Website: http://vyc.co.za/mosquito.htm
Christmas 2006
Your committee would like to wish all members a merry but safe Christmas, and may y’all have a happy & prosperous New Year, as well as some sailing thrown in for good measure!
My personal opinion of our class, I think, is epitomised in the photo above – the sheer delight on Sarel’s face as Miles hands Kevin the “lemon”, while Darryn cackles happily in the background.
To understand what I mean you need to know the story of the lemon……..
Kevin & Shaun had won the Nationals two years
running, and then Sarel & Charmain took the 2000 Nationals at
Not to be outdone, Kevin kept the lemon, duly won the next Nationals & took great delight in handing it back to Sarel! This lemon episode sparked the longest winning streak by anyone in our class – 5 consecutive years plus the two years prior to the lemon episode, seven years in all!
And now, Miles has handed Kevin the lemon………..!!!
at
Essentially we sail for the sheer pleasure & fun we get out of the sport, but don’t get me wrong! Down the years there has been serious rivalry on the water, but that is where it has stayed. In the 31 years the Nationals has been contested, I can remember only one incident on the water that “came ashore”, which shows, I think, a certain maturity amongst our members. Pity we can’t spread it to the rest of our beautiful country.
Hey, guys & gals, the season is halfway, 2006 is almost done & many of us have not had much sailing, due to various factors! It would help, of course if the wind played ball & did not try & blow us away, on occasion, but that’s the name of the game.
What you need to do, is check the following events, & make the effort to get to them. This is the best way to get properly integrated into the Mossie family!
9- 10 December Xmas regatta at VYC – Points 2 (Father Christmas arrives Sunday morning!)
13 -14 January New Year regatta at VYC – Points 3
27 – 28 January Longhaul at Theewaterskloof Sailing Club (TBC)
2 – 4 February
Round the
10 – 11 February Summer Regatta at VYC – Points 4
24 – 25 February
24 – 25 March Cape Point Challenge at FHBSC
31 March – 1 April Autumn regatta at VYC – Points 5
6
– 9 April
Manex/SAS
The calendar may look a wee bit crowded, but after the Easter Weekend it slows down somewhat. So come along and get integrated!!! (not inebriated…….)
So far, we have 4 boats committed to making the trek
to Denysville (Vaal Dam) to sail the RTIR. It is very difficult to
describe sailing amongst some 500 boats – you have to experience it! The
plan at this stage is to overnight at Gariep Dam (halfway mark), to arrive
at LDYC Friday 2nd. The main race is Sunday 4th.
Camping is free to competitors, the facilities are very good & the vibe
is something else. We would like to see more members trying this one, so if
you are interested, speak to any committee member. Entry fee is R170 &
entries close
The other major regatta is the WC Sailing Championships at Saldanha Bay at Easter. This is the best time & place to showcase our class, & the more boats we have on the water, the more interest we will get. In short, the promotion of our class does not depend on the committee, but you, the member, showing commitment, to ensure that the class moves from strength to strength.
There are still some of the older bungalows available, should you wish to book do it now, as applications are fairly brisk. Should you rather want to camp, then check with your “camp mates” as to which sites you want, then get them in a.s.a.p. to ensure you camp in the same area. (If you want to, of course)
In addition, VYC is the senior club hosting the event, & we have three Mosquito sailors on the SAS Organising Committee, so it would be great to have your support. Check the SAS link on our website for details.
Talking websites – please note, we have a new website! As does Vogelvlei Yacht Club.
Other news
– Gideon de Villiers has acquired Conrad Schwindt’s kit boat, so father
Pieter will soon have some competition at
Simon Schwindt has taken his Mossie with him to
Francois Cantin took the plunge & got married to Judy Coleman. Congratulations!
Sailing news – read our articles in SA Sailing magazine………. (Have to justify my existence………..!!!)
{Also need something to write about – with regattas being blown out I need personal stuff…you know, skinder & so on….}
Suffice to say that our sailors have been doing exceptionally well at the Triple Crown regattas at Langebaan – Miles & Darryn won the first one, & Kevin & Petrus Smith (Jaco’s boytjie) won the second one just after the Nationals, with Sarel & Leigh-Ann 2nd & George Meyer/Andrea das Neves in 3rd. The first Hobie 16 finished almost 15 minutes behind Kevin. We also had a record 8 Mossies sailing this regatta!
WC Dinghy Points 2 - Weet nie? We were unable to attend – family reasons
Club Championships - Weet nie? I was helping Francois get married………..
Tour de Vlei – blown out, like only Vogelvlei can do it!
Club 50 –
results as follows:
3rd
2nd
1st
September Peter/Nica Hall Helen Kotze Jan Yntema
October Steve Mellet Kevin Webb Cobus Slabber
November Beth Odendaal Darryn vd Merwe Kevin Webb
If you have not received your cash, it means I have not seen you recently! So either you or I have not been sailing???
See you at the Christmas Regatta?
{Father Christmas
will be there…………….}
Have a good one!
Peter
(scribe)