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DK46 Quantum Racing

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If your serious about forming a racing team and joining the racing class at major regattas in the region - Ray Roberts has placed his Mark Mills designed DK46, that has won nearly every major event in the South East Asian region on the market. All the sails have been specially designed to suit the boat and are less than a year old and ready to power the new owners into the future. The interior is fully fitted to DK's high standards and could easily be converted into a fast. short handed, passage making, live aboard for extended cruising. Asking Price US$450,000 o.n.o. More details Here...

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Our 8m Miri Magic training boat is a fast and easily handled racing yacht with simple coastal cruising capabilities. Perfect for learning to sail, as her usage ranges from match racing to a mini-offshore racer that can double up as a short haul cruising yacht for all the family to enjoy. The lifting 630kg bulb keel makes her extremely stable, yet powerful and safe in all wind conditions. This little beauty can be easily towed behind a 4WD vehicle and stored out of the water so it won't necessarily break a newcomers bank account. Full details and more...

Check out some Asian Yachtmasters

For a comprehensive summary of the SE Asian weather and for detailed forecasting in the Malacca Straits and the South China Sea Click Here

Going somewhere? Planning a long distance cruise to foreign ports? If you are leaving soon and require some practical information on the countries & ports you intend to visit then Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising website www.noonsite.com is a must. A complete list of repair facilities, shore marine services for every major cruising destination in the world is available. Information on trouble spots and joining planned yacht convoys can also be obtained by emailing Jimmy directly at info@noonsite.com

EasyTide offers users free, 7-day tidal predictions for over 6000 ports worldwide where all the Admiralty Charts, publications and digital products are also available to be purchased at: http://www.easytide.com/

AsianYachting Photo Library
Koh Samui Regatta & 2006-07 AY GP Championships
A collection of images taken at the recent Koh Samui Regatta and throughout the year during the eight regattas that make up the 2006-07 AY Grand Prix Championships have been added to the AY Photo Library. I think nearly all competing boats, skippers and crew are featured in the quick and easy accessed slide show. I hope you have as much pleasure recalling those exciting moments as I have had taking the photos and compiling the photo library. Sorry if the media boat on occasions may have got a little in your way but if you take a good look you should agree that it was all worthwhile. AY Photo Library to view past regattas at: http://asianyachting.com/photos/default.htm AY Grand Prix Champions 2003/04, 2004/05 2005-06 2006-07 with selected shots taken during the season here...

Goto Archived AY Race Reports and News & Views
2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 98-99

July 2009 - News & Views HERE...

• EDITORIAL - Match Racing keelboats to suit Asian sailors with International aspirations
• AUSTRAL - ASIAN NEWS - Yacht Rallies all a rage in Indonesia - Putrajaya Sailing Week ready to roll - All set for Phuket Raceweek - SingaporeSailing’s new committee elected - Aussie girls dominate at first Elliott 6 match racing event - Quantum Sails "Live The Dream" Contest - Oman Sail Masirah takes line honours - Andy Soriano's Alegre is at it again - Frank Pong in Malcesine for RC 44 Championships - Celebrate the 20th Raja Muda Selangor Regatta - Chicago leads 2016 Olympic City Bid - Around Australia Ocean Race & Rally in 2011 - AVEC sells 1st licence to produce Palm Oil engines
• Up next: Six Senses Phuket Raceweek (22-26 July) - Darwin to Ambon Yacht Race (Starts 18th July) - Sail Indonesia (Starts 18th July)
• INTERNATIONAL NEWS - Bi-annual Transpac Race already underway - 33rd AC - Alinghi ready to launch - VOR 08-09: All over bar the shouting - VOR set to become world's No 1 sailing event - Global Ocean Race to start in Sept 2011 - World's largest superyacht launched - ICOMIA Congress elected - Look Mum no crew needed here
  Follow the Transpacific Yacht Race - Audi MedCup TP52 & GP42 Series - iShares EX 40 Cup - Russell Coutts 44 - World Match Racing Tour - Rolex Events.
• WORLD SPEED RECORDS - Girls set New around Britain & Ireland record - Kito De Pavant Sets New Mediterranean Single-Handed Monohull Record
• "Unluckiest sailors of the month" - Telefonica Blue/Bouwe Bekking hit the rocks

Goto July 2009 - News & Views HERE...

