The decision to have one start from RCYC for all the “downwind dash” boats worked well this year. The promised South Easter hadn’t pushed through by the 08h30 start, but there was enough of a breeze out of the South West to get everybody over the start line at a decent pace. The wind stayed fickle throughout the day, forcing a couple of early retirements, who then regretted their hasty actions as the wind improved and the rest of the fleet enjoyed some great sailing. Despite showing promise, the wind dropped to fluky and annoying with “more holes than a marathon runners takkie” as described by one skipper, and slowed down the smaller boats in the race.

Fluky and holey it may have been, but Warrior made short work of the distance and roared up the channel under spinnaker to finish a few minutes before 17h00. Hot on their heels came Wizard and Beluga who were safely tied up at the Navy Jetty in Saldanha by the time the next boats came home. With all the Class One boats, bar one, home and moored up in Mykonos Marina by 22:30, the Class Two boats were anxiously watching the clock in order to beat the cut off time of midnight. After an impassioned plea to the Race Committee on the VHF from Keith Mattison on FTI Flyer, the time limit was extended to 01h00.( Much to the joy of the Bridge crew!!). His calculations proved correct, and FTI Flyer crossed the line at 14 minutes past midnight. Unfortunately, nobody else from Class Two finished within the extended time limit.

The Marina Terrace was buzzing with tired but happy crews downing beers and trading war stories until the wee hours of the morning. Fortified by the legendary and very generous complimentary breakfast sponsored by Club Mykonos for all the competitors on Saturday morning, even those crew members who were looking fairly tatty around the edges were beginning to perk up at the prospect of the Bay pursuit race.

Starting 47 boats in a pursuit race requires a very cool, calm and collected bridge crew, who despite the previous long night spent finishing boats on the distance race, ran a smooth and precise start sequence from the committee boat Albatross, very kindly loaned by Paul Roos. The wind had increased steadily throughout the day, and by 15h30 was blowing a steady 18 – 20 knots, giving the fleet a barrelling run down to the finish line. The new J120, Naledi, enjoyed a close tussle with Wizard all the way across the bay, and crossed the line first, to take Line Honours for the day. With the majority of the fleet finishing within 30 minutes, it was apparent that Dave Smith, rating officer had got his sums right yet again! A total of 34 boats finished the Bay race, with the rest of the fleet retiring from the race for various reasons.

Trophies, hampers and goodies abounded at the Prize giving on the Terrace, with Club Mykonos Resort Development MD, Mr Phil Calothi and his wife handing over the prizes to the tired, sunburnt but happy skippers and crews of the winning boats. More smiles and cheers all round as Club Mykonos once again pledged their support and sponsorship of this regatta for 2005, so it isn’t difficult to see why this remains one of the most popular and well attended regattas in the Western Cape. Long may the Mykonos Offshore Regatta continue! Results and photos available on our Website: www.rcyc.co.za