Race news

Another iteration of the South Atlantic Race is drawing to a close - with just the Prize-Giving to come this evening.

24 hours to go!  What mixed feelings!

At over two-metres Mike Slade is a big man, and he loves laughing. He is the managing director of a property company listed on the London Stock Exchange. ICAP Leopard is the fourth Leopard he has owned, and he describes it as "a Volvo Ocean 70 stretched out to 100-feet. It was designed by Farr Yacht Design, one of the world's top marine architects.

Alex Petersen

SALVADOR, BAHIA.

Good winds off the coast of Bahia sent four boats Heineken Cape to Bahia race breezing into Salvador, three in the graveyard hours, and the first at 10 pm local time on Tuesday, giving Race Director John Martin a long night delivering Heineken beer to boats as they approached they crossed the finish line.

Alex Petersen

SALVADOR, BAHIA

"It was some of our best sailing ever, and some of our worst", said Hi Fidelity co-skipper Gary Sindler shortly after the 46-foot racing yacht had crossed the finish line in the Heineken Cape to Bahia Race in the early shortly after midnight yesterday, to take third place on handicap in the racing division.

We can see land, the coast of Brazil - on the GPS screen!! At last we are the last page to Salvador, in colour!
All previous pages were just blue with a little red boat icon bobbing along in the middle.
We have less than 48 hours to go, we are almost there.
It's unbelievable!
The wind is warm, the sun is glorius - Summer Love can smell her stable.

Capt Bob has decided that if we hand steer mit achtung! then we could pick up a knot or 2.
Nelson is also quite power-hungry, so it would save on the batteries too.

from Jeanne van Rooyen, Salvador Brazil -

The grand old lady of the sea, Voortrekker, crewed by the team from Izivunguvungu sailed the best run of the day for the fleet, doing some 198.5 nautical miles.   She is expected  to cross the finish line at 01h00 (local time) on Friday 30th January and at present is lying an impressive 5th in the handicap rankings.

A sailor with time always has fair winds!

A sailor with time always has fair winds!

Well we are disappointed to see ourselves move down into second place
against Strega, but as they have yet to log their motoring hours we are
still very much in the running. We have diligently logged all ours and
reported to the race co-ordinators so are wearing our position on our
sleeves for all to see. We get quite a heavy penalty for switching on
the old Donkey but have used less motor time than any of our
competitors who have submitted their motor logs so far. Because this is

.  only one slice of fruitcake left and some crumbs

from Jeanne van Rooyen in Salvador, Brazil -  Sunday 25th January

After 14 days of racing, the entire racing fleet in the 2009 Heineken Cape to Bahia Yacht race, will be well inside the cut-off time of Saturday night, the 31st of January, despite the light winds they have experienced during the past couple of days.

The yachts are experiencing moderate winds and are some 870 miles from the finish.   Voortrekker and Jacana are fighting a hard battle for 4th position on handicap behind HiFidelity .

There is very little wind and we are now motoring across the ocean instead of
sailing

Ons is bevoorreg om elke 3 dae n gratis weervoorspelling te ontvang per e
-mail
van n hoogaangeskrewe weerkundige uit Australie. Aan hom wil ek se: "Hi
Mate!" Jy het vroer die week gese dat ons Vrydag 15 knope wind kan
verwag. Wel, Vrydag het gekom en gegaan en daar was 1,5 knope wind. So
dis terug tekenbord toe vir jou en kry net jou desimale punt reg.

THE ALLEYCATS’ ANTHEM …..

The race is the Heineken Cape to Bahia
3600 miles away, now that is not near!
Alleycat is our steed
Island Spirits’ her breed
And we set off, no worries or fear!

Our departure from Cape Town was a festive one
Table Mountain behind us in the setting sun
We waved goodbye
Chops and boerie on the braai
And we knew our adventure had begun…

BLUE SEA
BLUE SKY
BLUE CREW

In the doldrums...the depressed state in equatorial ocean regions of calms and light winds.

