Sailors compete in biggest inland race
Local sailors take part in Round the Island race 2014.
TRICHARDT – Willem van Lienden and Hein Hurter did the best among the sailors of the Highveld Sailing Club at the Round the Island Race 2014 recently.
They finished 51st over all with their boat Arctic Ice in the 18′ Dart Catamarans class.
The race was hosted by Lake Deneysville Yacht Club on the Vaal Dam on the outskirts of Deneysville.
Altogether 320 sailboats lined up at the starting point.
Other sailors of the Highveld Sailing Club who competed were Peter and Broni van der Meer who finished 60th with their boat Moonbeam in the 16′ Hobie Catmarans class, Sean Boyley who finished 107th with his boat Tigerlet in the 14′ Halcat Catamarans class and Jasper and Linda Coetzee who finished 123rd with their boat Ducky 7 in the 505 Dinghy class.
According to Mr Hein Hurter of the Highveld Sailing Club, not many people know that the Vaal Dam’s shoreline runs for approximately 60km and is home to nine yacht clubs and six marinas.
Lake Deneysville Yacht Club offered free camping for the duration of the regatta and its facilities include a swimming pool, a bar, catering and clean ablutions.
Sailors could also enjoy live bands for entertainment, an aerobatic display, a flea market and a waterslide.
The Round the Island Race stretches over three days and is listed in the Guinness World Records as the biggest inland yacht race in the world.
The regatta kicked off on the Friday afternoon with a race for the Commodores Cup while three races were held on the Saturday, namely Tune-Up race and Sprint 1 and 2.
“The reasons for these races are so that competitors get a change to adjust their boats’ settings and to practice their starts,” said Mr Hurter.
The main race began early on a grey and overcast Sunday morning with 320 registered entrants slowly making their way to the starting line due to the light and changing winds.
The ultra class was the first to start, followed after a couple of minutes by the catamarans and dinghies.
The keelboats were the last to start.
According to Mr Hurter, a terrible thunderstorm erupted about an hour after the race had begun.
“The sailors had to endure a typical Highveld storm, with pelting rain, thunder and lightning and little to no wind.
“The visibility was reduced to less than 20m at times because of the rain and mist which obscured the other boats.”
Many catamarans following a dart in the mist and completely missed the turn at the island and ended up a kilometre course simply because they could not see where they were going.
“To these sailors’ dismay they then had a long stretch back to join the race course.
“Luckily for some the wind picked up behind the island and they made it to the other end of the island to start their final leg to the finish line before the wind died down once more.
“The fleet was then spread out like a line of ants making their way slowly to the finish line.
“The crews’ skills were surly tested in these challenging conditions.
“Any fool can sail a boat when there is a wind, but it takes a cunning bugger to sail one, when there ain’t any,” said Mr Hurter as he quoted a phrase from Clive Shelter’s book Sailing Out a Dream.
In the end 195 of the 320 sailboats who began the race finished.
“It is extraordinary considering the weather and if asked most sailors will tell you they will be back next year, most surly lured by the comradery and the passion they share for this sport.”
