“Talking Sailing” by Richard Crockett – issue 44

talking sailing logo 660 x 330sunsail for talking sailing
If you are interested in having a sailing holiday, think no further than Sunsail (www.sunsail.com) who have bases throughout the world. Click the links within their advert to get more information.

To Subscribe: Mail (sailing@iafrica.com) with the words ‘SUBSCRIBE TO TALKING SAILING’ in the subject line.

 

 

 
issue – 44
18 JULY 2016

by Richard Crockett
Publisher & Editor of SAILING Magazine

Reader response is welcome – respond to: editor@sailing.co.za

Readers are encouraged to forward this to their sailing mates

Probably the most exciting period in many people’s TV viewing time comes now with the 2016 Summer Olympics soon to start in Rio. Our three sailors, Asenathi Jim and Roger Hudson on the 470 and Stefano Marcia on the Laser represent South Africa. Follow their progress and send them your best wishes as they fly the South African flag high and proud.

I have been unable to unearth the TV broadcast times of the Olympic Sailing, but am sure that it will come up on your screens closer to the time. Plus, I have seen reference to live streaming of the sailing – so look out for that too.

In this issue we “Talk About”…
• Lipton Cup – International History
• Lipton Cup – Local
• It Takes Balls!
• First VOR Entry
• OBR
• Racing Rules Of Sailing 2017 – 2020
• Controversy at World Match Racing Tour
• That $1-million Feeling!
• Slave Wreck Artefacts Set for Next Trans-Atlantic Journey
• Viking Ship Forced to Leave Great Lakes Over Pilot Fees
• Webb Chiles – Solo Adventurer and Circumnavigator
•The Wind is Still Free
• There’s No Hiding – From Modern Technology Anyway!
• Sailing Through Russia
• Some Humour
• How True! This Simply Needs to Be Said!
• I Like This!
• Some Selected Responses to “Talking Sailing”
• A Lasting Gift – A Subscription to Sailing Magazine
• Sailor of the Month – Submit Your Nomination Now
• To Subscribe to “Talking Sailing”

Lipton Cup – International History
Few know that Sir Thomas donated three Lipton Cup trophies to sailing, and not just to South Africa. There is one in the USA and another in Australia.

But how many know that there is a Lipton Challenge Cup for football – also donated by the tea magnate?

The Lipton Challenge Cup (for football) was a football competition between clubs from Southern Italy and Sicily. It was played during the period leading up to World War I when football in the country was still in its infancy. In 1911 West Auckland were awarded the trophy outright. In January 1994 the trophy, which was being held in West Auckland Workingmen’s Club, was stolen and never recovered. An exact replica of the original trophy was commissioned and is now held by West Auckland FC.

Back to the SAILING Lipton Cup, I was interested to find in some research that this year San Diego Yacht Club host the 102nd Lipton Cup in October when twelve of the most competitive teams from yacht clubs across the country will battle in a rotation of 12 J/105s in the stadium sailing of San Diego Bay.

For this competition the rules have been changed several times as in the early 1970s, the Lipton Cup joined the worldwide shift to the International Offshore Rules (IOR), and the Cup became a handicap event. By the mid 1980s, the increased expense of competing in the IOR Class led to a decline of interest in the Lipton Cup. As a result, the Deed of Gift was again revised in 1990 to help bolster interest in the Lipton Challenge Cup event and to address a number of other concerns.

The most notable change was the addition of a provision which permits the Cup to be raced in a one-design offshore class, rather than applying the handicap rules as in the previous two decades. The Schock 35 class was selected as the new offshore one design and was used for 10 years. In 2002, the class yacht was changed to the J/105, a very popular class in the United States. The selection of a one-design class has been instrumental in attracting a large group of evenly matched, highly competitive boats in the Southern California event.

Now here is an interesting point regarding the number of races. In the early 1980s, the single race format was abandoned and a three race series was adopted in its place.

