CROCS REGATTA
After much contemplation it was decided to enter Crocs Regatta..

Race 1- Double Points- Pursuit race to Bok Point and back.
We got an excellent start, sailed with a dying South Easter with it slowly shifting. A boat behind us siled for the westerlies and got some advantage. Meanwhile the Farr's that started got lots of breeze down the beach so we tried to reach up to try and get it. We could not get into this breeze, so we gybed and sailed the new Westerlies. By the time we got to Big Bay we have to peel in order to clear the rocks for wind angle. We then sailed for way point, peeling back again. Once round Bok Point, the wind staerted increasing with it turing into a tight fetch back to the finish. We managed to come first over the line by about 6-10 boat lenths. We won this race overall on IRC giving us double points..

Race 2- Bay race. Good start, with us doing well on the first half of the beat. nearing the weather weahter mark the wind had all but gone away. As we are a heavier boat we suffered in this condition and even when the wind slowly returned we were unable to make any sort of come back. This race gave us a poor result.

Race 3- Good start, good first beat, yet again the wind died with us struggling to keep going in the fickle conditions. Again a poor result.

Race 4- Average start, wind was at about 25 knots upto about 28. Boat was happy and going well. We made no mistakes on this race, flew the kite on all the downwind legs. While most boats were spinning out and struggling to control, we were happy. We came third.

Overall we came 5th(same points as 4th) if we had finished 2 seconds earler in the last race we would then have come 3rd overall but that is how racing is.

Aboards in total for the event were: Siger, Stefan, Massimo, Walter, Matej, Riaan, Ian, Dennis, Dale, Wayne, Tony

WED NITE RACE:7
Strong breeze(Gusted upto 35knots) we opted to sail with full main and the number three, even though we were light on the rail. We started high up on the line haivng to fetch down to the first mark, this was a mindless leg. The down wind legs were sailed well, with boats spinning out at the gybe mark forcing us to go wide to avoid the "out of controlled". We sailed an excellent beat allowing us to play some catch up.. During the race the main leech lost some stiching so it has gone to the loft ofr repair. On the way up the harbour we assisted a 40 footer by towing them in as they had engine problems. Must say, in gusts of upto 35knts we were still able to tow them at 5 knots... We struggled to enter our own mooring due to the tight turnign area and a gust which caught us at the wrong moment., but no damage. We came 5th, missing second by about 10 seconds. First on IRC. Aboard were: Ian, Dale, Walter, Matej, Assaf, Siger, Massimo, Raphael.

SOME PICS......................

WED Night Race NO:
This was a mundane race, with a fetching course.

HOUT BAY WEEKEND
Hout Bay Trip November 29 - 30
With the Dassen Island cruise cancelled due to no liferaft being on board, it was decided to re-route our weekend cruise to Hout Bay instead, as this does not require the safety of the liferaft to be on board.
We dropped lines at Royal Cape at around 14H00, and headed out into some glorious weather in Table Bay. The wind was 12-15knts WNW, and promised to be a good ride to Hout Bay. Sadly this was not to be, as the wind headed SW,with the approach of a frontal system, that brought with it a fair dose of rain and very poor visibility. We did however encounter quite a few whales off Sandy Bay and Karbonkelberg. The weather lightened up as we approached The Sentinel. We were safely docked in Hout Bay Yacht Club at around 18H30. After squaring the boat away, it was a dash for the clubhouse for a hot coffee (and a shower for Sandy).
After which we went in search of food. First we tried Dirty Dicks, only to find that the building was no longer there! We settled for a dinner at Mariners Wharf.

Sunday morning, breakfast was served aboard, thanks to Sandy. Dale, Bernice and Daniel made an appearance at the marina before we left home. The sails were hosted inside the harbor and we sailed out, as Dale took a pic or two, on our way passed. There was a good 12 knt SE wind blowing, which gave us a steady 8.5 knots out of the bay. The views of seal island and the sentinel being enjoyed by all. Matej tried his hand at the helm, as we rounded the Karbonkelberg and the crane wreck. Once again we were met by the whale brigade, a good twenty plus of them, spread out across the horizon. This time we managed to keep well clear, as we made our passage passed Llanduno and the Twelve Apostles, still maintaining a good 8 knot average. We were tested by a few gusts spinning off the mountain.
As we closed in on Camps Bay, the wind become more and more fickle. I started the motor from about Clifton, as the wind sucked away, for a short motor home. Our return trip, running in at around 2.5 hours. Not Bad ! All in all, a very enjoyable week end.
The crew aboard for this trip, Ian, Walter, Sandy and Matej.

Pics taken by Sandy aboard HocusPocus

VOLVO START
SAT 15th NOV Volvo Ocean Race 2008- 2009 – Leg 2 – Cape Town
All excitement was up as hundreds of supporters made their way through the Table Bay waters to show support for the start of the second leg of the around the world Volvo Ocean Yacht race.
The stream lined beauties glided gracefully through the water at surprising pace given the light breeze, keeping all at awe. With eyes fixed on the majestic yachts, helicopters circled above, broadcasting this phenomenon live around the globe.
The busy shipping lanes and chaotic waters filled with spectators caused postponed start from a scheduled 13.00h till closer to 14.00h.The fluctuating SW blowing approximately at 5 Knots showed signs of some hidden breeze, encouraging teams to do their utmost to ensure a good start.
As the crews bustled for the best position in the final minutes leading to the start, the Puma team managed to pull slightly ahead of the fleet. In what seemed like mere seconds the yachts were out of sight to round the first mark in Blouburg.
Some cunning strategizing was seen as the teams battled to maintain their speed back through Table Bay towards Granger Bay. The wind dropped dramatically to a mere 3 Knots, then lifted again after the yachts passed Granger Bay, as we watched the Volvo yachts leaving the Cape of Good Hope for India, this positive omen set an exciting tone to see who would make it in the fastest time between ports.
Looking at this intrepid journey filled with tactical intrigue, all respect must be given to all the teams. At the mercy of the wind and sea the Volvo Ocean race is undeniably the most demanding and challenging team sporting event in the world.