AsianYachting July 2004
News and Views

Builders of the Buzz 8 near the famous Thai resort beaches of Pattaya expect to complete the hull and deck moulds for the latest Sportsboat to be built in Asia this week and have the first boat out by the end of July with a launching at their Ocean Marina base some time August. Take a sneak preview here...

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CONTENTS

1. Editorial - Reflecting back over 10 years in Asian waters...
2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month" - Transat 2004 competitors
3. Austral - Asian News - Asian Yachtmasters popular linked pages
4. International News - Olympic news and IACC fun and games
5. World Speed Records - Driving across the English Channel record?

Browse past News & Views - Web Editions click on: July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June

1. EDITORIAL

Reflecting back over 10 years in Asian waters...
Who ever dreamed at the beginning of the web, that someday, with the next click of the mouse you could be flying across the water at 30 knots or track boats sprinting around a race course from the comfort of the living room. It will come as no surprise then, to learn, that today, the Internet is enjoyed by sailors all over the world and where most of us get our sailing fix each day either by digitized film, photos, sound or emailed reports.

In the early days of racing yachts in SE Asia and relying on recruiting a few local crew it became plainly obvious that if sailing is to grow into a serious sport here, then a safe and educational pleasure craft training scheme needed to be quickly introduced. A joint pact was made between competing sailors at the time to produce the Learn to Sail with Asian Yachtmasters training syllabus. Based on costs, expected coverage and delivery speed it was also decided to utilize key ICT elements of the media and make it available free on the web to help sailors before, during and after courses to achieve their desired level of pleasure yachting skills.

Over the years some of these pages have proven so popular that even the San José State University considered one of the top research universities in the US has linked 2 pages (See Asian section) onto their website so their Sailing Teams can pick up on the rudimentary skills as well as mastering advanced sailing techniques at: http://www2.sjsu.edu/orgs/sailing/ Oh! What a web we have weaved.

When the first Race Report appeared in Nov 1998 we expanded our small window to the world in a attempt to help event organisers garner some of the all important media exposure that sponsors so badly desire and promote the Asian sailing scene. Whilst conducting a few successful racing campaigns in the region (Goto: Gotcha Lagi...) our focus has always been on forming local Racing Teams that can go on and win their own regatta's.

Since the first AY News and Views edition back in Sept 2000 we have seen a number of regatta's, races and rally's blossom from the usual 5 or 6 back then, to 16 or 18 annual International standard events held presently in exotic parts of Asia. Goto the 2004/05 AY Calendar... Grenville Fordham's Phuket based IMAGE Asia who launched the Andaman Sea Pilot and the first PIMEX boatshow last year have taken a very optimistic view to the regions sailing future by kicking off the 2004/05 racing season with the all new Phuket Race Week from the 10 - 17th July. Held during the often stormy SW monsoon season and going by the recent Quantum Naga Cup report, where the Phuket 8's experienced good 18 to 25 knot breezes we expect to see some close and exciting racing next week from the 5 star Evason Resort and Spa. Fresh from nearly winning the Koh Samui Regatta, Troy Yaw's Ulumulu tribe will be spearheading a Malaysian challenge in the racing class.

Despite putting up with a mountain of advertising spam and battling an ever increasing number of emailed viruses we have persisted with the Internet and late last year officially made AsianYachting into a respectable business entity. By taking the results from 9 local 5 star racing class events we have produced our very own annual AY Grand Prix Championships. A unique business plan and sponsor program is presently being developed which handled by the right people could arguably be made into one of the most powerful and exciting sport sponsorship properties in Asia today.

As life is considered too short to sail slow! Other business opportunities to be made available include boat ownership and 12 month advertising deals at the soon to be franchised AY Training Centers. With all these commercial works in progress, we are still delighted to personally advise anybody in the world looking at pursuing pleasure craft activities, especially in Asia and invite you to join us by reviewing our case and judging for yourself.
Happy sailing were ever you are.
Capt Marty

2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month" - Transat 2004 competitors

As we started to report last month only 70% of the fleet are expected to finish the 2800 mile single-handed transatlantic race from Plymouth (UK) to Boston {USA). News came in thick and fast of the carnage and destruction skippers experienced on some of the world's fastest hi-tech ocean racing machines. A big depression swept across the North Atlantic bringing 50+ knot head winds and ferocious seas which took their toll and began with Marc Guillemot's Gitana X retirement after breaking his rudder and a 360 degree 'roll' by a rogue wave that instantly dismasted the Open 60 leader Jean Pierre Dick on Virbac.