Lipton Cup – Local
This year’s event has just been sailed with the Royal Cape Yacht Club running out the winners again for the third successive year. This time her crew, skippered jointly by Dave Rae and Greg Davis, achieved a rare honour – that of winning ALL four races, the first time this has been done since L26s were adopted as the Lipton Class. It is only the fourth time this has ever been achieved as previously Geoff Meek won every race in the last of the two Quarter Ton events, and prior to that Dave Cox and Wilfred Hancock did it in 30 Square Metre days.

Shortly prior to the event the Lipton Trustees notified Clubs and competitors of some shenanigans in terms of a possible breach of class rules, which could ultimately have some serious consequences.

There have been many allegations made over the years regarding breeches of class rules in this class, but none have ever really been proved, nor protests lodged to my knowledge. But as a consequence of the latest situation I wonder if the time has not now come to immediately call time on L26 as the Lipton Boat – even if it means not having the event for the next year or even two.

The above is said advisedly as there is major progress towards the establishment of a new 31-foot STRICT one-design class for this country – with up to five boats guaranteed by the benefactor. It’s early days, although the first boat should be available by year end. The moulds are being professionally built in the USA. The local builder will be present in the USA when the first boat is built to learn first hand exactly how to build them.

Lipton used to be THE event in which all the top sailors competed, but sadly today it has become something of a ‘gymkhana’ with less than a handful of serious contenders.

Change is needed – fast.

If change is to come, and with everyone always bleating about time off work, there is an opportunity to go back to contesting the event in just the three courses as described in the original Deed of Gift.

It Takes Balls!
Tough decisions in sailing require tough people to make them, which is probably why Mark Turner was appointed as the CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race.

The VOR has become somewhat pedestrian in recent editions. Don’t get me wrong as the competition has been relentless as ever, and the boats spectacularly fast – especially the 70s, and spectactularly close in the 60s. But the course chosen took commercial aspects too far and took competitors out of the tough Southern Ocean legs the race became famous for.

Turner has now changed this – and brought those classic legs back and returning the event to its original roots.

“Tough, intense, and featuring almost three times as much Southern Ocean sailing as the previous edition, the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 will be contested over the longest distance in race history at around 45,000 nautical miles, crossing four oceans and taking in 11 major cities on five continents” is how it is billed.

The 43-year-old race around the world – the ultimate ocean sailing marathon, pitting the sport’s best sailors against each other across the world’s toughest oceans – will start from Alicante in late 2017 with a 700-nautical mile sprint to Lisbon, Portugal that will provide the first test of the form guide.

From the Portuguese capital, the fleet will plunge south towards Cape Town, before an epic few weeks racing through the Southern Ocean and then back north across the equator to Hong Kong, China in what will be one of the longest legs in Race history.

After a non-scoring transition to Guangzhou, China where an in-port race and full set of stopover activities will be held, the ocean racing will resume from Hong Kong to Auckland, New Zealand.

The fleet will then head back through the Southern Ocean, around the most famous landmark of them all, Cape Horn, and up through the Atlantic Ocean to the southern Brazilian city of Itajaí.

From there, as in the last edition, the boats will head back to the northern hemisphere to the Eastern seaboard of the USA, Newport, Rhode Island before a blast across the North Atlantic on the blue riband transatlantic leg, which will see them make a first return to British shores in 12 years.

The fleet will arrive in Cardiff, capital city of Wales, in May 2018, before beating its way around the top of the British Isles on a short but potentially brutal leg to the penultimate stopover in Gothenburg, Sweden. The 2017-18 race will end with a grand finale into The Hague, Netherlands.

The total distance of the racetrack is the longest ever – but while the teams will sail more nautical miles than ever, the race itself is scheduled to be one month shorter than in most of the last 12 editions.

“More action, more speed, more tough miles and more host venues, but a shorter race – it’s an evolution in the right direction and a move that takes the Race closer to its original roots and heritage, while improving its strong commercial value and excellent business case for sponsors,” said Race CEO Mark Turner.

Around 12,500nm of the race will take place in the Southern Ocean, the fast-moving, ice cold waters around the Antarctic where, unhindered by land, some of the deepest weather depressions circle the bottom of the global, generating giant waves and punishing, heavy winds that can peak at over 70 knots.

