Vonklemperer Series

Same story again dam wall breeze Moderate but chilly this time round!

Rob Tarbie away again with quikie on the heels . Essex girl had a not good start and slowly caught up having a lucky lift up to no 1 ,thus putting her 3rd around the top can . Quiki with spinaker problems allowed Essex through. Essex finding herself in better breeze than Rob allowed her to pass Rob at the gybe Mark down to no 4. With another lift going up to centre saw Essex have a comfortable lead to come in first, Followed by Rob and then Tim sailing single handed did well to come in third.

The win for Essex allowed her to take the series . So well done young Lea Duguid ! Then Rob followed by Willie and Rob.

Next up is the Brass monkey , similar to Vonklemperer sailed over the next 2 consecutive Sundays .

MASTHEAD # 7 – April 2014

This is hopefully a short Masthead, just to remind you of a few things:

The closing cruise will be held on Sunday 27th April at 11h00.  We’ll sail round to the braai area near the power boat club.  Please bring your own braai meat, salads, and drinks, and braai fires will be available at the site.  There will be some youth available as crew if anyone wants some spare hands as we are hoping to get the youth from the Hilton Methodist Church to come to the Club on this day.  I look forward to seeing you at the closing cruise.

Then, before you know it, it will be AGM time again!!!  The AGM and prize-giving is scheduled for Sunday 22nd June, and there will be a sit-down lunch available.  The details of the lunch and prize-giving will be published as soon as they have been finalized.

On behalf of your committee, I’d like to wish you all a good Easter, and to those who are travelling to Simonstown or the Vaal for the various regattas which are scheduled before and during Easter, I wish you good winds and good sailing.  Fly the burgee high for your club!

If you are thinking of resigning from your membership of HMYC, you must do it before the end of May 2014 (next month!!), so that it will be effective for the 2014/2015 season.  If you resign after the start of the new season, you are still liable for the new season’s subs and you have to pay them to avoid being declared a defaulter.  If you don’t pay your subs you are declared a defaulter, and defaulters cannot come and use the club’s facilities, and they also have to remove any boat or trailer which belongs to them from the club premises.  You just need to send an e-Mail to Connie before the end of May, stating that you don’t want to renew your membership for the new season and that will be fine, you won’t be in danger of being declared a defaulter.  We do have a payment plan in place if you want to pay your annual subs off over a number of months, instead of paying the full amount in one payment – again just speak to Connie and she’ll arrange this for you.

If you have turned 70 during the 2013/2014 season, then you should send Connie a copy of your ID book so that she can charge you the correct subs for the 2014/2015 season as we have a lower annual subscription for members who have turned 70 years of age.

Senior Sailing Breeze | 26th March 2014

A brief summary of the sailing calendar for the month of April 2014
Sunday 6th April
Open Class Championships incorporating the George Duffin Trophy Series: Races,  (19), (20) and (21), this  series is only open to the Hunter Class, but all other classes of yachts and catamarans can compete in the Open Class Championships, the start of which will be five (5) minutes after the George Duffin Series start. A briefing will be at held at 10h15.sharp.
The Monthly Mug and Open Class Championships scoring will be made based on the overall sailing results for the day.

Sunday 13th April
Autumn Handicap. This is one for the golden oldies (Average sailors age makes up the handicap)
Briefing will be at 14h00…..sharp and the start will be at14h30 from between a start mark and the jetty. The course will follow a given course, between designated fixed marks. Enjoy a social drink in the pub after the race.

Sunday 20th April
Pursuit Race No (2).  This will be a medium distance race, open to all classes of yachts and catamarans, there will be individual starting times given, based on skipper and boat handicaps. Briefing will be at 14h00…..sharp and the first start will be at14h30 from between a start mark and the jetty. The course will follow a given course, between designated fixed marks. Enjoy a social drink in the pub after the race.

Sunday 27th April
Close of Season Sail Past / Hail the Commodore, followed by a casual sail to the braai area near the Power Boat Club. Prizes will be awarded for the most sportive crew. The braai area can be reached by road. Directions will be available at the briefing at 10h30 on the club veranda. You may bring your own picnic lunch, but Debbie will have some braai packs and rolls for sale and there will be a limited number of beers for sale. (Remember your bar card)

General Information and Requests.
(1)  Attendance at briefings is not compulsory, but it is advisable to attend them as
even though course directions should be posted early by the race officer, last minute changes can be made. (This only applies to HMYC Club Events)
(2) Camping in the club grounds is only permissible during organized events, sites
       must be booked via the Club Administrators Office. Contact Connie Gray
       on 0833127707 or 033 3304158 during her club administration hours.
             (or complete the camping form as per the Notice of Regatta)
(3)    Any member  prepared to give of their time to help with regattas and club sailing in the coming season please do not  be afraid of stepping forward, we need your help and for the inexperienced, advice and training will be available , it can be fun and definitely better than just sitting on the bank.  Please contact me, see contact details below.

