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 …..