Yet again, Knysna Yacht Club was the host venue for the South African Hobie 14 National Championships held in Knysna from February 8 - 10. Put together by the competent group of Andrew Finn, Don Brink and Blaine Dodds, the event was exciting and competitive.
Friday (February 8) saw 20 competitors on the water to participate in four races in very good sailing conditions, with winds varying from 16 to 22 knots. This left all competitors exhausted, but they recovered to take part in a very enjoyable braai that evening at the Knysna Yacht Club. Saturday saw three races starting in winds varying from 20 to zero knots. The wind moved around to all points of the compass making nonsense of the course until eventually dying and the third race was abandoned.
The racing was sponsored by Robberg Fisheries, BOS Beverages, Tait Marine and Habitat. tops of whom was Robberg Fisheries in the shape of Blaine Dodds who provided the striped marlin marinated in dill sauce. For Saturday night's fish braai, Blaine Dodds of Robberg Fisheries provided the striped marlin marinated in dill sauce, which was followed by Indian arm-wrestling where Don Brink emerged the champion.
Sunday morning dawned partly cloudy with a flat calm. Competitors enjoyed breakfast at Knysna Yacht Club while keeping an eye out for the promised wind, which duly arrived. One race was completed before lunch and a second started thereafter in a wind which seemed to be losing interest.
The skies clouded over, a a drizzling rain set in from the North-West while a gentle wind pushed from the South-East. The sight of Hobie 14 sailors skippering their craft from a standing positing was enjoyed by spectators, especially when the sailor was overtaken unawares by a gust from astern and turned turtle. The fleet crept back to the yacht club and left the water to attend to prize-giving ceremony.
William Edwards, one of the local Hobie sailors based in Plettenberg Bay, handled the formalities, thanked the sponsors and gave special thanks to the rescue boats and bridge crews, without whom there would have been no championship. He announced that the decision on the location of the next Hobie 14 Championship would be decided at the Hobie 16 Championship to be held in Port Elizabeth on March 21. With lots of sponsors, a fleet of 50 competitors is anticipated, he said.
The prize-winners were announced out of the top ten finishers in order of merit. From tenth position they were Andrew Young, Douglas White (a junior), Richard Ayres, Byron Ravenscroft (East London), Charles Gerard (Lake Denysvill YC), Don Brink, Declan Nurse and the top three were Don Tait (third), William Edwards (second) and the inimitable Blaine Dodds first. It is significant that eight of the top ten are locals, so perhaps local knowledge was an asset.
The winners of the Hobie National 14 Championship 2013 were (from left) Don Tait (3rd), Blain Dodds (1st) and William Edwards (2nd).
