Algoa Bay Yacht Club

ABYC - Port Elizabeth's Friendly Sailing Club

cape to rio

Winner(s) of the Predict Ray of Light’s Finish Time #Cape2Rio Competition

Ray of Light Rio
Ray of Light at the finish in Rio de Janeiro

Ray of Light’s official finish time in Rio de Janeiro was: 18:00:52 UTC on 20 January 2017.

The following is the leaderboard of predictions from armchair sailors. Each entry was time and date stamped – to ensure that no cheating went on. The predicted time is after the name , the entry date is in brackets followed by the time difference between predicted and actual:

  1. Alan Straton: 18:35:13 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-19 11:15:09) 34 Minutes 39 Seconds
  2. Tim Jones: 17:19:19 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-19 15:09:52) 41 Minutes 11 Seconds
  3. Jill Onvlee: 16:44:00 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-19 16:49:37) 76 Minutes 52 Seconds
  4. Ray of Light: 16:34:00 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-17 11:29:46) 86 Minutes 52 Seconds
  5. Alan Straton: 19:28:45 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-17 08:51:20) 87 Minutes 53 Seconds
  6. Lisa Blaine: 15:50:10 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-17 09:30:24) 130 Minutes 42 Seconds
  7. Sir John Tudehope: 14:23:47 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-19 14:00:49) 217 Minutes 05 Seconds
  8. Ray of Light: 12:00:00 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-19 22:22:55) 360 Minutes 52 Seconds
  9. Alan Straton: 11:41:18 UTC on 20 January 2017 (2017-01-17 07:30:24) 378 Minutes 94 Seconds
  10. Sean Wiseman: 04:10:12 UTC on 21 January 2017 (2017-01-17 08:10:12) 609 Minutes 4 Seconds
  11. Sir John Tudehope: 04:35:26 UTC on 21 January 2017 (2017-01-18 21:06:52) 634 Minutes 26 Seconds
  12. Darryl Garner: 09:30:00 UTC on 21 January 2017 (2017-01-19 08:32:48) 930 Minutes 52 Seconds
  13. Roger Lucas: 21:27:00 UTC on 19 January 2017 (2017-01-17 08:28:09) 1287 Minutes 52 Seconds
  14. Sir John Tudehope: 18:36:30 UTC on 19 January 2017 (2017-01-17 08:02:48) 1403 Minutes 22 Seconds
  15. Tim Jones: 21:53:31 UTC on 21 January 2017 (2017-01-17 09:26:47) 1739 Minutes 13 Seconds
  16. Darryl Garner: 12:03:45 UTC on 22 January 2017 (2017-01-17 10:10:43) 2519 Minutes 07 Seconds

ABYC’s Bailes family sailed onboard Ray of Light – a 44.7 foot Beneteau First design, skippered and owned by Mike Kavanagh and navigated by Siyanda Vato – in the 2017 Cape to Rio race.

The complete crew: Michael Sean Kavanagh (Skipper), Siyanda Vato (Navigator), Heidrun Kavanagh, Sean Pieter Kavanagh, Sigrid Bailes, Anthony Bruce Bailes, Tamryn Bailes and Jenna Bailes.

Read more about the Bailes Family here.

WIN in today’s Ray of Light #Cape2Rio Challenge

At 06h30 this morning the Bailes family on Ray of Light had 678 nautical miles to go to the finish in Rio de Janeiro.

Using the tracking page and supplied weather map predict their finish time in Rio de Janeiro – the ABYC member with the nearest to correct answer wins a meal and a bottle of wine for two. If a NON-ABYC member wins then they will get 10% off a membership application.

Your answer below please:

By our calculations Ray of Light are 100 nautical miles from the finish so the entries are closed.

New Cape to Rio Record for Maserati

At 23:29 GMT on 14 January (21:29 in Rio) Maserati Soldini crossed the finish-line of the 14th Cape to Rio De Janeiro race, establishing a new speed record for the race of the race 10 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, 57 seconds.

