More Pics.. From Cape to Rio 2014 Start - Photographer- Dave Mabin

DOUBLE HANDED RACE 24th May 2014

With A Northerly blowing, with rain etc.. and forecasted to have a freshening breeze, this deterred some of the sailors, not all.
On board Yolo we took it conservatively knowing that it would be a bumpy ride to the first mark.. electing to use a J4 and one tuck in the main. We had a conservative start.. as did most of the fleet due to the sea state.. winds were mainly in the early 20's so not too bad...Chop was steep, but not too high. No waves had built up yet.It was mainly a one tack beat to Daeyang, with Yolo trying out different heavy weather techniques.. to varying degrees of success. A short tack on Port followed by a rounding of the mark.. Baring away and immediately dropping the reef(and picked up kelp, which we could not shake off the entire leg).. We were planning on hoisting the kite, but with no one else doing it.. and not being part of the whole series, we decided not to bother...
We gybed, poled out the jib and sailed a mundane downwind leg to the finish. Pity we had the kelp and we could easily have handled then kite..
After finishing, we went into the harbour and backed up, with the kelp coming up.. confirming our concerns.
Boat performed well. We came 4th in the race. Aboard were: Dale and Ian.

Hout Bay Cruise 17-18 MAy 2014

SE Predicted. The Yolo crew Mustered at the boat shortly before 1pm.. and departed clearing the breakwater at 1pm. A nice SE blowing at 20 knots, making a fast sail down to Clifton where the winds died.. which meant a quick motor through the light patch, followed by a building breeze and a fast sail till the wreck, where thereafter it was hard on the wind. there was a SE chop and a Westerly ocean swell running.. Yolo reefed down to make it easy sailing.. and made a few tacks going inside Vulcan rock. Winds were in the early 20's gusting to 30ish Nearing the sentinel, the usual squalls made their appearance on the water. Then a bear away for a sail into the Bay of Hout Bay. Into the Harbour. A Sail drop.. and then the organizer together with HBYC showed us where to moor and assisted with mooring lines. We cleared away, relaxed and then later went up to the club. The club had laid on a Braai for everyone which was well organized, with us returning to the boat at 10ish.,.

Next morning started with team YOLO doing breakfast at HBYC. The club was very organized. Followed by the anticipated start which was scheduled for 11am. Most boats departed the harbour early. the bay was calm but in the distance the SE could be noted. The start was a combined start of HB boats, doing their club race and the RCYC cruisers.. With the fleet immediately fetching, with the chase on for who would get the SE first. Boats to the weather side of the line might have got some advantage. Once in the SE.. boats started to brear away around the sentinel. It was not too strong.. perhaps 22-23 knots.. Yolo was hanging in with the HB boats.. and then hoisted kite. the HB boats at this stage were ahead and rounded Vulcan. YOLO had gybed and sailed to the corner, where the kite was dropped and two sailed reached till past Llandadno. Getting closer to Camps Bay, the wind died.. so it was elected that the Motor was used.. the boat was packed away...  Arriving at the Breakwater 3 hours after the start. A good sail.
Aboard were: Dale, Ian, Sieger and guest for the return, Ray Matthews. Boat performed well.