By Ron Huff

      Helmut Klein and "Balu"

     We had one launching this month, a PC built by Helmut Klein in Africa it was announced on the BYYB Bulletin board April third. I’m putting this launching in the Gaff Rig in case some of you didn’t see the bbs postings.
     Helmut launched the PC on Sunday the second and got in a half day of sailing. He says that the boat behaves like a real yacht and self steers amazingly well. He has since spent three days sailing and says she is fast and stable " she can still beat upwind with full sails hardly heeling when I can’t hold the mainsheet any more".
     Helmut lives in Swaziland a country on the southeastern end of Africa that is landlocked so the reservoirs belonging to the countries sugar companies are all the water available to sail on. He sails Balu on a reservoir two miles wide and five miles long created by the Sand River Dam. The water is warm year around and great for sailing but the people in the Mananga Yacht Club must share the lake with the crocodiles. Helmut says the crocs aren’t much trouble though as they do not like loud noises. And we think we have problems. I will take shallow water and snags over crocs any day of the week. Helmut plans on doing some trailer sailing to other lakes and the Bay of Maputo, Mozambique when he gets the time.
     Helmut emailed me some pictures. He did a first class job on the boat the workmanship is excellent note the construction of the mast tabernacle he used instead of hinges.

     More Photo's of Balu

     Steel Away and Genesis

     Lisa Catherine

     De Julia

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