The ORMA fleet in the main escaped any serious damage but Lalou Roucayrol on board Banque Populaire reported a mainsail 'damaged beyond repair' and Steve Ravussin Banque Covefi, a 'shredded' jib. In the wake of the storm a major mishap befell Sodebo skipper Thomas Coville when a high speed collision with a unidentified object stopped the 60ft tri in its tracks - the force of the impact threw Coville forward knocking him unconscious. Another bizarre story from Swiss skipper Steve Ravussin Banque Covefi who collided with a giant manta ray that broke his main rudder.

A couple of days later in another big low about 500 miles from Newfoundland, Vincent Riou on PRB dismasted after lying in 3rd place. Shortly after, Swiss Around Alone race winning skipper Bernard Stamm reported that Cheminees Poujoulat-Armor Lux has lost her keel - Stamm was initially rescued from his upturned hull and has since returned to salvage the boat in a hope to be rebuilt and ready in 4 months time for the Vendee Globe. In total the monohulls had to tackle four low pressure systems - apparently not exceptional conditions for this time of year. More at: http://www.thetransat.com

3. Austral - Asian News

3.1 Most popular AY Learn to Sail pages
If you can master the simple Sailing Techniques & Maneuvers explained in the AY Competent Crew Course which covers the Basic Principles of Sailing Yachts, Sailing Downwind, Reaching - Sailing across the Wind, Sailing Upwind, Stopping, Tacking and Gybing which are explained at: http://asianyachting.com/AYmasters/l1tech&man.htm then you are well on the way to learning how to sail. If you go to page 2 at: http://asianyachting.com/AYmasters/l1tech&.htm you can learn the different methods of reefing sails on a yacht and how to sail a dinghy without a centreboard or a rudder.

Another popular page is the The FIVE ESSENTIALS in the AY Day Skipper syllabus that deals with a number of factors that directly contribute to the efficiency of a yachts progress and increasingly stressed at all levels of the AY Practical and Theory Syllabus. Every time the skipper changes course on a sailing yacht just run a mental check to see that you've got them all right at. http://asianyachting.com/AYmasters/l23.htm

3.2 Hello Vietnam
A Vietnamese Saigon Tourism company together with Singapore's Goodman Marine and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club have been given the green light to stage two legs of an International yacht race in Vietnam waters. The race will start from Hong Kong on Oct 26 and reach Nha Trang on October 29. Then on Nov 5th interested cruisers are invited to head on to Da Nang. Around 20-30 keelboats and multihulls mainly from Hong Kong along with 300 foreign crews and domestic guests from the Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and as far as Europe and USA are expected to join the race. We even received a press release early this month stating that the battle for Line Honours is shaping up nicely between Frank Pongs yet to be launched 115ft super maxi Maiden HK and the 98ft Aussie maxi Wild Thing. Entry forms at the official race website: www.hkvietnamrace.com

3.4 Asia boat rag has got stuff for you!
Whether your planning a short trip from Singapore to the Johore islands, or a long and leisurely exploratory cruise through the region, Asia Boat Rag has got some valuable info for you that has been compiled by friends and others who have taken the opportunity to visit these places.
Riau Islands http://www.asiaboatrag.net/riau/intro.html
East Coast Malaysia http://www.asiaboatrag.net/east%20coast/ECG%20intro.html
Krabi and outlying Islands http://www.asiaboatrag.net/andaman/krabi/krabi.html
West Coast Malaysia http://www.asiaboatrag.net/west%20coast/intro.html

3.5 New RACING RULES OF SAILING in Jan 2005
In advance of their worldwide implementation date on Jan 1, 2005, the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 and ISAF Equipment Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 are now published online. The six month leadtime gives ISAF Member National Authorities due time to prepare their own versions of the ISAF Racing Rules including any relevant national prescriptions. For a very good website explaining the rules with an animated casebook and all, can be found at: http://www.isafrules.com/aaa.swf

