Hout Bay Yacht Club

HBYC Hunter 19 Winter Series – Race 6 Report (6 June)

This past Saturday’s race of the Winter Series delivered another great afternoon of Hunter 19 racing on Hout Bay.

With the fleet battling changing conditions and every point counting towards the series standings, Artemis sailed an excellent race to take the win, showing great pace and consistency from start to finish. Hyland Storm followed up with a strong second place, while Vuma completed the podium in third and Buboo finished fourth,

Congratulations to Artemis on a well-deserved victory and thanks to everyone who made it out for another fantastic day of Hunter 19 sailing. The racing remains incredibly close, and every race continues to prove why this fleet is one of the most active and enjoyable one-design classes on the bay.

Hout Bay Yacht Club is gearing up for the World Cup Soccer

Come join in the fun of a Quiz night and support a worthy cause!

Hout Bay Sailing Forecast (8–14 June*)

Monday–Tuesday (8–9 June)
• Light winds with calm conditions inside the bay.
• Cool to mild temperatures, sitting mostly around 15–17°C.
• Swell remains present, around 1.6–2.4m, so conditions outside the harbour may still feel active.
➡️ Best for: Training, social sailing and relaxed harbour sessions.

Wednesday–Thursday (10–11 June)
• Wednesday looks relatively settled, with light winds and mostly manageable conditions.
• Thursday becomes more unsettled, with cloud cover increasing and light rain possible later in the day.
• Winds may freshen from the NNW on Thursday, with swell building again toward 2m and above.
➡️ Best for: Wednesday training and social sailing; Thursday better suited to experienced sailors watching the weather window closely.

Friday–Sunday (12–14 June)
• Friday remains cloudy with light to moderate NW winds.
• Swell stays active, around 2–2.5m, especially outside the harbour.
• Saturday shows the strongest swell signal of the week, with Surf Forecast indicating around 2.4–2.5m SSW swell.
• Sunday may begin to settle slightly, with lighter SE winds and swell easing closer to 1.8–2m.
➡️ Best for: Experienced sailors only, especially outside the harbour, and only after checking live conditions.

Water Conditions
• Sea temperatures are sitting around 14–15°C, noticeably cold.
• Full wetsuits recommended for most sailing and water activities.

⚠️ Keep in Mind
• The bay may look manageable from shore while the harbour mouth and outside waters are significantly rougher.
• Light wind does not necessarily mean easy sailing when long-period swell is running.
• NW winds later in the week may indicate changing winter weather.
• Always check live wind, swell and rainfall forecasts before launching.

*Information is pulled and cross-referenced from Yr, Windfinder, Surf Forecast and Wind Guru.

LEOPARD CHALLENGE LEG 2 – RECORD FLEET, EPIC RACING!

What a day on the bay for the second leg of the Leopard Challenge! With 18 boats on the start line, this was one of the best turnouts the event has ever seen and a fantastic showcase of our growing sailing community.

The racing was incredibly close throughout the fleet, with conditions keeping everyone on their toes. The bay delivered everything from near-calm patches to full-on “hanging on by your fingernails” sailing, ensuring every race was a challenge.

A special congratulations to Let’s Boogie, who sailed consistently all day to claim overall honours. Their achievement was made even more impressive by the fact that they were the youngest team in the fleet, proving that youth, skill, and teamwork can go a long way.

Overall Top 5
🥇 Let’s Boogie
🥈 Bad News
🥉 Artemis
4️⃣ Hyland Storm
5️⃣ Knot Seanile Yet

One of the most remarkable aspects of the day was the range of sailors taking part. The age gap between the youngest and oldest competitors on the water was approximately 64 years—a reminder that sailing is one of the few sports where generations can compete side by side and share the same passion.

A huge thank you to all 18 boats, their crews, race officials, volunteers, and supporters for making this such a memorable event. Days like this are what the Leopard Challenge is all about: great racing, great people, and a bay that always knows how to put on a show.

Bring on the next leg!