Last but not least, enjoy the remaining months of the yachting season, make the most of the best yachting facility in the country and remember, the race officers and myself, are there to provide you with well managed sailing events, be it serious or social. Fair winds and great sail  Rob Bell      Tel: 033 3442182,   Cell: 0739618006, robbell@afrihost.co.za

Connie Gray
Henley Yacht Club Admin

MASTHEAD # 6 – March 2014

Another month, another Masthead!!!  It’s already March and the year seems to be flying by.  We’ve now had four out of the five regattas this season at HMYC, with the last one which is still to be held being the KZN Inter Schools regatta which will be sailed the weekend 8/9 March.  If you know of any school children who can sail and who would like to represent their school at this regatta, they should be at the dam on Saturday 8^th March by 08h30 as this is when registration starts and they will be able to take part in the regatta.  They don’t have to be hot-shot sailors – this is a fun event.  The warning signal for the first race will be at 10h55 on Saturday 8^th March, and racing will take place on both Saturday and Sunday. 

There is also one extra regatta for HMYC this season, as we’ve been asked to host the Hunter Nationals and this will be run at the end of March – the 21/22/23 March.

The 2014 HMYC 9 Hour race was held on Saturday 1^st March, with a total entry of 39 boats.  The wind didn’t appear on Saturday morning, with the fleet being becalmed at times on the dam which made for some frustrating sailing, but it came from the dam wall in the afternoon, and this livened things up a bit.  Thanks to all who helped to make the event a success – those who laid the course, moved some keelboats (and put them back!!), sponsored some prizes, did the recording on the shore – the list is endless as there is an enormous amount of work which has to be done both before and after such an event - and without your contributions the event wouldn’t have been as good as it was.  I think that 2015 is possibly the 40^th anniversary of the 9 Hour race - which was first sailed as a 12 hour race – so if anyone can give me more information as to when this event was first sailed at HMYC, please can you contact me as next year we want to make the 9 Hour a bumper event?

An early reminder - if you are thinking of resigning from your membership of HMYC, you must do it before the end of May 2014, so that it will be effective for the 2014/2015 season.  If you resign after the start of the new season, you are still liable for the new season’s subs and you have to pay them to avoid being declared a defaulter.  If you don’t pay your subs you are declared a defaulter, and defaulters cannot come and use the club’s facilities, and they also have to remove any boat or trailer which belongs to them from the club premises.  You just need to send an e-Mail to Connie before the end of May, stating that you don’t want to renew your membership for the new season and that will be fine, you won’t be in danger of being declared a defaulter.  We do have a payment plan in place if you want to pay your annual subs off over a number of months, instead of paying the full amount in one payment – again just speak to Connie and she’ll arrange this for you.

If you have turned 70 during the 2013/2014 season, then you should send Connie a copy of your ID book so that she can charge you the correct subs for the 2014/2015 season as we have a lower annual subscription for members who have turned 70 years of age.

The dam is full and overflowing at the moment, so when you’re next up at the club please check your mooring line.  It might need to be lengthened …..

Senior Sailing Breeze

A brief summary of the sailing calendar for the month of March 2014

Saturday 1st March         HMYC NINE HOUR ENDURANCE RACE

This is the big one, Nine Hours of Competitive Racing with thrills and spills at the change overs, remember you have to change crews at least four times during this event, that’s where the fun comes in. The warning signal for the race will be at 9h25 sharp no matter what the weather is like at the time. The start is on the outer leg of the course so make sure you are on the water in time and near the starting area

Registration on the 1st March is from 07h00 until 08h15 with a compulsory briefing for all skippers at 08h15. SEE YOU THERE

Saturday 8th  / Sunday 9th  March

There will be no official club sailing taking place at the club, as the club will be hosting the

KZN Inter School Championships, members who wish to go cruising are reminded to please

sail clear of the racing area, but may make use of the club’s facilities. Camping in the club grounds, will however be reserved for the regatta participants.