In the previous edition, the teams spent around 4,500nm racing in the Southern Ocean.

It’s taken a man with balls to make these changes. Our sport needs more men like him who are prepared to make tough decisions and back them with decisive action.

First VOR Entry
Dutch campaign, Team AkzoNobel, has been announced as the first entry of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

A Dutch campaign, backed by AkzoNobel – a leading global paints and coatings company headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and whose portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International, Interpon and Eka, is the first entry to the next race.

The boat will be led by first time skipper Simeon Tienpont who will be racing in his third Volvo Ocean Race.

Having made his debut as a rookie onboard ‘ABN Amro Two’ in 2005-06, he returned to the world’s toughest offshore race to join ‘Team Vestas Wind’ for the final two legs of the 2014-15 edition – and is delighted to be leading the Dutch campaign.

OBR
The On Board Reporter in the VOR is one of the races most demanding positions, and is known as the toughest job in media.

Despite this, some 10 000 people from 126 countries have applied to be OBRs on the next race.

Racing Rules Of Sailing 2017 – 2020
World Sailing has published the 2017 – 2020 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).

The new edition of the RRS follows consideration of suggested rules changes from Member National Authorities, Class Associations and race officials over the last four years. The 2017 – 2020 RRS apply for all events from 1 January 2017, but events which begin in 2016 may postpone this date via the notice of race and sailing instructions.

They can be downloaded free from the World Sailing website HERE

Here is a word of caution though, and it comes from Dave Hudson who is a real rules boffin! His suggestion is for people to download them and have them ready to study, but not to study them until AFTER their last major regatta of the current rules period to avoid any confusion between old and new rules.

South African sailing (SAS) has in the past printed the rule book, but at this stage no decision has been made in this regard.

Controversy at World Match Racing Tour
The third day at World Match Racing Tour Marstrand experienced strong, northerly winds blowing across the island which offered a different race course and a different challenge from previous days.

The schedule began with four sail-off matches to see who among the bottom eight qualifiers would advance to the top 16 teams for the knock-out rounds.

With the top 16 complete, the story of the day was the speed of Phil Robertson’s team, which had found a loophole in the M32 class rule that allowed them to have both lighter crew weight for manoeuvres and greater righting moment for the stronger winds.

“We found people cleverer than us sailors, some proper mathematicians, to do the sums for us” said Robertson. “They worked out that even with our lighter crew weight, we’d have more righting moment. About 10% more.”

The Kiwi spotted a loophole in the M32 class rule which states that for a crew weight less than 300kg, all team members are permitted to be hiking on the outriggers, whereas most teams are operating at the crew maximum of 350kg which requires the helm sitting inboard.

“Four on the rack and we’re off like a bridesmaid’s nightie,” noted Robertson. “It felt pretty good today. We were fast against one of the fastest high-wind teams in the M32.”

While teams are questioning the legality of what Robertson has done, no one had found the grounds to protest.

That $1-million Feeling!
Competitive yacht racing’s biggest ever first prize bonus of $1-million was up for grabs at the 2016 World Match Racing Tour final in Marstrand, Sweden early in July.

20 teams fought it out for the ‘winner-takes-all’ Tour bonus of a cool US$ 1 million. This in addition to the US$ 200,000 event prize money split between all teams with US$ 33,000 awarded to the winner.

Any guesses who won it?

Phil Robertson, the man mentioned in the previous story who knew his rules and found a loophole.

Robertson’s whoops of joy and celebration were more about winning the title of Match Racing World Champion. “It’s a dream come true and the goal we’ve been striving for since 2009,” he said.

Slave Wreck Artefacts Set for Next Trans-Atlantic Journey
Over 220 years after it foundered just off the Clifton coast in Cape Town, the discovery of the shipwreck of the Portuguese slaver, ‘São José Paquete de Africa’ was the first successful effort ever, to bring to light the archaeological vestiges of one of thousands of vessels that brought over ten million Africans in chains to the Americas. The submerged site of the São José and the artefacts recovered from this wreck are both unique and priceless.

