Open Thread

Jenna Bailes off to ISAF Youth Worlds

24 November 2015

At the recent ISAF Youth Worlds Selection regatta held on the Henley Midmar Dam in October – Michaela Robinson and Jenna Bailes (ABYC) won all but one of the races.

Micaela and Jenna have been selected to attend the ISAF Youth World Championships in Langkawi, Malaysia from 27 December 2015 to 3 January 2016.

They will be competing in the 420 Girls discipline.

Please join ABYC in wishing Jenna and Micaela the very best of luck.

The ISAF Youth Worlds has seen a whole host of star studded names compete and take honours across its 44 year history. Over 300 of the world’s top youth sailors are expected to compete in Langkawi in a bid to add their name to the star studded list that includes Olympic and America’s Cup stars such as Russell Coutts (NZL), Alessandra Sensini (ITA) and Ben Ainslie (GBR).

Open to competitors aged under 19 in the year of the championship (i.e. for Langkawi, under 19 on 31 December 2015) in the events and equipment listed (all supplied), the Youth Worlds occupies a unique place in the sailing calendar. Entry is limited to one boat per nation, per event, with highly competitive national qualification events taking place to decide who will have the honour of representing their nation.

RYC 24-Hour Sailing Challenge

2 November 2015

Some images from the Redhouse Yacht Club 24-Hour Sailing Challenge held this past weekend on the North End Lake.

[AFG_gallery id=’19’]

The inaugural Redhouse Yacht Club 24 Hour Sailing Challenge was held on the North End Lake on the weekend of 31 October to 1 November 2015.

Seven Sailing Teams and one paddling team (NMMU Paramedic Students) took part.

Over the 24 hours the NMMU Paramedic Students covered a distance of 131.43 kilometres.

The winning sailing team – North Sonnet – on a …………. Sonnet covered a distance of 107.3 kilometres.

The top three sailing teams all sailed Sonnets and only 8 kilometres separated the Top 3.

The East Cape Power Boat Club graciously made their facilities available for the sailors.

IRC Measurement

2 November 2015

This past Saturday three ABYC boats Nemisis, Wallbanger and Malgas (hopefully Chinook and Adamo will follow) who will participate in the 2016 IRC Nationals in the bay where forced to show their “weapons of Choice” by having their sails measured by newly encumbered IRC measurer Tony Bailes.

Every measurement was photographed as reference.

Normal ABYC bantering prevailed throughout the process – the Cullum Father & Son (Malgas) team had to console each other regularly, all in good fun.

IRC Measuring – Did we have to bring Granny’s Bloomers as well?

Good thing that the Dinghy sailors were taking part in the RYC 24 Hour Sailing Challenge on the North End Lake which freed up the grassed area for the ‘bloomers’ to be measured!

Which Boat

10 October 2015

At 12:00 pm today Port Control reported winds just shy of 100 kilometres per hour. Sailors sitting on the deck saw spindrift streaming down the channels and over the harbour wall.

So no sailing today BUT a little quiz – Do you recognise which boat this is flying the Pirate Flag?

First correct answer wins a beverage of your choice from me.

IRC is the way to go

5 October 2015

The challenge is changing the mindset of our sailors.

There is a perception is that IRC suits only the “grand prix” type boats/sailors and the answer is Yes AND No.

Yes: sailors who race regularly and keep their boats up-to-date and in good nick, are able to match their performance against others regardless of the size and type of boat will enjoy the use of IRC handicap ratings. This should also encourage those who enjoy sailing competitively.
No: IRC makes provision for your “cruiser” type boat and sailors, so these guys are not left-out. It benefits all.

A nice factor with IRC is that one can amend one’s handicap rating during the season e.g. if you change from symmetrical to asymmetrical head sails, you notify IRC and you get a new rating. So you the boat owner can determine the rating! IRC “heightens” the competitiveness of sailing.

IRC will work very well with a number of Clubs racing against each other during the season. The handicap rating is standard and is ISAF recognised.

A potential hurdle is that for a boat to be IRC registered there is an annual fee (determined by length of boat).

Feedback from RCYC where the Club uses both IRC and PHRF together (different fleets), is the growth in membership especially in the 16 -30 age group. This group want to race and they want to know they can measure their performance. It’s this whole new life-style attitude, much like cycling, surfing and trail running etc – we need to sit-up and take notice!

John Tudehope

ABYC in the Business Chamber’s Infocom magazine

5 October 2015

The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber publishes a quarterly magazine that is distributed to members – What! Are you not a member of the NMBBC yet? (Click on any of the images below to be taken to the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber web site to apply or HERE.)

ABYC featured in a double page spread of this quarters’ Infocom magazine – see below.

NMBBC Infocom 3rd Quarter_2015_1 — Algoa Bay Yacht Club: A Place of Leisure, Friendship and Sailing.

The blurb reads:

The Algoa Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) is based in the Port of Port Elizabeth and exists to; “Foster an interest in sailing” All the facilities to meet this objective are provided by an active sailing section, marina, youth sailing development programme, hosting of local, regional, national and international regattas, a convivial pub and excellent restaurant (The Chartroom).

ABYC is internationally acknowledged as one of the friendliest sailing clubs – rather apt as we find ourselves in the Friendly City.

Competitive sailing takes place every weekend throughout the sailing season and social Wednesday Evening Sailing is open to all who want to; “try before you buy”.

Membership is open to all who express an interest and active participation in sailing and offers many benefits.

The sport of sailing is essentially one that is fuelled by volunteers who unstintingly give of their time and money in promotion thereof. Volunteer members excelled themselves this past season – which saw us hosting the 60th SAP 5O5 World Championships, the finish of the Vasco da Gama Ocean Race from Durban to Port Elizabeth, our premier annual regatta ABYC Week and numerous inter club and internal regattas. ABYC’s annual inter club dinghy regatta takes place on the North End Lake in the shadow of the iconic Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The coming sailing season is jam packed as we will see a number of 5O5 sailors from Europe return to train in Algoa Bay – acknowledging that Algoa Bay offers one of the best sailing areas in the world, the Vasco Da Gama will finish in Port Elizabeth with an increased fleet of ocean going yachts, ABYC will host the prestigious IRC Nationals with approximately 30 boats travelling to compete (IRC Nationals attracts the top big boats in South Africa) at the same time as ABYC Week and we will round the season off with the Laser Nationals which will see around 60 boats competing.

Our sailors compete in the highest levels and have acquitted themselves well on a national and international level.

ABYC is conveniently situated within the precincts of the Port Elizabeth Harbour just north of the National Sea Rescue (NSRI) and Port Elizabeth Deep Sea Angling Club (PEDSAC).