Sunday 16th  March

HMYC Short Course Championships Race No. (3).This event is open to all classes of yachts

 and catamarans and results will be based on boat handicap. It is the race committee’s intention to run six (6) short course races around layed marks. Briefing will take place at 10h15…sharp.

This series caters mainly for dinghies, but all boats are welcome

Friday 21^st, Saturday 22nd, Sunday 23rd and Monday 24^th March.

There will be no official club sailing taking place at the club, as the club will be hosting the

SAS Hunter Nationals, members who wish to go cruising are reminded to please sail clear of

the racing area, but may make use of the club’s facilities. Camping in the club grounds, will however be reserved for the regatta participants.

Sunday 30th March

Pursuit Race No (1).  This will be a medium distance race, open to all classes of yachts and catamarans, there will be individual starting times given, based on skipper and boat handicaps. Briefing will be at 14h00…..sharp and the first start will be at14h30 from between a start mark and the jetty. The course will follow a given course, between designated fixed marks. Enjoy a social drink in the pub after the race.

General Information and Requests.

(1)  Club Members are asked please not to go cruising during the 9 Hour, as it will only cause  

       confusion for the lap recorders and yachts taking part in the event.     

(2)  Camping in the club grounds is permissible during the 9 Hour, but sites must be booked via

       the Club Administrators Office. Contact Connie Gray on 0833127707 or on 033 3304158

       during her club administration hours.

(3)  Any member  prepared to give of their time to help with any of the above events, please step   

       forward, it can be fun and definitely better than just sitting on the shore.

Have an enjoyable month of March on the water, although organized club sailing is limited, due to the events taking place at HMYC.

Rob Bell      Tel: 033 3442182    Cell: 0739618006   E-Mail robbell@afrihost.co.za

MASTHEAD # 5 – February 2014

 I must apologise for the lateness of this Masthead, but I’ve been waiting to finalise some information before I pass it onto you.  So, firstly, belated compliments of the season to you and your family from the Executive Committee of HMYC.  I know it seems as if Christmas and the New Year were a long time ago, but this is your first Masthead of the new year. 

A lot has happened at your Club since the last Masthead – we hosted the MSC SAS 2013 Youth Nationals before Christmas, and had a good entry of over 160 boats!  The dam was full of boats, which was lovely to see!  The water level remained low for the regatta, which meant that the competitors could park their boats along the shore, which in turn meant that we didn’t have to move any boats in the car park!  A good regatta was had by all, with good winds and great sailing.  Thanks to all who were involved in one way or another in making the event a success.

Then, after Christmas we had the SAS KZN Regatta, being the KZN Provincial Championships for Lasers and Hunters, and the SAS Nationals for the Sprogs.  Unfortunately the fleets didn’t make class status for this event, so it wasn’t an official Provincials or Nationals event, but a good time was still had by all.  Thanks, too, to all who were involved in making this regatta a success.

The next big event at your Club is the annual 9 Hour – this will take place on Saturday 1^st March.  There is early registration at the club on Friday 28^th February from 16h30 to 18h00, and Debbie will have a light supper available for those who want to stay and socialize – the pub will also be open.  There is an online entry form on the HMYC web page.  When you use the online entry form, you need only press the ‘Register’ key once.  Your entry will be submitted to HMYC, and you will receive an e-Mail with a copy of your entry form, and another e-Mail giving you the HMYC banking details so that you can pay the entry fee.  Normal entries close on 21^st February, after which you will have to pay the late entry fee.  The pub will be open for most of the day on Saturday 1st March, and there will be a kebab braai available for supper in the evening. 

Once again we unfortunately have no sponsor for this event, so if you know of anyone who would be prepared to help with a monetary donation please let me know.  If you would like to donate some small prizes, please will you bring them with you to the Club when you come to sail in the 9 Hour, as any contribution is gratefully received?  Similarly, if you would like to help with the recording of boats as they do their laps, please can you tell Jean Wagner, as she’s co-ordinating this?

A word about general safety on the water: Please remember to wear your lifejacket when you go out in your tender to your moored keelboat, and to always be mindful of the weather conditions.  Safety when getting to your mooring is as important as safety when sailing, and there isn’t always someone on the shore at the Club who can help you if you get into difficulty when you’re going to or from your mooring.

Please can you also remember to tell Connie Gray when you buy or sell a boat?  She has a boat register which she tries to keep up to date, but she can’t do this if she doesn’t know who you’ve sold your boat to - we need the register in order to identify boats on shore or on a mooring which have been damaged or come loose from their mooring.

