my new boat

Governor's Cup Race

Yesterday the Governor's Cup Race between Simonstown, South Africa, and St Helena Island started in ideal sailing conditions. After a comfortable reach in a Westerly breeze off the mountains, they rounded the Cape of Good Hope before setting course North along the coast of the Cape Peninsula, then out into the South Atlantic.

Two of our boats are in the race. "Black Cat", the prototype of the Didi 38 design that I built in my Hout Bay garden, is in the racing division and well up among the leaders at time of writing.

"Black Cat" soon after the start in False Bay. Photo Clive Dick

The other is the Dix 38 Pilot "Bryana", which is built, owned and skippered by Luke Fisher. She is in the Rally monohull division and going well. The rally division boats are able to motor for 100 miles during the race. It is not possible to know their true positions because we can't tell how much motoring each boat has done. I suspect that most have used up some of their allotted 100 miles because overnight conditions were light breezes and the rally boats are well up with the racing fleet.

"Bryana" on Vaal Dam before she was moved to the ocean. Photo Luke Fisher

You can follow the race at Governor's Cup live tracking