The previous record was held by Zephyrus IV, a 74’ American maxi which covered the distance in 12 days, 16 hours and 49 minutes in 2000.

The official elapsed time has still to be issued. Now the agonising wait to see whether she can get the double by adding overall handicap honours to her achievement begins.

Giovanni Soldini and Maserati
Giovanni Soldini in Regatta Control in Rio De Janeiro and Maserati. Images: Trevor Wilkins

Soldini tweets his arrival:

Maserati sailing in to Rio on 14 January 2014

On Maserati Soldini, Martin Kirketerp Ibsen sends a video message as they contemplate breaking the Cape to Rio crossing record.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Meet the crew of 1971 Cape to Rio yacht Flame

Port Elizabeth’s entry in the 1971 Cape to Rio Yacht Race was the 34 foot, Flame.

The then 65 year old owner and skipper, Basil Weale hoped to complete the race in 30 days.

Basil was accompanied by:

  • Harry Huyzers of Sunridge Park who helped sail Flame up from Cape Town
  • Bob West, the navigator
  • Gavin Wynne – newly married and living in Summerstrand
  • Philip Stone – at 17 the youngest crew member and a former Victoria Park High School pupil
  • Jim Swinnerton, 18, former 1970 Muir Head Prefect and a keen Swartkops dinghy Sailor.

The image and snippet of news below. taken from The Herald of 20 January 1971, comes from Frank Atkinson who says; “A lovely bit of old memorabilia to bring back memories – look at Gavin”.

Can anyone shed any light on how Flame did?

Meet the crew of 1971 Cape to Rio yacht Flame
Meet the crew of 1971 Cape to Rio yacht Flame

Fatality in Cape to Rio on Bille

Thirty-six yachts cast off from Cape Town at 12h00 on 4 January for the 3300nm Cape to Rio Race, with teams representing Angola, Australia, Croatia, Germany, Great Britain, India, Italy and South Africa.

The race started in 10 knots of North West breeze and sunshine after a thick fog bank hovered over Table Bay for most of the morning. But, as predicted a South Atlantic low pressure system reached the fleet on the first night. With reports of 40 to 60 knts of wind and swells of 6 metres, many yachts experienced difficulties with the conditions but most are coming through the worst part.

This report was posted at 20:00 SAST on 5 January 2014:

BILLE (an Angolan registered Bavaria 54) reported earlier in the race that they mainsail problems and that they were proceeding back to Cape Town for repairs. At 15:00 a report was received that the yacht was dismasted and there were a number of serious injuries on board, including one fatality. MRCC have activated all their agencies and are in constant communication with the vessel. Race HQ sent the nearest vessel Genevieve Too to yacht Bille and they are currently standing close by to offer assistance. Bille is owned by Sybille Marion Doeker Correira Da Silva and the skipper is Luis Manuel De Oliveira Da Silva.

BLACK CAT (Didi 38) has reported a broken rudder and is proceeding back to Cape Town, one crew has a sprained ankle and all are well.

PEEKAY (Beneteau 51) have reported sail problems and are proceeding to Saldanha Bay, crew all well.

EXPLORA (Open 60) have reported engine flooded but all well and will attend to the problem in calmer conditions.

ISLA (Wilderness) has reported both engines inoperable, but generator working.

AVA (Miura) reported in this morning saying that they were having battery power problems. At 16:18 an EPIRB was activated from Ava and but there has been no communication from this vessel since then. Marine Rescue Coordination Centre has activated all agencies even though the yacht appears on course from the tracking system.

DO DO (Fortuna 37) reported in at 19:30 this evening to say that they have lost steering and engine power but are hove to and will do repairs to resume racing.

The naval frigate, Islandwana, has been mustered with medical crew and will be departing this evening to attend to yacht Bille and Ava.

Click here to read more reports from the 2014 Cape to Rio.