PRINCIPAL & CHIEF INSTRUCTOR

RALPH MOTHES is a passionate sailor and is a fully qualified Yachtmaster registered with SA Sailing and the Royal Yachting Association. He was an RYA Cruising Instructor - Sail, and has an RYA Powerboat Level 2 Instructors license as well as a Radio-telephone Operators Licence and holds a current STCW 95. He also holds a valid SAMSA Commercial Skippers Ticket and is one of SA Sailings certified examiners.

Ralph has been sailing in various parts of the world since the 1970's and has his own 14m ocean cruising yacht moored at the Royal Cape Yacht Club where he has been a member since 2006.

Adult Education and Teaching Experience.Ralph Mothes is South African, born of German parents. After completing a National Technical Electrical Engineering Diploma he went to Hamburg, where he initially worked as an electrical sales engineer for an International Company. His love of woodworking and art led him to antique furniture restoration and he was apprenticed to an art cabinet maker and restorer in Hamburg. His training took 3 years with recognized qualifications in this field. In 1980 he returned to Cape Town after spending 5 years in Europe. In addition to restoration, he has a BA Honors Degree from UCT majoring in cultural history, philosophy and music. Apart from sailing his major interests are classical music, yoga, surfing, hang gliding and hiking. He was founder of a unique School of Restoration established in 1983 and regularly presented lectures, demonstrations and courses throughout South Africa. It was whilst he was at university that he started sailing and his passion which lasts to this day led him to start the Cape Town Sailing Academy with a friend 10 years ago in 2009. Ralph has over 30 years of teaching experience both to adults and school leavers and has over the past few years become more involved in teaching sailing skills and seamanship, both locally and over the last two years in the Med. He has also been involved in crew training for the Cape Windjammers Education Trust.

TRAINING BOAT

SV CHANTECLER is a 45" Bruce Roberts design, she won the Cape to Rio race in 1993 in the cruising class and completed a 5 year circumnavigation around the globe. She is a fantastic, solid, safe and comfortable blue water cruiser and training vessel and is commercially endorsed by SAMSA.