Archived AY Race Reports/News & Views
2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 98-99

Go! Global - Sail-World News Feed

Latest AY News, Views & Race Reports

Changes to 2009-10 AY GP calendar of events
Each year the events on the annual AsianYachting Grand Prix Championships come under scrutiny, as this is the best way to determine the top Skipper and Racing Yacht of the Year in Asian waters. The top three Racing Class results at 10 major Asian Events held during the year are scored as a series. This year the Biennial HK to Vietnam Race has been dropped in favour of the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek which kicks off the 2009-10 Season from the 22nd - 26th July. The Rolex China Sea Race returns in April 2010 and becomes the tenth event on the program. All other events on the annual sailing calendar remain the same as last season. Check out the events and the pointscore as the championship unfolds at: http://asianyachting.com/news/AYGP09-10.htm

2008-09 AY GP Photo Gallery posted
All the best racing class shots and trophy presentations taken at the nine events that made up the 2008-09 AYGP have been posted Here... Browse the rest of the AY Photo Library where most of the major Asian Regattas since 2004, the 2008 Olympic Games, Volvo Ocean Race in Singapore and the annual AYGP Championships since the 2003-04 Season can be accessed from: http://asianyachting.com/photos/default.htm

AY Advertising rates dramatically reduced...
Due to the present global economic crises we have been forced to drastically reduce the advertising rates on the AY Website and spot ads at the bottom of the popular AY Race Reports. Along with improving the events profile and the growing stature of AY Media coverage, regatta sponsors seeking extra mileage for their dollar have realised how valuable the four advertising spots on the daily emailed Race Reports and published on the webpage edition can be for their overall marketing campaigns. Full Sponsor (Was US$500 - Now only US$300) per advertiser to claim a spot for the duration of the regatta. Check out the rates for the advertising spots in the monthly AY News & Views, Rotating Banners on the website and the AY Shopping Mall where special innovative marketing and inexpensive merchandising ideas like Sailing Gloves have been successfully used to enhance the value of their regatta sponsorship at: http://asianyachting.com/Mall/Advertising.htm

2008-09 Skipper and Yacht of the Year - Neil Pryde & Hi Fi
By winning the Sawadee.com Regatta, Neil Pryde and Hi Fi have scored a record 20 points in the 2008-09 AsianYachting Grand Prix Championships. They have dominated the racing class this season and scored podium places in all eight regattas that they have contested this season. Five wins, two second places and one third place is worthy of being crowned the 2008-09 Skipper and Yacht of the Year. This is also the third time Neil has won the prestigious award over the seven years it has been contested. He has shown a remarkable ability to successfully run a racing campaign in Asian waters over the last 20 years and long may it continue. Final pointscore and see how the championships unfolded at: http://asianyachting.com/news/AYGP08-09.htm

Sawadee.com Regatta 2009 - The winners are grinners...
06 June 09: Although there was a lull in proceedings yesterday, normal service was resumed today and two races saw the successful completion of the Sawadee.com Regatta - the 8th Samui Regatta and the 2008-09 Asian season. Several outstanding individual performances were rewarded by leading the overall class standings and although some classes have already been decided, others had it all to play for. Bright sunshine, blue sky and 8 to 10 knots of wind set the scene for the final showdown off Chaweng Beach. Having dominated the racing class Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi Fi run of five wins in a row was broken when the Fred Kinmonth/Nick Burns owned Mills 51 Fortis Mandrake claimed first place in Race 7 by a mere six seconds. Second place for Hi Fi gave them a run away overall win and they did not have to compete on the final race.Goto: AY Race Reports HERE... Browse the AY Photo Gallery