🌬️ Hout Bay Sailing Forecast — 1–7 June*

Monday–Tuesday (1–2 June)
• Light to moderate winds with relatively calm conditions inside the bay.
• Cooler temperatures settling in, but generally comfortable sailing conditions.
• Small to moderate swell with reasonable visibility.
➡️ Best for: Training, social sailing and relaxed harbour sessions.

Wednesday–Thursday (3–4 June)
• Winds begin strengthening from the NW–W ahead of passing systems.
• Increased cloud cover with periods of rain possible.
• Sea state becomes more active outside the harbour entrance.
➡️ Best for: Experienced sailors and shorter sailing windows between weather changes.

Friday–Sunday (5–7 June)
• More unsettled winter conditions likely.
• Stronger gusts possible, particularly during frontal movement.
• Larger swell and more challenging conditions outside the bay.
• Sunday may begin to settle slightly depending on the speed of the weather system.
➡️ Best for: Experienced sailors only and only after checking live conditions.

Water Conditions
• Sea temperatures sitting around 14–15°C, noticeably colder than autumn.
• Full wetsuits recommended for most sailing and water activities.

Keep in Mind
• Winter weather systems can change conditions quickly.
• NW winds often indicate approaching fronts and deteriorating sea state.
• Conditions outside the harbour mouth may be significantly rougher than they appear from shore.
• Always check live wind, swell and rainfall forecasts before launching.

*Information is pulled and cross-referenced from AccuWeather, Windfinder, Surf Forecast and Wind Guru

🌬️ Hout Bay Sailing Forecast — 25–31 May*

Monday–Tuesday (25–26 May)
• Light to moderate winds with calmer mornings and gentle afternoon breeze.
• Relatively clean conditions inside the bay with manageable swell.
• Cool but stable weather overall.
➡️ Best for: Training, social sailing and relaxed afternoon sessions.

Wednesday–Thursday (27–28 May)
• Winds begin shifting more SW to W with slightly stronger gusts possible.
• Cooler temperatures settle in with increasing cloud cover.
• More movement in the sea state outside the harbour mouth.
➡️ Best for: Intermediate sailors and shorter tactical sessions.

Friday–Sunday (29–31 May)
• More established wind expected through the weekend, particularly Friday into Saturday.
• Stronger gusts possible at times with more active sea conditions offshore.
• Sunday looks calmer and warmer again, offering a more comfortable sailing window.
➡️ Best for: Experienced sailors on Friday/Saturday, broader sailing conditions returning Sunday.

Water Conditions
• Sea temperatures remain around 15°C, typical for this time of year.

Keep in Mind
• Autumn conditions remain less predictable than summer SE patterns.
• Mornings continue to offer the calmest conditions.
• Wind direction may shift quickly during passing systems.
• Always check live wind, swell and radar before launching.

*Information is pulled and cross-referenced from AccuWeather, Windfinder and Surf Forecast

Hout Bay Sailing Forecast This Week (18–24 May)*

Wednesday–Thursday (20–21 May)
• Light to moderate winds, mostly from the SE to E.
• Conditions remain relatively calm inside the bay with manageable swell.
• Some cloud cover and occasional showers possible overnight into Thursday morning.
➡️ Best for: Training sessions, cruising and relaxed afternoon sailing.

Friday (22 May)
• Winds stay fairly light through the morning before building slightly in the afternoon.
• Small to moderate SW swell continues but remains manageable.
• Stable weather and improving visibility.
➡️ Best for: Social sailing, club sessions and easy longer runs.

Weekend Conditions
Saturday–Sunday (23–24 May)
• Arguably the best sailing window of the week.
• Light to moderate winds with sunshine and relatively clean sea conditions.
• Swell remains moderate without major weather systems moving through.
➡️ Best for: All levels of sailing, family sessions and longer time on the water.

Water Conditions
• Sea temperature sitting around 16°C.
• Cooler than summer but still manageable with proper gear.

Keep in Mind
• Autumn weather can still shift quickly - especially later afternoons.
• Mornings remain calmer than afternoons.
• No major storm systems currently affecting the bay, but always check live wind and swell before launching.

*Information is pulled and cross-referenced from AccuWeather, Windfinder and Surf Forecast