DF95 East Cape Regionals – When Sailors Play With Small Yachts Great Things Happen

The Eastern Cape DF95 Radio Yacht Regional Open Sailing Championships were sailed on the North End Lake, Gqeberha from 16 to 18 June 2023. Sponsored for the third time in a row by Alphapharm Pharmacy Group the PERBC (Port Elizabeth Radio Boat Club) hosted sailors from Gqeberha, Kwa-Zulu Natal Cape Town, Mossel Bay and Knysna to a challenging three days racing.

A total of 19 entries competed for the Top Three places in the regatta sailed from the EP Powerboat Club situated in the South East Corner of the North End Lake.

Friday presented the sailors and Race Committe with a present as the wind started in the North West and (untypically) settled there for the rest of the day. Conditions were variable as the wind oscillated between 9 and 18 knots on the course.

11 races were sailed on the windward leeward course – a great sailing day in anticipation of a second day that looked like it would be challenging to sail in with high and variable winds forecast.

At the end of the first day the top three places were taken by:

1. Des Fairbank
2. Michael Davies
3. Andrew Bosworth

The second day dawned as predicted with a variable wind for the south west swinging south east making for a challenging course. Two races were sailed before calling it a day bring the race totals up to 13.

Day two top three:

1. Des Fairbank
2. Michael Davies
3. Andrew Bosworth

Father’s Day dawned as a beautiful day with a gentle North West wind sweeping towards the EP Powerboat Club. The first of the races on this final day were sailed in a gentle 4 knot breeze. Sailing in lighter winds always present a challenge to some sailors and an opportunity to some. Spectators were presented with yachts bunching, barging and protesting at the extreme marks. As sailing is a competitor policing sport the banter between sailors on shore and close to each other always serves to be entertaining.

Sunday saw a general recall at the start for the fleet followed by two single recalls the next race and that was the extent of starting ‘transgressions’ on the course the whole regatta. In the light winds three yachts stood out for much improved performance – 88 (Barry Loubser) for a string of Top 3 places, 47 (Warren Harvey) for a first 1st place in a DF95 regatta in Race 16, 116 (Justin Dent) for for 4 top three placings.

One cannot forget Yacht 56 (Dave Oldham) who should have won the prize for the MOST finishes over the course of three days – the race committee stopped counting but estimate that Dave must have finished at least 26 times over the 21 races!

Note too must be made of lady sailor Anthea Fuller who sat out of most of the races on Day 1 and recovered sufficiently on Day 2 and 3 to finish in 15th place.

With the wind shifting to east the fleet were given a break to have lunch whilst the race course was adjusted, tweaked and bedded down for the final races.

At the end of the regatta 21 races were sailed in winds varying from North West to South West to West to East and from 4 to 18 knots with the occasioanl 21 knot gust – a good test of seamanship for any sailor and a decent set of variable conditions to ensure a fair result.

The top three stayed in the same places as Day one and two and the results were as follows:

More images here: https://straton.org.za

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