neville Corr
5 No Name Greg Matthews/Charlotte
6 Wicked Tim Wickham/Pam Mockridge
7 The legend Jeffrey Burros/Grant Campbell
8 Chaos Ryan Harvey/Kyle Harvey
9 No Name S Keogh/Rudy Fokkens
10 No Name Wayne Smith/Victoria
11 Vagabond Jason von ?/Caitlin Wakefield Keeler

Sunday There-and-back Offshore Race for Keelers
A predicted 15 knot building to 25 knot South-Westerly allowed 11 boats to run out of the harbour channel to a laid start approximately 500m north of the entrance. The course was a starboard reach out to the Fairway mark (approx 2,5nm off the harbour entrance), the boats then gybed and sailed a downwind leg to a laid mark off Virginia Airport before turning upwind for the finish.
'Caversham Caprice' and 'Majimoto' led the fleet out to sea followed closely by the RNYC youth team onboard 'B2G2' helmed by Carl Zimmerman. Just B2G2 and Graham Rose on 'Cartoon Deckwork' flew spinnakers in the increasing wind. Some fast downwind surfs were experienced in a rising sea on the leg down to Virginia.
As the boats rounded the leeward mark the wind picked up to an average 30 - 35 knots and with it rain so the visibility closed in leaving the fleet with a bumpy beat back to the finish in trying conditions.
Thanks to Jeremy Kriek & Tylor for doing an admiral job on the rescue boat & thanks to Ivan for assisting me on the Bridge boat.
A gust of 45 knots was recorded by 'Plumb Crazy' and prudent seamanship was displayed with the boats reducing sail and all making it back safely to the harbour with only 3 retirements. Line honours were taken by Sean Jones and team on 'Bandit'. First on corrected time was 'B2G2' followed by 'Caversham Caprice' RNYC Youth Team
Congratulations to Carl Zimmerman on being appointed the skipper of 'B2G2' for the next season. We wish you and your team everything of the best and hope that you continue to build on the success with which you have started. Results
 

'There & Back' - Sunday 20 December
1 B2G2
2 Caversham Caprice
3 Realty 1
4 Plumb Crazy
5 Fusion
6 Cartoon Deckwork
7 Electron
8 Bandit
9 Crackerjack RET
10 Majimoto RET
11 Spindrift RET

Festive Wishes
On behalf of the RNYC sailing committee I wish all members and staff a Happy Festive season and Joyous New Year. Lets enjoy our sport safely!
See you on the water.