Finally, the Club has been hired out to the Swim School for the Midmar Mile weekend, so club members won’t be allowed to go either into the car park, or into the clubhouse for the duration of the weekend.

The HMYC 9 Hour

‘The HMYC 9 Hour will be held on Saturday 1st March, 2014.  The warning signal for the race will be at 09h25, and there will be a skipper’s briefing at 08h25 on the Saturday.  Early registration will take place at HMYC from 16h30 to 18h00 on Friday 28th February.  The pub at HMYC is now operated by HMYC itself, and it will be open on both Friday and Saturday.  The galley will be open to provide a light supper on the Friday night.

Looking forward to seeing you at this fun event!!’

Senior Sailing Breeze - 24th January 2014

A brief summary of the sailing calendar for the month of February 2014

Sunday 2nd February

Open Class Championships incorporating the George Duffin Trophy Series: Races,  (16), (17) and (18), this  series is only open to the Hunter Class, but all other classes of yachts and catamarans can compete in the Open Class Championships, the start of which will be five (5) minutes after the George Duffin Series start. A briefing will be at held at 10h15.sharp.

The Monthly Mug and Open Class Championships scoring will be made based on the overall sailing results for the day.

Saturday 8th  / Sunday 9th  February   

There will be no sailing taking place at the club, as the club has been rented out for the Midmar Mile, members are kindly requested not to make use of the club facilities during this period.

Saturday 15th / Sunday 16th  February  

Rose Bowl Mini Regatta.  This event is open to all classes of yachts and catamarans and results will be based on boat handicap. It is the race committee’s intention to run six (6) races over the two days around layed marks. Briefing will take place at 13h30…sharp on the Saturday. Further details will be given in the Sailing Instructions available on the day. Camping will be allowed, please make sure you book ahead of time.

It is also the attention of the social committee to have a braai on the Saturday evening but this will depend on the number of entries for the regatta and bookings for the braai.

Saturday22nd, Sunday 23rd February –.    

There will be no official club sailing taking place at the club, but the club’s Radio Control members will be holding their Keith Mackey Race, Briefing 13h00 on the Saturday.  Sailing Instructions will be available at registration.

Friday 28th February

Registration for the HMYC Nine Hour Endurance Race will open at 16h30 until 18h30 in the evening.

The pub and galley will also be open from 17h00 onwards, make the most of this opportunity to prepare your yacht and crew for the club’s event of the year.

Saturday 1^st March         HMYC NINE HOUR ENDURANCE RACE

This is the big one, Nine Hours of Competitive Racing with thrills and spills at the

change overs, remember you have to change crews at least four times during this event, that’s where the fun comes in. The warning signal for the race will be at 9h25 sharp no matter what the weather is at the time. The start is on the outer leg of the course so make sure you are on the water in time.

Registration on the 1^st March is from 07h00 until 08h15 with a compulsory briefing for all skippers at 08h15. SEE YOU THERE

HMYC has taken over the operation of the pub, and in terms of the Liquor Licence no private alcohol can be brought on to the Club property.  Please support your pub, as the proceeds go to HMYC.

There is a Triathlon scheduled to take place at Midmar on the 1^st and 2^nd of March, so please allow extra time to get to the Club on the 1^st March as there will be more traffic than normal on the road.

We don’t have a sponsor for the 9 Hour, so if you know of anyone who would be willing to sponsor some prizes for the 9 Hour, please let me know.

General Information and Requests.

(1)  Club Members are asked please not to go cruising during the 9 Hour ,as it

            will only cause confusion for the lap recorders and yachts taking part in        

            the event.     

(1)   Attendance at the briefing is compulsory, as even though course directions  

            will be posted early by the race officer, last minute changes may be made.

(2)   Camping in the club grounds is permissible during the 9 Hour, but sites              

             must be booked via the Club Administrators Office. Contact Connie Gray                       

             on 0833127707 or 033 3304158 during her club administration hours.

(3)   Any member  prepared to give of their time to help with the 9 Hour, please                  

            step forward and contact me, at the numbers below. Training will be               

            available , it can be fun and definitely better than just sitting on the bank.

Have an enjoyable Nine Hour, with fair winds and great sailing,

Rob Bell      Tel: 033 3442182    Cell: 0739618006   E-Mail robbell@afrihost.co.za