3.6 Offshore racers looking for a action packed summer
DK Yachts are warning all offshore racers to watch out when one of their Malaysian built Mum 30, Farr 40, 52, 520 or Mark Mills DK46 lines up on your starting grid. Ones to look out for are Aussie's Matt Allen’s Farr 52OD Ichi Ban while 2 worlds away Richard Perini's Foreign Affair is lining up for the Mum 30 worlds. Sailors in the UK will not be spared as Fidessa Fastwave a DK46, sailed by Chris Brown have been selected for the Irish Team at the Rolex Commodores' Cup. Serious Yachts for Serious Sailors can be found at http://www.dkyachts.com

3.7 Everything That Floats Regatta
The Royal Selangor Yacht Club's inaugural Everything That Floats Regatta in Port Klang has been changed to the weekend of 26th / 27th July. The aim is to get every operational sailing boat out on the water for fun and games followed by social activities at the club. The program is available by contacting the GM John Ferguson 03-3168 6964 or Email: info@rsyc.com.my

3.8 Borobudur Expedition ends as it began, in images
A unique exhibition by artist Danielle Eubank of the 'Borobudur Ship Expedition' will be held at Thompson's Gallery in Marylebone, London. It seems fitting that the adventure should end, as it began, in images created by a contemporary artist.

Over one hundred oil paintings and photographs inspired by the people and places encountered in her role as expedition artist, Danielle's paintings capture fleeting moments on the voyage. Viewers may feel a connection stretching back to the 8th Century craftsman who carved the original inspiration for the ship, an image which Eubank has reinterpreted in the linocut 'Borobudur Ship'. This exhibition is a rare chance to engage with an historic voyage, mediated through a single artistic vision. You can view the location of the Thompson's gallery by following this link to MultiMap...

3.9 Etchells World Championships start this month
Dennis Conner's and John Bertrand, the rival skippers of the 1983 America’s Cup Match-up, will clash again in the Etchells World Championship 2004 to be sailed off Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast from 1-8 August. Billed as the greatest sailing show ever staged in the history of the sport a number of very high profile performers will be assembling at the Mooloolaba Yacht Club later this month. Other highly talented skippers like former World title winners Iain Murray, Cameron Miles and John Savage all know how tough it is to win the coveted crown and this regatta will be no exception with the 2004 title winner most likely to be decided in the last 50 metres of the final race. More can be found at the Etchells homepage or from the MYC site...

3.10 Featured AY Grand Prix Yacht Brokerage
Hunter 40.5 This yacht has only had one owner who has kept her in good condition whilst competing in the cruising classes at local regatta's and chartered her out with sailing master to selected guests during the west coast sailing season. She has new Raytheon ST60 instruments and the sails (including spinnaker) are all in good working condition. For the Specifications, General description and boat owners comments Goto: http://asianyachting.com/boats/Hunter405.htm

3.11 Singapore girl gets sailing
Elaine Chua reports she is now in Palma getting the mini built and estimates the launch date in August. Presently getting good hands on experience to build the boat and hopes to bring her back to Singapore and race on the Asian Circuit later this year. Still canvassing for commercial sponsors on the spinnaker and hull for the 18 month Mini-Transat project. More at www.elainechua.com or you can email her at: elaine@elainechua.com if you have any queries or can help her with the campaign.

4. International News

4.1 Ruling the waves in Athens
The Sailing Instructions for the 2004 Olympic Sailing Competition are now available on the ISAF Athens 2004 Microsite. The Sailing Instructions as published are provisional, with the final version available on registration for the Olympic Sailing Competition. - http://www.sailing.org/olympics2004

4.2 FusionM gets with the strength!
The Quantum Sails Design Group have introduced a brand-new membrane sail called FusionM. A topographical map of fibres radiating in all directions reflect a more realistic picture off the changing loads as they are constantly transferred and distributed through the sail. This new design does not distort sail shape in highly loaded areas and has an exceptional weight for strength ratio that hi-tech racers are looking for. Assembled at a new facility in Malaysia that utilizes heat and pressure lamination in controlled conditions that characterize true aerospace techniques. Place your order at: http://www.quantumsails.com or obtain a obligation free quotation from Bruce Anson at: banson@quantumsails.com or Phone ++60-6-231-6145

