15 yacht crews ready for Cape to St Helena

Race is expected to take from 9 to 15 days

WITH blue waters and summer sunsets, the Cape to St Helena race, co-presented by the Royal Cape Yacht Club, St Helena Tourism and the St Helena Yacht Club, will kick off in Table Bay on Wednesday at 2pm.

Departing yachts will be visible from vantage points along the coast of Cape Town before they disappear over the horizon, and are expected to take between nine and 15 days to arrive at St Helena Island.

Crew members of the 15 participating yachts, of which some have sailed to St Helena before, gathered at the Royal Cape Yacht Club on Friday and were welcomed by RCYC Commodore Vitor Medina as well as Cape to St Helena Race chairperson John Levin.

Crews range from single-handed to eight, consisting of families and close friends sailing together.

The race-like Cape to St Helena generally attracts a more relaxed and leisurely type of sailor as opposed to the serious professional racing type, said Hilary Ackermann, RCYC sailing events manager.

The fleet, consisting of yachts between 31ft and 55ft, all of which are cruising vessels, includes 12 monohulls, two catamarans and a trimaran.

Among the children who will be sailing to St Helena are six Scouts from Cape Town, all aged 16 or younger.

Hoping for line honours once again are the team aboard Banjo, the 31ft trimaran that has crossed the finish line first twice before.

Skipper Kevin Webb is confident that it will take them only about nine days to complete the race.

The one St Helenian team that will be competing alongside the 14 South African teams arrived in Cape Town last week.

Skipper James Herne, who will be sailing with his wife and three children, recently completed a circumnavigation with his family aboard their yacht Carpe Diem, which is currently moored at the RCYC.

Some of the competitors will be flying back home after a few days spent on St Helena, while others will sail their boats back to Cape Town.

Nine of the yachts will be transported back to the Cape aboard the cargo vessel MV Helena, which has offered the Cape to St Helena sailors highly subsidised rates, without which the event would not

THE one St Helenian team competing alongside 14 South African teams are the crew of Carpe Diem, skippered by James Herne, who will be sailing with his wife and three children. He recently completed a circumnavigation with his family aboard their yacht.

ALSO sailing to St Helena is Rotary Scout, the team with the most youngsters on board, comprising six Scouts from Cape Town, all aged 16 or younger.