Home - ABYC, Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Slow Boat on the Water

Slow Boat on the Water

Posted 8 months, 19 days ago

Slow Boat on the Water
Maybe I should retitle this one to: "Slow Boat on the Water, the Sock is in the Sky!" Think about, it, and if you can't work it out we will discuss the meaning over a cold beer at your expense. Once again Derek Bouwer has come to my rescue and sent an amusing account of Sunday's SLOW BOAT CRUISE, organised by Dave Jackson. (Dankie Dave, en dankie vir die foto's): SLOW BOAT ON THE WATER Sunday the 20th of Jan and the slow boat cruise, this was a novel cruise where the fleet had to follow the slowest boat in the fleet of the day. This Honour (Dubious to any red blooded sailor) fell to Maricia, who at the start were right at the back of the fleet having experience difficulties with their roller furler. With "frantic" foredeck action, they got this sorted out and headed for the harbour entrance, The object of the exercise was to stay within 200 meter of the "hare" well in the light airs that prevailed in the harbour entrance this was not a difficult task as the forecasted winds where almost non-existent. On clearing the harbour entrance this exercise looked like the race for those with no sense of direction as each boat skipper chose a different point of sail. Struan worked slowly until eventually the "hare" was away astern and there was only "Lady" in front (mmm!!! competitive spirit methinks?) Eds Note: Nope with a genuine racer on board (at least that was what Harry called me!) the temptation to tweak, prod and pull to get the boat going was just too much. PLUS, we had my partner in grime on the MyPE web site, Hilton, and his lovely wife, Debbie along for the ride as well, so the TEMPTATION to sail faster, she was great. Like they say there is no substitute for waterline length! You do not waste the gentle 12 knots of Southerly breeze so we made our way towards the bell buoy the intention was always to pop the kite, having the requisite crew on board. Preparation where made and we hoisted the "white red & blue" then it was a gentle run down towards the harbour entrance, even gybed the kite! A little rusty as this was a first on Struan and was effected rather slowly with a lot of rope releasing and then pulling, and a constant barrage of calling back and forth, but eventually we where on the other gybe and sailing smoothly. Communication breakdown! Being on the sharp end and the ears aren’t too good, I thought the object was to dowse the kite? I proceed to pull in the sock whilst the guys in the executive suite out back tried for all their worth to fly a sock! Everything stowed away we dawdled toward Channel mark listening to the Stowaway soap opera "Days of our lives up a rudder stock" unfold on the VHF we gybed back to the harbour. On time and behind Maricia!! Being the only boat within 200 meters of Maricia as she entered harbour! Did we win the prize? Eds Note: Prize? - the damn prize was getting to sail on the bast bay in the friendliest company in South Africa. Get over it! New concept! The result - at least 10 boats on the water with "Plumb-bob" the new Miura welcomed on the water, cold beers on the deck to finish off the day, (Thank goodness Eugene Lombard from Wings, who arrived on our way out, left us some cold ones!) a great days sailing had by all. Absolutely bloody marvelous. Eds Note: Of course whilst the Cracer was off practising his spinnaker launching and sock flying,(who needs to practise with a sock?) other boats were drifting down to the Shark Rock Pier with braai smoke wafting behind them. And got close to the Rubber Duck racing that was taking place. I have often thought that Rubber Duck Racing is like going to KFC, quick and greasy. Whilst Yachting is like going to a five star restaurant, genteel, filling and extremely satisfying. Have a look at the PHOTOS HERE Full Story »

Comments are currently disabled