These artefacts are set to depart on a further trans-Atlantic journey as they are destined for display as part of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s (NMAAHC) inaugural exhibition entitled “Slavery and Freedom” when the museum opens its doors in Washington DC on 24 September 2016. It is apt that this opening coincides with South Africa’s celebration of Heritage Day.

The story of the Saõ José is more than an African story. It is a story that transcends time, space, place and identity. It is a global story of our inter-connectedness as a human race. It is a story of migration, and of untold human wrongs,” said Rooksana Omar, CEO, Iziko.

The São José artefacts significantly represent a narrative that intersects the story of slavery at the Cape with that of the enslavement of Mozambicans, and with the trans-Atlantic slave trade, particularly in relation to Portugal and Brazil. Remnants of shackles; four iron ballast – to weigh down the ship and its human cargo; a wooden pulley block, and a portion of ship’s timber, retrieved from the wreck site of the São José will be on loan to NMAAHC for a period of ten years. Thereafter, the objects will re-join the remainder of the Iziko collection. During the loan period, the majority of archaeologically documented artefacts from this site will remain in South Africa.

The recovered artefacts bear testimony to the tragic events of December 1794, which witnessed the São José break up and disappear under the turbulent Cape waters, just off the area now known as Clifton Beach, carrying 211 enslaved Mozambicans to a watery grave. The 200 enslaved Mozambicans rescued from the sinking slave ship were sold into slavery at the Cape.

Viking Ship Forced to Leave Great Lakes Over Pilot Fees
‘Draken Harald Hårfagre’, the world’s largest Viking Ship, was invited to participate in the Tall Ships Challenge Great Lakes, and sailed from Norway to Shetland, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland to Newfoundland and into the St Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes.

On entering the lakes, the Great Lakes Pilotage Authorities said that a ship of that size required pilotage – at a cost of $400 000!

For what is ostensibly a sail-training ship, that’s a ton of money which has almost certainly prevented her from attending the Tall Ships Challenge.

Follow the ship HERE

Webb Chiles – Solo Adventurer and Circumnavigator
His name will be familiar to those who follow cruising folk in preference to racing, as he has done two single-handed circumnavigations, and is still sailing the world’s oceans.

Currently he is on his way across the Indian Ocean and headed for South Africa. Like all good sailors he appears to have collected ‘sweethearts’ in every port, and reference to his last known marital status is almost ten years ago, and then he was married to his sixth wife! Will he have made it to ten by the time he gets to our country?

His first circumnavigation in 1974 was to take him around Cape Horn, but severe gales and damage to his boat forced him to alter course for Tahiti to effect repairs. He then headed again for the Horn, and again was forced back by severe gales and damage, this time to his starting point of San Diego. He then spent five months at sea and after numerous gales and more damage, he made Tasmania.

He’s a tough old sea dog is Webb Chiles, and the above does not do justice to his endeavours.

The Wind is Still Free
My old mate Brian ‘Mugs’ Hancock has written the following in his Great Circle Sails News blog:

Here is something that all sailors should know. The science behind how a boat sails to windward. Yup, we all know that boats can sail close to the wind but very few actually know how it all works both above and below the waterline.

Well here is my gift to you. I came across this great little video that explains it all in very simple terms. It’s worth ten minutes of your time to watch the video. If you understand the forces that are at work you will be a much better sailor.

A few years ago I wrote what was considered at the time the most definitive book on the subject of sails and sail technology. The book is called ‘Maximum Sail Power’ and the most difficult chapter for me to write was the one on how sails work. I read numerous books and studied the Bernoulli Principal, named for Swiss mathematician Daniel Bernoulli, who put forward the idea that when a fluid speeds up, and yes air is considered a fluid, that there is a corresponding drop in pressure. It’s this drop in pressure that is key to how a sail works.

If I had only had this short video back then life would have been so much easier.  View it HERE

If you like you can download a free pdf copy of Maximum Sail Power and flip to Chapter 15 – The Wind is Still Free.  Download it HERE

There’s No Hiding – From Modern Technology Anyway!
There’s a company called Van Berge Henegouwen (VBH) which has delivered the first onboard Living Technology system that integrates the Apple Watch with the Pivot control application. The result is new levels of convenience and service quality for superyacht guests and owners. This has been developed in response to the wish of a superyacht captain to raise the quality of his onboard service even higher than before.

