Po Toi Challenge

WORDS: AHTHENA KUNG, YMC

As a member of the Young Members Committee (YMC) this year, I was thrilled to be part of the committee and have the chance to help organise events and try new things too! Mainly focused on rowing, I wanted to get to know the Club better and be more involved with events that help to bring the whole RHKYC sporting community together.

The YMC Po Toi Challenge is a signature race that is known within the Club and was the perfect chance for me to try sailing for the first time! I was ecstatic.

As the day inched closer and closer, the YMC team meticulously planned the event to ensure everything went smoothly (thank you especially Liz Wai, Bosco So and Judy Chan!). The week

of the challenge, I don’t think anyone knew what weather to expect for the race day. The forecast indicated some wind and rain, but could we possibly be so lucky that there could be a hint of sun?

Waking up in the morning of 20 August, I took the slightest peek outside my window and was pleasantly surprised to see clear blue skies! Too excited for the day ahead, I quickly made my way to Kellett Island.

We had a total of 17 boats registered, and over 70 people signed up as crews from different core sports (sailing, rowing, paddling). It was the biggest sign ups ever for the Po Toi Challenge! And, looking around at the different boats, there were many ‘newbies’ just like me onboard.

Hopping onboard the Lisa Elaine, I instantly felt welcomed by my team, and my nerves about my first-time sailing instantly slipped away. With no time to waste (it is a competition, after all!), we quickly pulled out of Kellett Island and headed to the starting point. The sea condition was choppy, and the wind was blowing 8 to 10kts. With three loud horns signaling the start of the race, we were off! During the race, I helped balance the boat, moving from port to starboard each time “tack!” was called. With each tack, I began to understand the concept of sailing a bit more. First and foremost, the importance of working together and communicating well with each other. I was also kindly taught by our more experienced sailors (shoutout to Alex and Yukiko) on sailing tips!

After finishing our race, we went for a lovely seafood lunch at Po Toi, where they have the best calamari in Hong Kong. And as we cruised back to Kellett Island, I realised that over the course of the day, I went from having never tried sailing before and only knowing that sailing involved tying lots of knots, to learning how to tie a bowline and clove hitch, helping lower the buoy as we were getting ready to dock, and having a go at steering! Thank you very much Carl Wilkinson for letting us onboard Lisa Elaine and teaching all this! Looking forward to other boat classes open days for experience.

Young Members Committee would like express appreciation to Wilfer Sails for sponsoring sail ties for the event.

1st 2nd

Pepper & Salt Boss 3rd Sea Monkey Line Honours Ffreefire

Whether you are sailing along the horizon or simply driving down an all too familiar road, the topic of eye health is sure to be far from your mind’s eye. As you navigate your changing vantage points across your favourite pass times and daily routines, you rely on your eyesight without a thought. Your ever-present companion and an integral part of how you experience and live through your world silently complies. The topic of eye health is often overlooked and found way too far down the list of “healthy lifestyle habits”. Perhaps it is time to spare a thought for your eyes longevity and health? It might surprise you to learn how a simple choice in eyewear can help protect (and even extend) your eyes’ vitality from known dangers.

Top PolarizedPlus2® Styles for Sailing

Alenuihaha: RM839-07C Kaiwi Channel: B840-03S Equator: GM848-15

Light is central to our visual experience of the world around and comes in many forms. Some of which remain invisible to us along with their inherent dangers. For instance, the sun's untraviolet A (UVA) and B (UVB) sun rays are particularly harmful to your eyes. Over exposure to these two unseen light forms can lead to several serious eye conditions that impair vision such as cataracts, premature macular degeneration and photokeratitis (sunburn of the cornea). The solution? Well, prevention is always better than cure and much like a high SPF sunscreen for your skin, your eyes need a high-quality pair of sunglasses that effectively block UVA and UVB sun rays.

You’re probably wondering why skin cancer is listed in an article about eye health. It almost feels a little out of place. But is it? You may well be surprised to learn that managing your eye health does not exclusively apply to your eyeballs but rather extends to include the entire delicate area surrounding your eyes which is also vulnerable to the sun’s harmful UV rays. In fact, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 10% of all skin cancer occurs around the eyes. So, be sure to apply sunscreen and use appropriate, high-quality, reputable eyewear that blocks 100% of harmful UV sun rays.

That blinding moment as the sun’s rays reach across the water and extend to meet your boat is you experience glare first-hand. Its uncomfortable and inconvenient to say the least. Especially when you are navigating turbulent waves and need to read the wind and water instantly.

Glare is a by-product of light which generally disperses in all directions. But, on occasion it aligns and travels in a uniformed direction creating what is called ‘polarised’ light which in turn is responsible for the experience of glare. As you would have experienced, glare brings a host of common eye discomforts and contributes to eye fatigue which can lead to squinting, watering eyes and even headaches due to prolonged eye strain. To combat glare, you need a pair of sunglasses that have a polarisation filter built into the lens. This filter works to block the intense polarised light allowing only manageable light through to your eyes. Look for an eyewear brand that has a high-efficiency polarisation film capable of reducing nearly all glare (99.9%) to safeguard your visual experience and prolong your eye comfort.

The ability to see in the dark after being exposed to bright light is called “dark adaptation". Practically, it is all about your eyes ability to adjust when light conditions change from illuminous to dark. Your movements from below deck to above deck are one such instance. The factors impacting your night vision are varied and range from sun protection through to diet and even graceful aging. But, spending even a relatively short time in intense sunlight could compromise your dark adaptation and extend the time it takes for your eyes to adjust from minutes to several hours. Luckily, and no surprise by now, wearing a quality pair of sunglasses can help keep your eyes safe as you navigate changing light conditions.

With an almost regal name, you’d imagine blue light to be somewhat magical. The truth is, High Energy Visible violet/blue light rays (HEV), is a form of light, commonly known as blue light, and is transmitted by the sun, digital devices and LED lighting. It has woven itself into the fabric of our daily lives and habits without so much as a peep. Just like UV, HEV is both beneficial and harmful. On the positive side, blue light can actually help improve memory, elevate mood and even regulate the sleep/wake cycle. Sadly, our eyes’ natural filters don’t provide sufficient protection against the harmful side of HEV light and can sustain cumulative damage due to over exposure which has been associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). AMD is a condition responsible for more than half of visual impairments. Giving your eyes’ defenses a boost by choosing eyewear that helps block hazardous HEV light is certainly something to consider.

From UV sun rays, to polarised light, through to dark rooms and dangerous light in blue hues, the topic of eye health is as diverse and complex as your boat’s anatomy and sailing terminology to a non-sailor. Yet, it is just as critical. So, why not take the first step in your eye health journey by choosing a high-quality eyewear brand like Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2® sunglasses which block 100% of harmful UVA and UVB rays, eliminate 99.9% of harsh glare and manage 95% of HEV, all while enhancing colour, improving clarity and increasing detail. After all, a view fit for fair winds and following seas is a worthy investment.

Maui Jim sunglasses are available for purchase at The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s Ship Shop. Stop by to try on a pair and experience the difference!

Maui Jim sunglasses were born on the beaches of Maui and designed to protect eyes from the harsh rays of the island sun. Today, Maui Jim is recognised for unparalleled “Aloha Spirit” and customer service as well as their patented PolarizedPlus2® lens technology, which blocks 100% of UV sun rays and eliminates glare while enhancing colour, definition and depth perception. Maui Jim sunglasses have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation as an effective UV filter for the eyes and surrounding skin. For more information, visit mauijim.com, follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter and Instagram at @OfficialMauiJim.