WED Night Race 24th February 2015

With a Convergence zone over the start line, the race was going to be tricky. With two minutes to the start Yolo was above the start line and made her way down to the line and to a line of boats who were sailing down the line on Starboard with Yolo sailing towards them on Port. On the gun Yolo was called as over so immediately dipped down in the light conditions which slowed the boat and eventually got confirmation from the bridge and then started sailing, by this time the fleet had sailed away, leaving Yolo in the light breeze essentially heading the wrong way. Eventually finding a puff to sail to.. and then started trying to make up time. During this time the rest of the fleet had got in the wind and had made a huge gap. Yolo worked the beat and caught up to the slower boats in the class but the faster one's remained elusive. Once around the weather mark, it was a run and fetch to the finish, with no further opportunity to catch up. Yolo managed a 4th in this race. It was a good day on the water and once the wind picked up, the sailing was great. Aboard were: Dale, Ian, Sieger, Shane, Cath, and newbie Daniel Agulhas.

WED 17th Feb 2015

With a SE wind with perhaps a bit more East in then usual, blowing between 12-18knots and hot evening with flat sailing waters, it was the perfect evening for racing. Yolo is s class 2 boat but starts will Class one boats so one needs to be wary of the faster boats on the fleet. This week we both sailed the same course. Yolo got a cracker start with good speed and hung in with the much bigger boats to the first mark after which a downwind leg was sailed which allowed the larger class one boats to slowly overhaul Yolo.. Good mark rounding at the lee, but to clear wind Yolo tacked and made for Milnerton beach... after tacking a perfect angle for the next mark.. As Yolo progressed the wind started to lift, which benefited boats to leeward who could now lay the next mark.. Closing in on the mark a well known boat came across on Starboard started to over stand in order to Starboard us, called Starboard still a way off, so Yolo started to bear away as Yolo put their bow down they tacked which is illegal having called Starbord they needed to complete their call instead they promptly tacked in Yolo's water.. Not very nice.. What aggravated the situation is Yolo crew called protest to which the response was given in swear words.
In the end, Yolo won the race in her class and in fact technically won Class one. All well aboard. Crew: Dale, Ian, Sieger, Shane, Cath, Andrea, Assaf.

Pic by Jeff Ayliffe Media

Double Hander Race 6 February 2016

The start was delayed by half an hour, to allow the fog to lift.. A nice SW on the water, around 16 knots in the start zone.. Yolo getting a nice clean start and tacked away to lay landfall, the first mark.. there were a few shifts on this leg accompanied by some puffs... so worked this zone, rounding second with Tenacity two lengths behind... Hoisted the kite and made some good time downwind in the freshening breeze, putting in a gybe for the lay.. The winds got upto 25 for a little while... good strike and rounding at Milnerton followed by a comfortable upwind in the reduced breeze which had settled down to around 14. Could not pay number 8 (leading boat could) so put in two quick tacks and around the mark to the finish. In the end, Yolo won on corrected time. Aboard were: Dale and Ian.

FLING REGATTA

A firm favourite on the calendar and in our opinion the most serious of racing regattas which is always well organized. We look forward to it.

FRIDAY: We went out to the start area in light conditions, but the usual wind line was already on the water and it was blowing 30 knots at the committee boats and according to them a lot more at the weather side of the course, so racing was cancelled.

SATURDAY:
Race 1: Nice stiff breeze, we set Yolo up for strong winds, getting a good start and a good beat, followed by an enjoyable downwind leg to Sunset mark. Near sunset mark the winds softened.. Around the mark and tried to sail up the beach in order to find max breeze doing numerous tacks.. As we got close to Paarden Island mark the breeze had softed off.. so changed kites and on the downwind changed jibs as we realized there would be a wind shift.. then tired to maximize the convergence zone.... and cross the finish like under jib. In the end, we came first on corrected time in our class.
Race 2: Breeze was up over the whole course.. Getting a fair start, good beat, round the weather mark and a good downwind leg holding our own with some of the bigger boats, then a good solid beat changing gears that seemed to have worked... but pushed coming into the weather mark, winds shifted and we could not lay, touching it in the process so a 360 degree penalty turn and then another go with better angle, but we tacked fast so the jib took some time coming in, causing too much drift touching the mark AGAIN... beam on... and as we passed it, the leeward rudder clipped the mark causing damage to the rudder...  The decision was made to abort the race..

Later ashore, albeit we have a spare rudder the decision was taken not to do a rush job, and rather allow the rudder to be repaired professionally and therefore we were out of the regatta.

Aboard were: Dale, Ian, Sieger, Shane, Cath and Mark.

Pics courtesy of: Colin Brown

WED Night Race - 27 Jan 2016

With the first scheduled race being blown out.. this was the first race to be sailed. Conditions were good on the start with a nice SW with 12 knots... Getting a fair start and immediately tacked to lay Landfall mark, as the leg progressed conditions headed for us, forcing us eventually to tack.. and try and consolidate and then a tack again, unfortunately behind a boat that was hell bent on pinching.. costing them and us. Round Landfall and gybed away to create a separation.. and then a gybe back and a lay for Milnerton.. Shortly after milnerton the wind died off.. with us trying to keep the momentum up.. lots of boats started to retire, but we chose to endure and position ourselves for the new breeze which eventually came. With us slowly moving again and sailed via Harken Mark to the finish.. In the end we scored a first in our class.. mainly due to persistence.. Aboard were: Dale, Ian, Cath, Sieger and Andrea

SUNDAY 16th January 2016 -Social Sail

A perfect perfect summers day on the water, hot temperatures and a 12 knot breeze with ultra flat water which had the perfect green colour.. Sailing took us down the coast from Milnerton to Sunset beach sailing in very close then a sail across the bay and then slowly worked back to Paarden Island Area before heading back to the club. Conditions were idyllic.. if it was always like this... millions of South Africans would be sailing.. Giving sailing the "perfect picture".. Aboard were: Dale, Bernice(Dale's wife), Monique Strydom and her son Luke, Dennis Cochrane who has been a regular aboard, but due to an injury has curtailed his sailing and his Son Stephen(Skippy).