Sailing in SA with Fred Driver on DC28 Yahoo
Maybe we have seen the best but sailing on the Gulf of St Vincent is so civilised and so different to Sydney. Kangaroo Island all but blocks the Gulf from the swell of the Southern Ocean. True they have ocean sailing and wild weather too with the opportunity for long passages to Kangaroo Island or across Spencer Gulf to Port Lincoln with intermediate anchorages off the York Peninsula.
Coming out of North Haven Marina, an artificial harbour for a housing/canal development with extensive pontoon berths, we motored into clear water before hoisting sails. Glenelg was 3-4 hours distant, southwards. It was a broad reach on an offshore breeze, no swell and only a very slight sea running. Behind us a racing fleet under spinnaker slowly overhauled us, also heading for a mark off Glenelg.
The sun heated up as we enjoyed morning tea and a lively conversation and soon the sunblock came out too.
DC28 Yahoo is a very different to Compass 28. She appears to be the last of the Duncanson C28s and has a capacious D29 foredeck anchorwell and no cabin or hull liners. The engine is a relatively new Nanni which really pushes her along. The other unique feature is Fred’s above deck wheel steering. The wheel is about 24 inch allowing forward movement in the cockpit and the cable system exits the pedestal base and via turning blocks picks up a club tiller on the rudder stock. The whole is covered with a ply cover giving the helmsman a step.
Arrival at Glenelg was exciting as we doused sail and motored into the channel past the perennial dredge, straight at the barrage dam and lock of the river. At the last moment there is a right hand turn into a marina basin surrounded by high-rise villas and shore-side restraunts. With an outward vertical wind blowing and mindful of the Compass’ astern capability, I must admit to being a tad nervous. Fred brought us alongside expertly and his first mate Judy had us tied up in a jiffy.
From there it was a casual lunch of salt and pepper squid while we contributed to the decoration of the place with Yahoo’s mast.
The return trip was much the same, broad reaching back to North Haven where we wound up with afternoon tea and farewells.
Thanks Fred and Judy, we had a wonderful day on Yahoo.
Lynne & Geoff Raebel