Raising Impy from her sandy grave...
22nd May 2009: On a recent visit to Palau Tioman Capt Marty was recalled to Pulau Rawa as Tengku Khairul decided to dig out his farther's beloved racing yacht Impy that has laid buried on the beach for the last eight years in front of his Rawa Island resort. At the height of the La Nina storms back in December 2000 the mooring line on the Jeanneau - Selection 37 broke and the rough seas drove her onto the beach in front of Le Club Rawa, breaking off the keel in the process. When the shifting sands returned the winner of the first ever Phuket King's Cup in Thailand was completely submerged up to the deck and full of sand inside to the gunnels. Complete story and Photo Edition at: http://asianyachting.com/Archive/Impy.htm

Top of the Gulf 09 - All over bar the bragging..
04 May 09: Despite some classes already decided all eyes were on the Platu fleet for the prestigious Coronation Cup. Ray Roberts Wikki Quantum Racing and Scott Duncanson's reigning TOTG champion The Ferret have been trading blows throughout the three days of racing with Roberts holding a slight advantage coming into today's final. As they congregated at the start line several attempts were made to cover Wikki Quantum Racing down at the pin end of the line. With seconds to go it was obvious that some boats were over the line despite warnings from PRO Gerry Rollin. As the horn sounded bow number 124 The Ferret and 125 Gulf Charters were recalled for being on the course side of the line. After exonerating themselves they started at the back of the 14 boat fleet and unless a miracle happened they were dead and buried. What an anticlimax. When the boats returned to the downwind mark who else other than Ray Roberts and Wikki Quantum Racing had taken a commanding lead and went on to win the race. Goto: AY Race Reports HERE... AY Photo Gallery

San Fernando Race 2009
10th April 2009: Purplefinder tracking shows that fleet leader Strewth experienced a drop in speed around 0700hrs this morning, which has picked back up to the 8+ knot mark, but which looks to have put the Race record out of her grasp. At 12:30:00 (Hong Kong time) there were still 26nm to cover to cross the finish line at San Fernando, giving an ETA in the region of 16:30:00, well outside the target finish time of 14:15:12. Looking a little further back in the fleet exposes some serious challenges to the IRC Racing Division title. Still 130nm out from the finish, Red Kite II is putting in a sterling maiden performance in the racing division, looking likely to finish around 12 hours behind the leader. With Strewth giving the Archambault 35 some 19 minutes an hour on IRC, watchers have been entertained well beyond the Line Honours gun. RHKYC Daily Reports & Final Results...

Body of missing yachtsman found in Thailand
31 March 2009 The body of 64-year-old Malcolm Robertson has been found by the authorities in Thailand a week after he went missing during a robbery onboard his yacht. Thai fishermen found a body 10 miles north of Lipeh Island in Satun, southern Thailand. The three Burmese fishermen arrested last week have now been charged with murder, having admitted boarding the yacht and robbing Robertson and his wife Linda. The Foreign and Commonwealth office is providing consular support to Robertson's wife who survived the attack with minor injuries and family members who have flown in from the UK. In the meantime the scene of the tragedy, the Adang Archipelago lies, as it always did, a quiet dream escape from the busy mainland of Thailand. Full details Here...

Warm climate retirement homes going cheap
As Port Dickson, Malaysia has not yet recovered from the early nineties building boom and subsequent 1997 Asian financial collapse, there is an excess supply of condominium apartments in housing estates and marina's, going incredibly cheap. Anywhere around Malaysian Ringgit MR 70k to 150k (US$ 19k to 40k) will get you a two or three bedroom apartment or house lot. More and more foreigners enjoy living in a warm climate all year round and have taken to basing themselves in sunny PD. Imagine if an air conditioned, 2 bedroom apartment, with all the furniture could be yours for RM90,000 (around Euro 20k)? Come try us out! Would suite retired couples looking for somewhere quiet to get them through the present economic crises. Goto: AY Real-Estate page Here...

Gulf of Aden Pirate Corridor - New coordinates in effect
February to April are the months when most cruising sailors are going east to west across the Indian Ocean, and set out to transit the pirate infested Gulf of Aden. At this time of year the trade winds in the Red Sea are favorable, and a boat will reach the Mediterranean just in time for the European Spring. Between August to November during the SW trades is when yachts are likely to make the return journey from west to east. As this area has become notoriously famous for pirate attacks, a security corridor International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) has been established, and boats are advised to travel in convoys. New coordinates came into effect on 0001Z 01 FEB 09 See Map & goto Full Details Here...