Calling the crew – the Apple crew watch system builds on the capabilities of the VBH Pivot control system with the mobility, flexibility and convenience of the Apple Watch. Following extensive development work, VBH has extended the steward call function of the Pivot control system to allow calls placed by guests to be received by the crew in a discrete fashion on Apple Watches. VBH has implemented Apple push notifications to make sure that calls are received even if the watch is not active.

When a crew member receives a call he/she can accept the call, which informs both the calling guest as well as other crew members that the call has been received and assistance in on the way. This is an effective and discrete alternative to the use of radios and reduces the number of devices crew members have to carry around. To further add to this, VBH has also developed a central messaging system that allows messages such as information – “All Crew Guests are awake!”, notifications – “Crew Lunch is served in the mess” and alerts – “Fire alarm lower deck guest cabin” that may be received on the Apple Watches.

How sad that our lives can be controlled by a watch!

Sailing Through Russia
In 2012 Russia opened its inland waterways to foreign-flagged pleasure craft. Now a book, written by the skipper of the first foreign flagged yacht in 2013 to sail through Russia from the Arctic to the Black Sea, is available.

In 2012 Russia began opening its vast network of inland waterways to foreign pleasure craft. A year later, Australian yacht ‘Tainui’ became the first foreign-flagged vessel to traverse Russia’s Volga and Don Rivers from the Arctic to the Black Sea.

This book describes ‘Tainui’s’ groundbreaking journey. It is a laconic and amusing account of a 3,000 mile adventure by two intrepid sailors through a vast landscape, giving unique insights into a Russia which has for so long been inaccessible to foreigners. This is a richly illustrated book, which detailed descriptions of the villages and cities which lie along the banks of the mighty Volga and Don Rivers are accompanied by 340 colour pictures and navigational charts. The appendix contains an historical overview of the Volga watershed, together with geological and botanical notes and much practical information for cruising yachtsmen venturing into Russian waters.

“Sailing Through Russia” is at the same time a personal account of the crew’s trials and tribulations en route, and a detailed cruising guide for adventurous yachtsmen who may follow in their footsteps. It describes candidly the difficulties and triumphs, both personal and bureaucratic, which the crew faced along the way.

Skipper John Vallentine is an Australian doctor who has sailed for most of his life. He was new to Russia however, and his frequent exasperation, bewilderment and frustration, couched in wry, light-hearted prose, are clearly evident.

If John initiated the trip however, it was Maxine who made it happen. Her struggles with the complexities of Russian bureaucracy were at times gargantuan but always successful. As John says, she was by turns QC, arbitrator, administrator and seductress. Originally from the Netherlands, Maxine began sailing before she could walk. A lawyer by training and fluent in Russian, Maxine is a long-term Moscow resident who used to work in the media.

‘Sailing through Russia’ is published by its authors and will be available from 1 September.

Contact SAILING Books – derri@sailing.co.za – if you would like to order the book.

Some Humour
An old sea captain was sitting on a bench near the wharf when a young man walked up and sat down. The young man had spiked hair and each spike was a different colour – green, red, orange, blue, and yellow.

After a while the young man noticed that the captain was staring at him. “What’s the matter old timer, never done anything wild in your life?

The old captain replied, “Got drunk once and married a parrot. I was just wondering if you were my son!”

How True! This Simply Needs to Be Said!
The person who does not read is no better off than the person who cannot read. Van Buren

I Like This!
If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman. Margaret Thatcher

Some Selected Responses to “Talking Sailing”
Just want to comment on the seasickness item. I am very strong-willed by most standards, but have not been able to mentally convince my body that I don’t get seasick. The fact that many dogs get seasick is proof enough that it is not the 99% mental affliction that is claimed by those lucky enough to never get seasick. One of my dogs has also been carsick on longer trips.

