Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » In memoriam » RIP psail - Joao Malafaia

Page: 1 2 3 4 Next

Post annotated by RainbowChaser :
This thread was moved from the category General Discussion.



Words rarely fail me, but today I am lost. A whatsapp from my Sailonline buddy Joao Malafaia came in towards the end of the morning. Strangely, it was in Portuguese. It looked like it might be an invitation to a festive occasion in Lisboa or something. Perhaps my name had ended up on the mailing list. I wasn't going to be able to make that, but I thought I better run the message through Google Translate. There was a word that was bothering me: 'falecimento'. Had Joao gone broke? As I typed in the words and Google translated, horror gripped my heart. Joao, SOL navigator of psail, had died. The message was from his son, Miguel. There was a phone number and so I called Miguel.
Joao had suffered a heart attack. Miguel and Joao's father, who were there when it happened, were not able to help or get help in time. Out of the blue, blackest swan! Joao will never sail online or on the sea again. My great friend, who changed his password to 'Big Hug' (Grande Abraço), his standard email sign-off, so that it was easiest for me to remember it, if I was going to do a spell of boat-sitting for him. Joao, who I first met sailing on VR with sailonline.org boldly written along the side of his hull! Joao, SOL's greatest source of new and exciting polars, and creator of the ever so challenging 40ft Series. But also Joao, the precision geotechnical engineer, proprietor of Pertis Engenheiros Consultores Lda, and Joao, who sailed with me across the seas of the Mediterranean, and above all gentle, generous, adventurous, and sometimes grumpy, stubborn Joao. Fair winds, Joao. I am quietly heartbroken, and all of SOL will miss you.
Jan van der Puil / bonknhoot

_______

--- Last Edited by Jan van der Puil at 2019-04-08 21:11:32 ---
Clipping along
Attachments
Great player, great person. Sleep well mate, we'll meet again.
I am more sorry than I can say to read these words. You have painted a wonderful pen-portrait of the kindness that was Joao/psail. Knowing I am mostly housebound, he would often just email a photo of something he had seen - a tallship offshore Lisbon, a beautiful flower, an arrangement of vegetables.. nothing in particular. On occasion, after I started sailing quite badly, he would even send me hints (I told him "only hints, anything more and it would notfeel like me racing"). I have nothing but fond memories of a delightful person, who could, when he had the time to put his mind to it, sail supremely well on Sailonline, would often challenge certain aspects of the platform, but would always be around to assist with polar creation.

Eight bells and a drink in your honour - Grande Abraço.

___________


--- Last Edited by RainbowChaser at 2019-04-08 21:49:14 ---
I took me abut 15 minutes staring at my laptop before I was even capable of opening this window , may be just because feeling appropriate for me to say something.

Problem is that I have no clue of what to say ....I am really shocked .....

Under normal circumstances , when somebody leaves this world I say that "no words can mean anything....they are totally useless .....totally empty ....totally helpless " .....

This time I am so schocked that I do not even know how I will manage to go to sleep ...and it is midnight here already when this piece of bad news hits me .....

Caro Joao the only consolation I can find at this time is that I remember you always had a smile on your face ...very rare quality.

Sorry my friends .....I better go back to my philosopy when confronting with death ........" silence "

Ciao Joao !

I am in total disbelief ......

Piero

======================

09 apr pm

The sad news have spread amongst the members of the SOL Italian Team. They have expressed the desire that I add their grief to mine here.

So …..On behalf of all those who fly the Italian flag high on the mast of the SOL pinky boats …. A BIG HUG to Joao …..

You have always expressed friendship and respect for us …….it is now our time to pay total respect to you ….Thank you Joao !! …..

The “Padrão dos Descobrimentos” will steer with you on every sea and ocean !

Italians pay respect to Portuguese navigators (33 + 1)

Ciao


--- Last Edited by WIN at 2019-04-09 12:37:15 ---
I have no words. I always had the utmost respect when racing against psail. He will be missed more than I can express. Fair winds and following seas to a friend I never met. - Garagiste
I'll miss the positive energy and enthusiasm you spread, João. Let it remain spreading.

A Big Hug



--- Last Edited by kroppyer at 2019-04-08 23:12:57 ---
Attachments
I'm so sorry, very sad news.

--- Last Edited by Adriano (Batatabh) at 2019-04-13 20:30:50 ---
Joao was mainly a son. father and husband and to his family his early loss will be a great blow and my sincere condolences are offered. I met him as a respected sailor who was committed to yachting and who gave it his best. He will be greatly missed on our race course and in our hearts. May the winds be at your back and the sun on your face for ever more.
Devastated to say the least. When we last spoke on email Joao had extended an invitation to us to visit him at home as soon as I can get a yacht kitted and make the passage to Portugal... that was not that long ago. Was looking forward spending some time with him and his family and go sailing together... That will now have to wait for a while.

I for one will miss him a lot as we shared many a story on email and chatted quite a bit through the years...

Bugger... don't know what else to say really... Will write a more coherent post later. Day suddenly gone strangely dark here by us.

--- Last Edited by Vince Nel (WW) at 2019-04-09 07:45:13 ---
I like to talk a lot... sometimes I even make sense, mostly not...
I am here looking out at the moonlight on the water and thinking of so many hours SOLing with psail and email chatting with Joao. He has left us and now something is forever lost. Fair winds my friend.