17th President's Cup - Neil Pryde is crowned 2009 Champion...
All eyes were on the battle between Ray Ordoveza's Excel 53 Karakoa and Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi Fi for first overall in the Racing Class. Both enjoy a good blow and the crew work has been exceptional to date. A bit of covering before the start then they were off. Ernesto Echauz's Sydney 46 Centennial helmed by Aussie Jamie Wilmot entered the fray and more than ever determined to defend the title. After three laps the boats had established there handicap spacing's and it was hard to determine a winner so the race committee were asked for results before the final race got underway. These were not forthcoming until the boats were half way around the final race. Neil Pryde stayed away from the pin end fracas and crossed the start line on port tack in clear air with pace to go on and score two wins on the final day to be crowned the 2009 overall winner. AY Race Reports Here... Boracay Race & Presidents Cup Photo Gallery at: http://asianyachting.com/photos/photo.htm?BoracayPC09

Sailor chick of the President's Cup.
It has been extremely difficult to chose from the three superb beauties that entered the competition but a decision has to be made. By popular demand Rona Martins (In red bikini) crewing on Paul Bankowski's Kerr 11.3 Jaywalker gets the nod. Apologies must go to all the other crews that made a big effort to enter the competition. I did not know that winning a pair of AY Gloves could be that popular despite the tough sailing conditions. Anyhow if anyone knows Rona's address in the Philippines we will send a pair of the best to protect those little pinky's asap.

Manila to Boracay Race - Foxy Lady IV nails it on first outing
As the 200NM course was along the outer fringes of a broad low pressure system, the resultant scattered rain storms and shifty wind conditions left the bulk of the fleet at sea for a second night and struggling to reach Boracay in under 48 hours. Most skippers have stories where they were up with the leading boats in the early stages but a storm came across and they disappeared off the radar, never to be seen again. Others experienced isolated strong tidal flows while some boats sailed past only 100 meters away. Bill Bremner claims a tactical call by Andy MacPhail to go outside of the Bacos Islands gave them the jump needed to win the race on there first outing. AY Race Reports & Results Here...

Phang Nga Bay Regatta - Voted most picturesque regatta in Asia
30.1.09: The tiny Firefly Voodoo Child was the toast of sailors last night after running up a very credible performance during the four day annual Phang Nga Bay Regatta. Peter Ahern from Perth put up a huge performance on Y0!2, chalking a 1,1,2, and a 1 to take the Racing Division, 3 points ahead of rival Katsu (Ben Copley). Other notable performers over the week included Phoenix (Niels HS Degenkowl) snatching the Cruising A class on the last day, Remington (Jim Ellis) three wins to secure Cruising B two years in a row, Sunsail Princess Sharda (Luke Mills) in the Darwin One design Class and The Sting (Dave Wales) narrow one point win in the Multihull Class. Daily Race Reports, Final Results and photos are posted at: http://asianyachting.com/news/PNBR09.htm

The Impiana Adventure - Job well done...
31 Jan 09: After a little over 20 days of racing Andrew Findlay and the motley crew onboard the Beneteau 45f5 Impiana rejoiced with joy as they crossed the finish line in Bahia, Brazil. Job well done. Although on the final couple of days the sentimental South African entrant Voortrekker skippered by Marcello Burricks somehow found a new lease of life and sailed past them to snatch away fourth place and relegate Impiana down to fifth overall out of 10 starters in the Racing Class. This is a great result for basically a small cruising boat to be racing against internationally high profile race yachts, like Mike Slade's 100ft ICAP Leopard that took line honours 10 days ago and George David's 90ft maxi yacht Rambler that took the handicap honours. Neil Pryde's old boat Hi Fidelity now co-skippered by E De Villiers / G Sindler claimed third place a couple of days back and two boats have retired with damage. Four boats that they convincingly beat on handicap are out and out racing boats that regularly take the honours on the South African racing scene and will have to cough up a bottle of rum or two for the confident wagers they placed before the start of this Classic Race. Full C2B results and take a walk down memory lane by viewing the entire Impiana Adventure thus far at: http://asianyachting.com/news/Impiana.htm Cheers, Andy"

