Sailing Magazine
‘Spring Regatta’ was held in fabulous conditions in False Bay over the National Heritage Day long weekend, 22-24 September 2018.
This is the first of the four premier regional regattas, contributing towards the Western Cape Keelboat Inshore Championship 2018|9, which is held on the ORC rating platform. False Bay Yacht Club hosted an excellent event.
Of the 48 yachts entered in the regatta, 34 competed on ORC, with the remainder sailing in the coastal cruising fleet, and the Miura Class Nationals.
Many of the regular sailors from the Cape 31 Fleet competed on other boats across the different classes.
‘Ski’ and ‘CuAl6′, the two Cape 31s that made the trip around to False Bay, reported champagne sailing.
After eight races in the competitive ORC Class B fleet, ‘Ski’ managed 3rd overall, behind the supercharged L34mod, ‘Avatar’, with ‘CuAl6′ taking the top spot.
The racing fleet format included short course Windward|Leeward’s, as well as longer circular random bay races.
In one of the longer races, with a fast long reaching leg from Miller’s Point to Seal Island, ‘CuAl6′ passed all the Class A boats, bar ‘Nitro’, despite starting five minutes behind them!
A beaming Ian Watkins, the Scud regular sailing aboard ‘CuAl6′ for the regatta, quipped: “The Cape 31s are going to have an absolute blast if the wind is like this for Mykonos!” Does anyone want to place an early bet on a Cape 31 taking line honours for the downwind dash from Table Bay to Club Mykonos!!?
Also grinning ear-to-ear at the prize giving, ‘Ski’s’ Rodney Tanner said: “That was so much fun. Next year we’ve got to get all the Cape 31’s here!”
Perhaps the last laugh belongs to the prize-giving MC, Allan Lawrence, who sailed the regatta aboard ‘Avatar’, who said “We’ve sent our boat owner home with instructions to go find enough money to buy a Cape 31, because we’re tired of racing this caravan!”
One can only wonder whether Nigel Clack has heard his crew, and whether he will ‘spring’ for hull #013?!
