ARC HBYC start leader,yacht A Lady

Left click to see in a larger format.

The mountain is The Sentinal,the landmark of Hout Bay.

12 noon and Hout Bays East Fort seventeenth century cannon fired and the assembled ARC Around the World fleet were on their way,this one is an Oyster 56, she carries an Irish flag,with a sail number IRL 1758. Bon Voyage!

Yacht A Lady
Owner: Stephen Hyde
Design: Oyster 56
LOA(m): 17.49
Flag: IRL

Sail number: IRL1758

Photo by R McBride using a Canon G11 on auto setting.

Farewell! Saturday, 8th January, 2011

From the ARC web site today (sunday) one boat has already done 142 miles.


There was good southerly breeze blowing into Hout Bay this morning which provided sufficient drive to get the World ARC fleet across the start line and on their way across the South Atlantic. The fleet tacked out of the bay until clear of Sentenial Point and then set a course for the mid Atlantic Island of St Helena, where each boat will stop for 72 hours to break up their journey.

Having slipped their mooring in Hout Bay Marina in good time, to get a feel for the conditions in the bay, the first boat across the start line was the Hallberg Rassy 40, Eowyn, followed by the Portuguese boat Thor VI at the other end of the line. Third across was the Irish registered yacht, A Lady, who had slipped their moorings in central Cape Town earlier in the morning to meet up with the fleet at the start line.

The remainder of the fleet crossed in succession, some a little uncertain on which tack to be on with an unbiased line. But as the fleet cleared west of the entrance to Hout Bay and into open sea, they were able to head north and really benefit from some great sailing conditions.

There was plenty of chatter on the Rally radio frequency following the start as one and all wished everyone a safe and enjoyable passage across the Atlantic. Several local yachts from Hout Bay Yacht Club also mingled with the fleet to wish them well and wave them on their way. It was a really great send off and the fleet were very appreciative of the hospitality that they have received during their stay. Thank you once again!

The passage to St Helena is approximately 1700 nautical miles and the first boats are expected to arrive around the 18th January.

ARC Around the World Rally starts in HBYC waters today!

HBYC has enjoyed having the ARC fleet here,being over a christmas season it required special effort from the marina team,this included laying seven concrete mooring blocks,chain and risers to hold the larger yachts.

ARC entrant,yacht Chessie who had a full service,incluing a new rudder,genoa,mizzen,engine service,impellors on the bow thruster and a new bottom paint job too.

Just two of the large cats that will be on the start line at 12 noon today,next stop is the island of St Helena,thats around 1740 miles north west of Cape Town and with luck,a nice down wind sail most of the way.

Transom view of some of the ARC fleet with Hout Bays Sentinal mountain behind,from this angle it looks like and old lady lying down?

 

Chessies new blue rudder

Seen this morning,Anna Woolf took the picture of Charles (to the right) and myself with the new rudder,which Anna painted yesterday with International Paints Micron Antifouls .Charles will fit an annode to the rudders heel fitting this morning,then Chessie goes back in the water to be made ready for the ARC Around the World Rally start on saturday at 12 noon.

Irwin 54 rudder fitted

We can make new rudders for just about any brand of yacht or boat.

A close fit

The new rudder shoe and vesconite bearing,the bolts are now increased in diameter also.

Final cleaning up will be done before the Interprotect primer is applied.

Seen in the Hout Bay Boat Yard

I saw this a week back,sort of beats a dolphin or a mermaid?

Chessies new rudder

The rudder was delivered and when I left,Charles and Steve were about to lift it into place.

The guys arrive to collect the new Irwin 54 rudder,we loaded it together but weighed it first,the scales tipped at 82 kgs!

The next stage is to lift the rudder up,to make this a lot simpler and almost a one man job,there is now a removable screw in top eye bolt,this means the boats mizzen winch will be able to pull the rudder into place,the rudder

 heel shoe is removable.

Irwin 54 rudder etch primed

This is always a nice part of the job,it finishes the process as far as we are concerned too,the next step is to hang the rudder and apply International Paints Interprotect primer.The paint we have used is also an etch primer and a twin pack,two coats with a foam roller covers just about anything,it will etch to metals,epoxies and GRP.

The job needs two more applications on the otherside,I can then close for a bit of a break having worked through the Christmas and New Year holidays,there was little choice if yacht Chessie,the Irwin 54, this rudder will fit, was to have a chance of starting the next leg of the ARC Around the World Rally next saturday the 8th of January 2011 starting in Hout Bay.

Left click either picture to view in a larger size.

The Irwin 54 rudder glass work

Next will be sanding and  filler coats of  more sanding epoxy to fill up the grain from the biaxial weave cloth,we then fine fill with our Pro Fair fairing filler.

Each section of a build like this is a series of processes,all repeats  in many ways,its time consuming for sure,here we are applying the biaxial glass cloth and our own brand of epoxies.