Sail Training at Middle Island: Powerboat Refreshers W O RD S A ND PH OTO S: LUKE VA N D ER K A MP
Sailing
The first one of these new courses was run on Saturday May 1 and involved two RIBs carrying out two passages. The first passage departed Middle Island to Adamasta Channel, Hei Ling Chau, Peng Chau and back to Middle Island for Lunch. Along the way the participants managed to explore Hei Ling Chau Typhoon shelter, see the construction barges laid up after building the Macau Zhu Hai Bridge, navigate the maze that is Cheung Chau harbor and inspect the Lamma power station docks.
“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is clearly Ocean.” Arthur C. Clarke
ave you done your RYA Powerboat Level 2 and are looking to brush up on your driving skills? Are you interested in exploring more unknown parts of Hong Kong waters? Our new 1-day powerboat session, ‘Navigation Refresher’ allows you to do both! The Navigation Refresher day finds its origin in our previously popular “Rusty Rib” sessions run by RHKYC Chief Powerboat instructor Barry Truhol. Whilst Rusty Rib was developed as a means for club RIB drivers to hone their skills prior to operating RIBs at club safety events, the feedback received was that the
most enjoyable element was the opportunity to see parts of the coast that they were not familiar with such as Cape D’Aguilar, up close at Magazine Island or the Aberdeen Ice works. From this, we developed the Navigation Refresher course to assist in up-skilling drivers and practicing safe driving skills whilst exploring different areas of Hong Kong.
The real highlight of the day was the afternoon passage, a favorite of former powerboat students, the Rambler channel and Container Terminal loop. Starting with introducing the students to 3 knot tide at Kap Shui Mun, then driving parallel the length of the Tsing Ma Bridge, the RIBs entered Rambler Channel and snuck a peak at the Tsing Yi shipyards. Spotted up on the yards included Macau Ferries, many interesting yachts at even the China Team yacht from the 2007 Americas Cup Challenger Series. Continuing around into the container terminal and suddenly, the RIBS were going through one of the busiest ports in the world, watching giant ships being loaded less that 200 metres away. There was even time for a call to a fellow club member quarantined at the Rambler Garden hotel whose keen eyes spotted the RIBs driving through.
The Day begins with a recap of the navigation and pilotage skills learned in the Powerboat level 2 course. A longer passage plan is developed and is followed by executing that passage. During the trip, participants will be accompanied in each RIB by a qualified RYA Powerboat Instructor and will build driving skills in various conditions and sea-states around Hong Kong, often in areas where RHKYC racing is carried out. Other exercises carried out during the passage include engine failure drills, man overboard recovery, VHF communication drills, towing, and emergency anchoring to name a few. Going forward, there are more of these days scheduled during the summer. In the plans are day long passages up to Port Shelter/outer Sai Kung Islands, Soko Islands as well as the previous favorites. To sign up, go https://rhkyc.cinolla.com/sailtraining/ or scan the QR Code.
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| JUNE 2021 AHOY!