Singapore Straits Regatta - Glorious end to a fine regatta...
With 15 knots of breeze the twenty odd mile passage race from Batam, Indonesia to Changi Sailing Club in Singapore was completed in record time despite over ten miles of slogging to windward. The bigger boats had a chance to stretch there legs on the reaching legs that made up the rest of the race. In the Racing Class Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi Fi capped of a brilliant regatta with another win, thereby keeping a clean score sheet with seven wins out of seven races. After plugging away all regatta Fred Kinmonth / Nick Burns Farr-Mills 51 Fortis Mandrake finally jumped up into second place today which will no doubt please the crew after all there hard work. Third place for Ray Roberts DK46 Quantum Racing has them holding onto second overall but wondering what they have to do to beat a revitalized Hi Fi at the rest of the Asian regattas. Fourth place for Bill Bremner / Andy Cocks TP52 Foxy Lady IV earns them third overall and the crew have gained valuable experience on racing a TP52 in medium to strong winds. AY Race Reports Here... SSR 09 Photo Gallery Here

Volvo Ocean Race - Singapore Stopover & Restart Photo Gallery
The Volvo Ocean Race returned to the race track in spectacular style when the horn sounded at 1300 local time, signifying the start of the 2,500 nautical mile leg to Qingdao, China. Ken Read's Puma nailed the start from the middle of the line, closely followed by Torben Grael's Ericsson 4 taking the windward berth. Right from the onset the battle commenced in earnest and both had their bows ahead of the rest. Delta Lloyd, with new navigator Frits Koek in the chair, chose the pin end. Both Telefónica boats and Ian Walker's Green Dragon were in the second row as the gun fired and the fleet pounded up the first two-mile beat. AY was lucky enough to be onboard the startboat Lady O courtesy of SSR PRO Richard Cai and recorded some of the action which have been posted in the VOR 09 Singapore Photo Gallery Here... The rest of the action can be found at: http://www.volvooceanrace.org

Royal Langkawi Int Regatta - Ray Roberts makes it four wins in a row
Race nine saw Neil Pryde's Hi-Fi slam home the advantage and take victory with the boss back on the helm. Peter Ahern's YO!2 has been plugging away all regatta and apart from the Race 2 win is not suited to the heavy going on the outside courses but reveled in the Bass Harbour flatter water to score two second places today. This left overall leader Ray Roberts Quantum Racing in third place and getting more worried by the minute. A huge gust came through minutes before the Race 10 start which had the skippers going each and every way but with only seconds left to start the breeze returned back to normal. At the same time Ray Roberts made his move to nail the line in front of his competitors. After the start line melee Neil Pryde was first to the top mark only for Hi Fi's keel to snag the anchor line and sail away with the buoy. This laid the way open for Quantum Racing to capitalise and go on to win the last race and rap up the series. AY Race Reports Here... Goto RLIR09 Photo Gallery Here...

Sailing Survey proves valuable for Tourism Industry
A team of six PR staff from Infinity Communications attended the first three days of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta and conducted over 120 interviews with skippers and sailors. The primary aim is to acquaint all participants with the Top of the Gulf Regatta and secondary to gather general information on competitors trends at Asian events. The findings of this survey show that sailing events in Thailand generate a lot of revenue for Thailand's tourism industry. As a courtesy the results were initially shared with the PKCR and Ko Samui Regattas plus AY received a copy and have generated a page for all to see at: http://asianyachting.com/news/SurveyThailand.htm

