The biggest moment in my sailing career occurred this year on the 2nd of June when I received the following email from Keith ahead of the Admiral's Regatta in Hout Bay:
"Hi Rob
It looks like you are going to be doing the halyards tomorrow (referred to as playing the piano – for good reason!)
If you get a few minutes, have a look at the attached instructions.
The big thing is to know where everything is – start by understanding what all the ropes, jammers and cleats do, and which one is which.
I will bring a big koki pen so that we can mark them before we go out.
Not much wind, so a good time to learn.
Have fun
Keith"
Isn't this just vintage Keith! Giving people a chance to take on responsibility, offering guidance and making sure the fun element is included. Considering the state of Keith's health six months after the Rio race, it was a wonder that he would be up to sailing well into winter. But Keith appears to know no limits when determined to orchestrate fun-filled activities. Indeed, that very week, Keith sailed his boat, FTI Flyer, from Royal Cape Yacht Club around to Hout Bay in pretty foul weather, mastering manoeuvres from his station below decks.
Keith's sailing career goes back many years, though I can barely comment on anything before 2014. I've heard stories about sailing in storms on the Great Lakes of Canada, as well as of a yacht delivery all the way to the Mediterranean not so long ago. But it is Keith's promotion of the sport to his friends and soon-to-be-made friends that deserves remembering.
Keith invited me to sail FTI Flyer back from Rio this year and I have to admit being hugely excited, even reading up about Tristan da Cunha in case we could land there. Cape to Rio is a tough, four-week marathon designed to test the limits of seamanship on the high seas. Unfortunately, the start of the race saw the fleet boxed into the Cape by a massive storm, cycling 50 knot winds and 8m swells that ultimately dismasted one of the favourites, killing a crew member, and retiring nearly a third of the fleet. Despite FTI Flyer's excellent start, Keith made the bold decision to return to Cape Town rather than risk the lives of his crew.
Undaunted by this setback, skipper 'Harry' (the moniker by which he is affectionately known at sea), reassembled his crew and set about the racing season in ernest. Every Wednesday evening saw FTI Flyer challenge for a placing in the Summer series and the boat eventually finished the season in second place, a considerable improvement on previous seasons. When the shortening days forced the season to officially end, Keith, despite lugging around his own bionic man oxygen pack, challenged all comers to a Winter Wednesday season of racing, starting an hour earlier. Yes, we would all do well to realise that life is too short to miss. How spectacular is it to sail under Table Mountain, the envy of office workers glancing up from their computer screens.
The Mykonos Regatta was promoted as an opportunity for the crew to make up for the disappointment of the Rio race with a fun downwind run to Saldhana Bay, followed by a regatta in the lagoon mouth on the Saturday, and a return trip on the Sunday. I was privileged to be invited. A stiff Northwester, driving rain and near-zero visibility turned the race into a contest of instrument navigation and endurance. However, tight discipline and bold navigation from Mattison at the chart table saw FTI Flyer achieve a class win in the race to Dassen Island, and achieve second place overall for the Mykonos Regatta. I have to mention that the committee boat serving as the way point at Dassen Island was moored only a hundred yards or so from the shore. Visibility was literally only a few boat lengths. Some competitors missed the gate completely, probably in fear of ending up on a very inhospitably piece of rock. Keith's navigation was bold, but also beautifully accurate and we raised a cheer when the committee boat loomed off the port bow.
Back to the Admiral's Regatta. I did my homework on the halyards. FTI Flyer carries six winches on thirty-four feet of sloping deck, loaded up with halyards, sheets, outhauls, downhauls, kickers, cars and running backstays for the mainsail and jib, as well as guys, poles, up/downhauls, tweakers and various other controls for the spinnakers. I felt a huge sense of responsibility. Actually, I didn't need to, for on board ship were also Barnaby Steynor and Andrew Collins. Only this season, they achieved a second placing in the Double Handed series. With navigation and helming included, the boat normally requires a crew of seven to man and compete in a race around the buoys in Table Bay. Barnaby and Andrew handle the entire load on their own!
Nonetheless, we were geared up and ready for battle. By this time, Keith's lung condition prevented him taking up the usual jousting position, straddling the tiller like the proverbial Don and tilting at contestants, great and small, on the crowded start line. Instead, oxygen generator plugged in, crouched over the chart table, he shouted up through the hatchway the course headings and lay lines as Steynor wrestled with vessel, crew and other contenders.Saturday was fluky, but FTI Flyer acquitted herself well, keeping position well up the fleet. The storm arrived on Sunday, bringing freezing weather and driving Keith reluctantly to seek warmth ashore. In these conditions, Cook, Drake and Diaz would finally have agreed on the wording for the local tourist brochure. Pitching seas, willy-waws and driving sleet demanded defensive sailing and a focus on survival. The locals dominated and FTI Flyer managed a barely creditable 4th placing. Back on shore, Keith was to be found with a welcoming armful of ale and willing to listen to our stories beside the warmth of the clubhouse fire.
The 2014 season was not yet over. Indeed, from the boat's sponsor's point of view, the grudge match of the season was the Inter-professional race, where FTI Flyer was the only representative of the IT industry amongst a fleet of engineers, architects and other lesser guilds. Keith, our navigator-in-chief, kept his head whilst all about were losing theirs, maintaining a direct course for the downwind mark. This was a fantastic opportunity to fly the FTI spinnaker as the boat powered its way through the fleet. Smart tacking back to the finish line by Barnaby Steynor saw FTI Flyer achieve third place on handicap and a rousing cheer at the prize-giving.
Keith can be very proud of the many young people he has introduced to sailing and given the chance to hone their craft. Partly through Keith's coaching and mentoring, both Steynor brothers have achieved their skipper certificates, with Andrew Collins soon to add his. Other crew to have benefited from Keith's generosity include Dietmar Anders, Petri Salonen, Martina Schmidt, Tania Basson and myself. On behalf of these and others, we thank Keith for his wonderful enthusiasm, nautical wisdom and enduring friendship.
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