In my 20s and 30s I used to have excellent sense of balance and also regularly became seasick. I have found that as I have aged my sense of balance has diminished and so has the likelihood of me getting seasick. This has never deterred me from my passions of sailing and designing boats.

In reply to sea sickness is a state of mind I have the following reply:

I do not suffer from seasickness, never have done. I can’t rationalize it because as a child I suffered from motion sickness. Sitting in a bus or train sitting backwards in the direction going was a disaster. Going to Fairgrounds and going on the various rides was a disaster. The fairy go round, the fly on the wall, boat swings and finally the roller coasters were and still are a definite no no. Bus, train and car sickness is not a problem any more but the fairground rides still are. This has given me an insight of what seasickness is all about. I have tried to rationalize the difference and can only surmise the reasoning.

Being in the open and fresh air is one of them. Keeping occupied and active is another. Yet it doesn’t work for every one. I go down below to cook and do galley duties the 1st 36 hours of an ocean crossing, especially when the going is rough. I have had occasions when I have felt a bit queasy but going up in the companion way for some fresh air is always enough. The closest to being seasick I ever got was when I was working on an engine problem and was breathing in diesel. Again getting fresh air was a solution to the problem.

I do agree that a state of mind or determination does make a difference.

I have had a lot of crew in various states of seasickness on board.

There are the ones that just give in to it and just stay below and feel totally miserable and useless and then those that fight it and do their watches, even though they are sick. I have had a crew member that was seasick for 30 hours, every time at the start of a new trip, but never shirked her watches. She would crawl in her corner but was at her post when called upon. I can deal with that but always drew the line with crew that could not “control” their seasickness because the fear and danger of dehydration and hence health danger. I always, before a big event, did a shake down cruise to sort out the competence of the crew and had to make some tough decisions in crew selections. I even had to refuse a St Helena Scout that was sick for 5 days on the RMS St Helena to Cape Town. We still gave him a chance on the shakedown cruise with giving him specialized medication, but as soon as we were out in the deep we never saw him again until we were close to back home. He did go back to St Helena on the RMS and wasn’t seasick. My reasoning is that the Trip from St Helena to CT is rougher, into the wind thus more chop, than from CT to St Helena going with the wind. I have never regretted that decision. As skippers we learn to read the type of crew we select.

I believe that there is no rational reason to seasickness.

After reading your bit about Roger Hudson in ‘Talking Sailing’ I thought I must just tell you this one about Roger – who we have known since he was a small boy.

We were all at Swartvlei for an Eastern Province Junior Championships, I can’t recall which year, but I’m pretty sure Roger and our own son were still sailing Oppies.

The kids all loved those Swartvlei regattas. As my son once said, the sailing on Swartvlei was awful, with both wind and weed all over the place, but the social vibe was terrific.

The Race Officer had a plumbing problem at his home and was attempting to get the whole regatta finished on the second day (the event was scheduled as a 3 day event) so he could go home and sort it out. The kids had sailed several races during the morning and had enough on the first day to more than constitute a regatta. I vividly recall when discussion about the start time for the afternoon’s racing came up, Roger standing on the grass at Trail’s End and stating very firmly: “I don’t want to race this afternoon. I raced this morning. I want to go to the beach.”

So what did all the kids do that afternoon? They went to the beach.

The regatta was completed on the third day, as originally scheduled – and we never heard what happened to the Race Officer’s plumbing!

On Brian Hancock’s “The High Cost of Being Rescued”, a few thoughts:
1. Your house insurance pays the cost of the fire brigade. Why doesn’t the yacht’s Insurance policy cover the cost of rescue?
2. The number of yachties being rescued pales into insignificance compared to the number of migrants being fished out of the Med…. – No-one expects them to pay!
3. Most yachties I know dig into their pockets generously towards the NSRI funds.
4. People are rescued off mountains or deserts all the time – what’s the difference?
5. Who picked up the tab for the search for the missing Malaysian airliner?

As Brian summed up – it’s what civilized nations do without counting the costs.

You never cease to amaze me with your inventive qualities.

About sea sickness- there is a cure – it is called Pussers Navy Rum. If you have enough of it the next day you will really wish to be sea sick. Recovery from this thick oily drink is slow and very traumatically painful.