Phuket King's Cup - Ray Roberts bags third Racing Class title
At the start of proceedings Paul Winkelmann's TP52 Island Fling sat on top of the table, two points in front of Ray Roberts DK 46 Quantum Racing and Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi-Fi that were tied on points with one race to go. Cautious starts were the order of the day and Neil Pryde's Hi-Fi had the jump on Paul Winkelmann's Island Fling around the top mark. Frank Pong's Jelik extended at the front of the fleet. Island Fling overtook Hi-Fi on the downwind and the now all to familiar order was reestablished. The elastic band effect between the boats and judging time and distance as the wind faded made it almost impossible to pick a winner. Jelik took line honours well out in front. When Island Fling and Hi-Fi crossed the line, the clock started ticking and the crews waited in anticipation for Mandrake and Quantum Racing to finish. As Quantum Racing crossed the line it was high fives all round and thumbs up to the media boat to indicate overall victory is in sight. Access AY Race Reports Here... or goto the KC Photo Gallery

WMRT - Monsoon Cup 08 - Elated Gilmour King of Monsoon Cup
King of the 2008 Monsoon Cup for the second time is Peter Gilmour and his Yanmar Racing team. Challenged on every part of the race course through four very tough races, Gilmour and his team of Yasuhiro Yaji, Rod Dawson, Thierry Douillard and Kazuhiko Sofuku, are deserved winners of the 2008 Monsoon Cup. It is a testament to the skills of this sailor that he was able to make the seamless move from Race Advisor to successful skipper. “I feel very elated. It has been a long few months for us to pull the event together and then the deck was pretty well stacked against me for doing well here. I have tremendous crew here, which kept me concentrating, kept me sailing. They are not too hard on me when I make basic mistakes like running into committee boats and just keep me rolling along. “Clearly we were very lucky to be in the final. We probably did not deserve to be on the race course, but here we are and we won the final. MC 08 Press Releases

Raja Muda Selangor Int. Regatta - Hi-Fi makes it four wins for Neil Pryde
Nature played into the hands of the organisers allowing them to hold three races in succession for the racing classes and complete the entire program for all classes. Final results hinged on today's performance and the fresh breeze saw the sailors out early fine tuning the crew drills before the high noon starting time. With the absence of Frank Pong, Philippine skipper Louie Perfectua went out to show that Jelik's Race 5 win from Penang to Langkawi was no fluke. Taking three resounding Line Honours victories, two Handicap wins and a third place today might be a case of when the boss is away the mice are at play. Despite Jelik's fine performance lifting them to second overall they could not shake off Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi-Fi, whose three early wins, three second and one third place was enough to become the 2008 RMSIR Racing Class champion. Access AY Race Reports Here... or go to: Photo Gallery

Hi Fi wins VinaCapital Hong Kong to Vietnam Race
Early position reports, suggested that this was going to be one of the fastest Hong Kong to Vietnam races on record. However by day two it was apparent that the wind gods had declined to cooperate. Chasing a record of 42h 45m 41s, Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi Fi took Line Honours with an elapsed time of 56h 06m 37s. Hi Fi eased across the line under the cover of darkness, just 40 minutes ahead of Paul Winkelmann's TP52, Island Fling. There was a further four hour wait before Sam Chan's TP52 FfreeFire 52 came into sight, finishing just after the witching hour on Saturday morning. The corrected time positions followed the on-the-water order to give Neil pryde and Hi Fi the daily double. Goto RHKYC Race Reports

Total Lubmarine China Coast Regatta 2008 - It's Island Fling time
Blowing a hooley, Day 3 rounded off a fantastic (not to say exhausting) racing program in Hong Kong waters. The hardened sailors, relished the conditions and Paul Winkelmann's TP52 Island Fling added two more wins to their tally to go on and claim the Racing Class title. The Burns / Kinmonth owned Farr-Mills 51 Fortis Mandrake slotted into 2nd place and Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi Fi held on for 3rd place. Sam Chan's FfreeFire 52 had two of her best races of the series and ended up in 4th place. A fine three day's racing, which featured plenty of wind, plenty of fun and plenty of rum. What more could a yachtie want? Goto RHKYC Race Reports

Relive the Beijing Olympic Experience

Photo Gallery: Medal Presentations here
Olympic Photo Gallery Days 1 - 3 here...
Olympic Photo Gallery Days 4 - 9 here...