Article as written by Kirsten Veenstra for Sailing Magazine and published in the November 2011 Edition

Both the Laser and Fireball classes of South Africa chose Mossel Bay as their waters for their Nationals at the Eastern Cape Dinghy Champs in September.

The Eastern Cape Dinghy Champs is always a very well attended regatta. With Mossel Bay being a very popular sailing venue, the club was already packed with dinghies, trailers and cars by mid-morning on Friday as sailors arrived and got into the frenzy of rigging and tuning their boats to be ready for the 14h00 start.

The weather was looking good for the weekend, although it was apparent that the Nationals’ Race Officer, Di Hutton-Squire, was going to have to contend with one day of very light winds; luckily there was no hint of a forecast of the notorious Mossel Bay Buster, a very strong Westerly that arrives suddenly, which has annihilated many fleets in Mossel Bay in the past!

The club only has one slipway to launch boats, so with over 150 dinghies for the regatta, a very organised system was needed, which involved allocating a number and a parking bay for each boat. For safety, a vital tally system was also in place. Launching one’s boat involved standing in the Q and once the boat was launched, the boat’s dolly was kindly taken back to its parking place by all the volunteered helpers. When it was time to come home after the racing, the volunteer with the loudest voice was responsible for calling the boat numbers for many helpers who ran off and collected the right dolly, which was sometimes on far side of the parking place. The sailors were very impressed but sadly the system did not work for the first start, as over 150 boats tried to launch straight after the skippers’ briefing at 13h00 for the 14h00 start, and many boats waited in the Q for 45 minutes or so. This proved a problem for the Fireball Class, whose allocated parking places were furthest from the slip, and whose start was the first, and the furthest out. Half the fleet at least could not launch when they wanted and were assured that no racing would start without them being at the start line as they simply had to wait their turn without any alternative. Unfortunately, due to miscommunication between the shore and the bridge, five of the Fireballs arrived to the start to find that the first race was already underway - with two boats being too late to compete at all. This put a terrible dampener on the start of the Nationals Champs of a class that is starting to grow again in South Africa. It made it even tougher for those who were late as this Nationals had a really good competitive fleet of sailors. Thankfully, after a successful protest, redress was granted to some of the boats; but it was not an ideal situation.

The course for the first race was very long; the Lasers and Fireballs were sailing a combination of triangles and sausages – and the course had to be shortened. The second race went very smoothly in lovely winds of around twelve knots and with it been too late to start another race, the fleet sailed back to shore to celebrate National Braai day at the club.

Saturday 25^th dawned a windless day, as predicted, and the fleet knew that Di Hutton-Squire was in for a rough day of trying to get some races in.

Racing was due to start at 10h00 and as there was a slight breeze, the fleet went out, but disappointingly the wind dropped completely, leaving the fleet and committee boat bobbing around in rather big swells for a good two hours. There was, however a good atmosphere with lots of chatting, laughing and eating. Some sailors had to do their best to keep warm while other young Laser sailors tied up to the committee boat and provided priceless entertainment to the bridge – the name Michel Crossland springs to mind!

The Fireballs had 10 boats at their Nationals and the Laser Fleet was very impressive – 10 4.7’s, 25 Radials and 19 full rigs, with most of SA’s top Laser sailors competing, making for a great, competitive fleet. It was great to see how many Lasers had come from Cape Town – most notably from ZVYC and MAC and there was also representation from as far as PYC in Durbs.

Around lunchtime, Di sent the fleet in for lunch, which was short-lived, as a breeze came up and everyone was quickly sent out again in an attempt to get a race sailed. Sadly, the wind was not only switchy, but died completely half way through the race, leaving Di no choice but to abandon the race. A very frustrated fleet, as well as a very mentally and emotionally exhausted race officer and bridge all headed back to the club to take their frustrations out on the braai, some ales and the great Mossel Bay restaurants.

As predicted, the wind on Sunday 26^th was already blowing strongly when everyone surfaced and by the time the fleet went out, the wind was around 18 knots.

Four hectic races (and much swimming) were achieved by the Fireball and the Lasers in fairly strong winds – the most powerful gusts were measured at 30 knots by the committee boat.

Sadly it was apparent from the start of the day’s racing that the Fireballs were yet again not going to get in a National Champs – all 10 entries had not completed any of Friday’s races and with the hectic winds, each race on Sunday seemed to be short a boat due to a breakage – a great pity for a class which is growing again and in which there is so much interest.

Under the circumstances, Di and her bridge and mark layers did an incredible job - there was a lot of mark moving during races each day as wind was off the land and fickle, even when it blew so strongly on Sunday. It was very difficult for Di to set the course, but the mark layers were really great and helpful in this regard. Di would have liked to get another two races in on Sunday to make a proper regatta, but this was unfortunately not to be.

However, all in all, it was a great weekend’s racing in varying conditions for both fleets – and a big thanks must go to MBYBC, particularly Rob and Elfie Holden, for organising such a great regatta and to Di and her bridge for doing such a sterling job, as always. Also, of course the Laser and Fireball Classes for all their hard work, and to those competitors who travelled far to get to the regatta, in the Fireball fleet this was most notably Warren Schmelzer, who towed two fireballs all the way from Gauteng and Luke Wagner and Jean-Marc Georg, who travelled from Durban.

Next year, the growing Fireball fleet will be having their Nationals in March/April, most probably in False Bay as a standalone Nationals - the perfect opportunity for people interested in the class but who sail other boats to take part!

The Laser Nationals for 2011 will be held in the Western Cape on a date still to be decided.

For more information on the Fireball Class, please contact Anthony Parker on 079 501 7239 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and for more information on the Laser Class, please contact Ron Keytel on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Results:

Fireball Class

1^st:                                           Anthony Parker and Ferdinand Holm (GLYC)

2^nd:                                          Markus Progli and Ian MacRobert (FBYC)

3^rd:                                           Luke Wagner and Jean-Marc George (PYC)

Laser Full Rig:

1^st:                                           Gareth Blanckenberg (IYC)

2^nd:                                          Rudi McNeill (PYC)

3^rd:                                           Alistair Keytel (ZVYC)

Youth Class:                          Damien Botha (MAC)

Apprentice Master Class:   Alistair Keytel (ZVYC)

Master Class:                        Stephen du Toit

Grand Master Class:            Alan Keen

Laser Radial:

1^st:                                           Aaron Larkens (ZVYC)

2^nd:                                          Stephano Marcia S (VSC)

3^rd:                                           Matthew Shaw (ZVYC)

Youth Class:                           Stephano Marcia (VSC)

Youth Girl Class:                  Jessica Deary (ZVYC)

First Lady:                              Jessica Deary (ZVYC)

Apprentice Master Class:   Perry Harrison-Hyde (ZVYC)

Master Class:                        Keith Morris (ZVYC)

Grand Master Class:            Evelyn Osborne (GLYC)

Great Grandmaster Class: Ron Keytel (HYC)

Laser 4.7:

1^st:                                           Michael Crossland (ZVYC)

2^nd:                                          Michael McNeill (PYC)

3^rd:                                           Matt McCall (PYC)