The boys are querulous and fidgety.
Sometimes we're down to 3 knts. (you'd think they'd be fishing!!)
I'm playing the blues version of "Blow Wind Blow" over the cockpit speakers and I am going to play it over and over again until someone hears.
Although, on second thoughts....this is a more comforatble speed and my galley and boudoir don't seem to be so bouncy.

All is good aboard, better times with better boat speeds and better
steering.

Handicap winner?

The Heineken Cape to Bahia 2009 Yacht Race - from Salvador, Brazil - Tuesday 20th January 2009

Stunning finish for flying Leopard ....
The 100 foot super-maxi ICAP Leopard crossed the finish line after 10 days, 5 hours., 46 minutes and 35 seconds to set a new course record for line-honours in the 2009 Heineken Cape to Bahia Yacht Race.   The previous Mono-hull time set in the 2006 race, was over 16 days.

On a beautiful Brazilian afternoon, ICP Leopard 3 sailed into Salvador to finish the race at just after 14.45 local time to beat Adrenalina Pura's 2006 time by 2 hours 16 minutes and 3 seconds. Sailing in a fresh Southerly breeze the reception boats had a difficult time keeping up with Leopard as she entered the bay at abot 18 knots!

Rambler is due to finish during the morning tomorrw byt the thunder has been stolen!

It's the final countdown for the two super-maxi's as Race Organizers in Salvador, prepare for the arrival of the first yacht .....

David does not keep quiet, not even for 1 minute, he just keeps bubbling over!  Might just have to put a bung in his cake hole.  I asked him if he'd like to read a book.
He stared at me blankly.  I took that as a negative.

What a disappointment after such a phenomenal performance!

... and a little philosophy!

As most things happen in threes .....

Vineta forced to retire from race ... latest news

Windward rudder completely broke off last night .....

Oops, may have made an error on last position report.

Summer Love is hurtling along! 

What a spectacular start to the Heineken South Atlantic yacht race

Dit was toe net n blymakertjie.

In complete contrast to the start of the Cruising Fleet last week .....

We are now four nights out on the Atlantic Ocean and slap on the Rhumb Line to St. Helena Island.

... from Alex Petersen

Myrtle of Bonnievale se nuus...

I can still smell the fish!

Love Summer, Love Cape Town! 

It's just Summer Love and the Big Blue sea and the Baby Blue sky.

Ons gaan visvang!

We are now 27 degrees,13 min south and 09 degress, 21 min east.

Die vars geelstert het gister heerlik gesmaak.

Lovely morning. Lovely SE wind, but seas a little lumpy.

What is probably the most international fleet ever to set out on a South Atlantic Race will set off tomorrow from Table Bay on the long haul to Salvador, Brazil when the start gun fires at 2pm for the cruising fleet of the Heineken Cape to Bahia.

The dormant volcanic peaks thrust themselves up into the smokey mists that cling to St Helena Island.

It may be a "down-wind" race, but navigating a yacht on the Heineken Cape to Bahia Race and getting the weather right is certainly not just a breeze.

Just under three weeks until the Cruising Fleet leaves and I guess that there is some frantic activity on many boats.... just a couple of things to bring to your attention.

After a gap of 15 years since last sailing an ocean race, the iconic yacht Voortrekker
  will back competing on the water again when the Heineken Cape to Bahia Race starts
  on January 10th. 

Time is getting fewer ... and lots to do and think about

There are now fewer than 90 days to the first start of the race!!

The Royal Cape Yacht Club's South Atlantic Race is one of the world's classic ocean races, and the 2009 edition, the Heineken Cape to Bahia Yacht Race,  promises to be one of the most exciting and hotly contested versions of the event. With sponsor leading international brewer Heineken back on board for this second downwind run to Salvador, Bahia, the race will be the perfect complement of sparkling amber beer and sparkling blue water.

As we start gearing up for the Heineken Cape to Bahia 2009, the Race Committee would like to welcome you to the race and bring your attention to a couple of important items: