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