Page: 1 2 3 4 Next

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Sinbad by Balloon 2025 - Baia de l'Oiseau to Carnarvon


How ever shall I return to report with clear report to the Sultan – asked Sinbad. It must be told this island and all its fables shall be expunged from the annals of every thousand and one night. The wind howls here, and sun be none (it’s Winter, Sin, ed.) and all days from the west, but let’s launch anyway and see if we can work our SOL Balloon north as the days pass aiming for Asthralaya, where The Mahabharata tells the ancients once tested mighty weapons, about a quarter and a million qasbah away (2500nm, ed.), perhaps one month.
Race #1885
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - SBB
Race starts: Jul 23rd 11:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Tall Ships Races 2025 - Aberdeen to Kristiansand


Welcome to the third of four virtual Tall Ships Races in European waters which are concurrently being organized in-real-life by Sail Training International . This third race is from Aberdeen in Scotland east across the North Sea to Norway’s Kristiansand; circa 330nm in Sailonline’s magnificent 90m Barque.
NOTE: Starts and Finishes in tall ships racing are always offshore to avoid conflict with shipping and shipping lanes; online and real-life may not match exactly.
Race #1925
INFO by brainaid.de
Barque 90m PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: TS - SYC
Race starts: Jul 22nd 16:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Marstrand to Cowes 2025


We invite you to another race, which will kick off the third quarter of our ARCH series. We'll set off from Marstrand, Sweden, which, along with Skagen, Denmark, marks the line commonly recognised as the border separating the Baltic Sea from the North Sea. The 650nm route will take our Ripitide 50 across the North Sea and the English Channel to Cowes, England. Watch out for the fast ferries crossing the Channel from Calais to Dover 😊.
Race #1935
INFO from brainaid.de
Riptide 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
ARQ3 - ARCH - SUPSOL – SYC
Race starts: Jul 21st 17:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Nantucket Sprint 2025


Welcome to Nantucket, from whence Herman Melville’s Cap’n Ahab sailed round The Horn into the northern Pacific Ocean to hunt the gray whale - whose migrations are celebrated elsewhere in SOL’s Q4 schedule - he never to return. And whaling too, as the 19th C progressed, like Ahab disappeared from Nantucket as the harbour silted up and mainland Massachusetts whaling stations benefited from rail connections. But beach life, yachting and nostalgia has rescued the island from oblivion, so to celebrate leisure, SOL gives you the Nantucket Sprint - 25nm in 29er_XX’s from Great Point to Muskeget & Tuckernuck Islands across the sound to a finish just inside the mouth of the harbour. Enjoy!
Race 1936
INFO by brainaid.de
29er_XX PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
SPRQ3 - SPRCH - SUPSOL – SYC
Race starts: Jul 19th 15:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Tall Ships Races 2025 - Dunkirk to Aberdeen


Welcome to the second of four virtual Tall Ships Races in European waters which are concurrently being organized in-real-life Sail Training International . This second race is from Dunkirk in France up the North Sea to Scotland’s Aberdeen; circa 400nm in Sailonline’s magnificent 90m Barque.
NOTE: Starts and Finishes in tall ships racing are always offshore to avoid conflict with shipping and shipping lanes; online and real-life may not match exactly.
Race #1924
INFO by brainaid.de
Barque 90m PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: TS - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Tuesday,
July 22 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jul 13th 16:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Suursaari TIMED Race 2025

The first TIMED race of the northern hemisphere Summer takes us to the Gulf of Finland on a 165nm zig-zagging course beginning and ending in the seacoast village of Haukilahti and circling the island of Suursaari. It’s only appropriate that the boat for this race is Finland’s own Club Swan 50. This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #1928
INFOby brainaid.de
PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ3 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
26 July at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jul 13th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Lake Ontario 300 Challenge 2025

Lake Ontario Offshore Racing (LOOR) welcomes Sailonline sailors (SOLers for short) to a second virtual version of a race in their annual series, the LO300. As the name implies, the LO300 is a 300nm offshore race across the length and breadth of Lake Ontario, from and back to Port Credit YC. Once again, as is our wont on Lake Ontario, a fleet of Beneteau First 36.7s is being made available to virtual racers. There is an overall prize for the SOLer who best bosses Lake Ontario over the two races hosted by Sailonline, this 300 and the Susan Hood raced back in May; so, let the competition be fierce!
Race #1931
INFOby brainaid.de
First 36.7 PARTICULARS
NAM_AWIP WX Updates:
0245 / 0845 / 1445 / 2045
Ranking: LOOR - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Wednesday,
July 23 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jul 12th 15:10 Registration Open!

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Young Island to Great Nicobar 2025

The adventure continues as we launch this fifth leg of the RWW series, racing from Young Island to Great Nicobar on the edge of the Bay of Bengal. Get ready for a chilling start as we set sail on the seventh leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! A 5200nm journey of endurance, strategy, and pure sailing excitement. This leg will be pursued aboard the Super Maxi 100v2, pushing sailors to their limits. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Indian Ocean? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1929
INFO by brainaid.de
Super Maxi 100 v2 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ3 - RWW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Jul 07th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member FreyjaUSA
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client