About the most dangerous places to sail- never forget the Agulhas Bank. It can get real shitty out there when the wrong swell meets the wrong wind meets the wrong spot- remember the race where only Capricorn made it to East London. AND one yacht disappeared without a trace.

I have been becalmed off the coast of Ethiopia for 3 days, drifting up and down until a small coaster gave us a tow to Aden where I, as a South African, was promptly stuck in jail for a week – only because I was a South African!! This was in 1977 when we left Mahe, Seychelles in a hell of a hurry just before the takeover by Albert Rene from Jimmy Mancham.

Those were the days, big nuts – small brains.

I eventually traced my old yacht ‘Juluka’ – the Swan 391. We went to have a look at her where she was dry hauled in Greece. I must say, after 31 years she was in pretty good nick. Some wear on the teak deck, but otherwise down below just as when I had her. An amazing vessel. Still has the Profurl head sail system. Just goes to show that GOOD gear is a worthwhile investment. She is as far as I know the only Swan ever delivered with Enkes stainless steel winches. This was through the kind courtesy of Peter Albert and Richard Petersen of Manex Marine doing a very special deal with Enkes in Holland. The winches are as smooth now as they were then. The Skanti open frequency HF Duplex is still fitted and there is not a spot of corrosion on the main TX box in the stern- so also the Neco autopilot.

It was quite a sentimental voyage, but money well spent to find her and have a look see.

Cheers and thanks for a nice change in my daily routine when your mail arrives. Dan Mathee

Hey, you nearly said something rude about Laser sailors! I don’t think I will do what Julian did on his bike, on a Laser, and that is sail from Hondeklip Baai to Durban – but I may give it some serious thought as I think it may be possible – and as possible as driving a Landrover up Sani Pass in the early days.

Malcolm Osborne is always a fountain of knowledge when it comes to records. He says to follow this link to see what the record in Laser dinghies really is. Follow the link HERE

A Lasting Gift – A Subscription to SAILING Magazine
Need a gift for a loved one, sailing friend or crew? A subscription to SAILING Magazine will last the whole year round as we produce 12 issues per year – and it costs just R250 per year.

Call 031-7096087 or e-mail: derri@sailing.co.za

Subscriptions are available as a printed magazine OR a digital e-zine. Your choice.

Sailor of the Month – Submit Your Nomination NOW
SAILING Magazine, in conjunction with MDM Marine Services, North Sails and Southern Spars, back the ‘Sailor of the Year’ Award.

Monthly winners are featured in SAILING Magazine, with the overall ‘Sailor of the Year’ receiving a substantial cash prize.

Sailors of the Month – 2016
February          Phillippa Hutton-Squire
March               Sibu Sizatu
April                 Mike Hayton
May                  Howard Leoto
June                 Rob van Rooyen
July                  Brevan Thompson

Sailor of the Year 2015
Stefano Marcia

Who can make nominations? Anyone (individuals, clubs, class associations or administrators) may submit nominations.
What are the criteria? The award is strictly for ‘sailing excellence’ or in exceptional circumstances, for ‘dedication to the sport’.
What is the procedure? All nominations must be fully motivated in writing, and must be accompanied by a head-and-shoulders picture of the candidate, plus an action sailing pic aboard his/her boat (unedited hi-resolution (300dpi) digital images are required). Motivations must include current performances, a brief CV of the nominee, and other pertinent, personal background information (age, school, employment, home town etc) so that an interesting editorial on the winner may be written. Failure to submit the required material will result in the nomination not being considered.
Deadlines. Nominations must be received by the 1st of every month, although this may be extended at the Editor’s discretion, so it is recommended to submit them as soon as possible.

If you think there is a sailor worthy of nomination, simply send the nomination with a motivation and a photo of the person to – editor@sailing.co.za

Check Also

“Talking Sailing” by Richard Crockett – issue 50

To Subscribe: Mail (sailing@iafrica.com) with the words ‘SUBSCRIBE TO TALKING SAILING’ in the subject line. …