NEWSLETTER #3 -End March 2020
Since opening up entries for Cape to St Helena 2020, entries have steadily been rolling in.
Currently there are 21 PAID up entries.
This, with nine months before the start.
We have also had a number of further engagements with potential entries. As things stand, we are expecting a record entry.
ON the operational front:
AIRLINK has officially come aboard as the airline partner for the Cape to St Helena 2020, they will be offering flights between Cape Town/ Johannesburg and St Helena Island respectively to competitors and their supporters.
Please note: With all the recent press surrounding SAA, it is important to not confuse Airlink with SAA or it’s subsidiary SA Express. Airlink is an independently owned and operated Airline. See: https://www.flyairlink.com/news/128
Further, As of June Airlink will be operating under it’s own Flight Code 4Z
https://www.flyairlink.com/profile/airlink-profile#airlinkflightcode4z.
In the interim, the Cape to St Helena Race together with Airlink will be using a specific booking system which will be communicated to all entrants and supporters in due course.
The next focus: To finalize the shipping arrangements.
Our goal is to resolve our shipping requirement and shipping rates and capacity (how many yachts we will be able to ship).
We will keep all informed once this process is completed.
A reminder to all Entries. Your yacht (All South African entries) needs to be registered with SAMSA with a current LGSC. This is a legal requirement.
Our advice is to begin this process early. Please do not leave it to the last minute. This is outside the control of the Race committee.
A couple of operational details:
- If your boat does not have an ORC certificate(Or Texel in the case of a Multihull), then we recommend that you begin this process sooner, rather than later.
- If your yacht used an estimated weight as some yachts that are not RCYC based have done, this would need to be corrected and an official ORC/Texel weighing would need to be done in order to ensure your ORC/Texel certificate is correct, in the case of Texel, this weigh in would have to happen inside 24 months to the start, i.e.. If it has not been weighed since 27 December 2018 then you would need to do/redo. This can be done at RCYC or your local club, you would need to arrange this with RCYC and the ORC/Texel measurer. ORC/Texel certificates with estimated weights will not be accepted.
- We will also be having several talks and Q&A session in the coming months where some of these items can be covered.
- Please take note of the AIS transponder requirement. This will be strictly enforced like all other safety requirements. A test will be done to ensure your AIS is properly transponding.
Coronavirus – As organizers of an event which cross’s national borders, we are constantly monitoring the situation.
At this point, we have some nine months till the start.
We have no reason to believe that the Coronavirus would not be resolved by then and are optimistic that the initiatives currently in play will contribute greatly in this regard.
At this point it is “all engines go”.
We will be monitoring the situation.
PHONE APP– A very good phone app for St Helena is called:
Inside St Helena
we can recommend that you download it.
Please keep an eye on the FAQ’s on the Race Website, they will be updated from time to time, based on the questions we receive.
Should you have any further questions or seek clarity on any items, please feel free to contact us at sail@capetosthelena.co.za
Race Committee
Cape to St Helena 2020
sail@capetosthelena.co.za