4.3 Trails and tribulations of a Olympic sailor
British sailor Shirley Robertson 35, is headed to Athens for her fourth Olympic campaign. After 12 years of sailing single-handed (Europe dinghy) she is now at the helm of a three-woman Yngling class keelboat. Two years after leaving university Shirley competed in the l992 Barcelona Olympics, where she came ninth. At the Atlanta games four years later, she lost out on the bronze medal by just two points. She immediately mounted a new campaign and won gold at Sydney in 2000.

Shirley explained "Last year I was only sailing; I did no other work. We each get £1,000 ($1,816.24 USD) subsistence a month from the lottery, which also pays for flights and hotels in our training and racing program. Our main sponsor is Volvo who provide us with a powerful XC90 off-roader to transport the boat everywhere" - Natalie Graham, The Times, full story...

4.4 America's Cup under threat?
The oldest regularly contested trophy in the history of sport, the America's Cup, could come under threat from a new event being proposed by two of its best-known competitors. New Zealander Russell Coutts and American Paul Cayard are believed to be close to finalizing details for the creation of an international sailing event aimed at attracting the world's best sailors and a massive television audience. The proposal is for the establishment of a fleet of extreme high-performance yachts built to an identical design that will compete for a major prize. If plans continue on their current course, the announcement of the event could come within the next two weeks. Although both men have left no doubt that something is developing behind the scenes, they are keeping mum on details. News of their project comes at a time when Coutts, considered the best America's Cup helmsman of all time, is locked in a bitter mediation process with the management of the Swiss America's Cup team, whose yacht Alinghi he steered to victory over the New Zealand defender last year. Full story by Rob Mundle in The Weekend Australian at: http://tinyurl.com/2oq3o

4.5 Fun and games on the IACC boats
The second matchup at the UBS Trophy in Rhode Island featured an extraordinary chain of events. After the first windward mark which left both boats penalised, a crewman in the water and two shredded spinnakers. Remarkably, by the time it was over, the boats were in nearly the same position they were in when it started.

BMW Oracle skipper Chris Dickson describes what happened: "As the two boats approached the top mark with Alinghi overlapped just astern, Gavin Brady (BMW Oracle helmsman) slowed the game down " We actually luffed approaching the windward mark, holding Alinghi out from rounding the buoy and both boats remained nearly head to wind for several moments before Brady bore off, and rounded the mark ahead by a narrow margin.

"We had maybe a half length lead as we set our spinnaker" Dickson continued. "Our spin blew out as it set which sometimes happens and you hope it never happens to you but occasionally it does. With Alinghi's spinnaker set behind us, Gavin, effectively put his elbows out making it tougher for them to go around." As Alinghi tried to make the pass, Brady began to luff aggressively to windward ('putting his elbows out', as Dickson described) to protect his position. With no spinnaker to worry about, the BMW ORACLE boat could sail on a comfortably higher heading but that wasn't the case on Alinghi.

"Alinghi's spinnaker hit our boat, so that was a penalty for them but when Gavin turned the boat up, our foredeck crew Brad Webb had a new spinnaker hooked up and hoisted, as the bow swung violently up (to luff) one of those times. The bowman was on the boat one second and in the water the next. Not his fault but "Man Overboard" the rules say, 'penalty to us'," Dickson said. "Somewhere through the Alinghi spinnaker blow out. So now you've got two boats with spinnakers blown out, two boats with a penalty which cancel each other out and a different type of boat race. It was a scramble to see which boat could get a spinnaker up and drawing first." - UBS Trophy full story... See daily photos by Thierry Martinez on Scuttlebutt.

4. 6 AY looking for a reliable merchandising manufacturer?
As AsianYachting is intending to kick off the sailing season with a range of official AY merchandising and crew apparel we looking for reliable manufacturers that are willing to accept custom team orders from our website shopping mall. Along with full finger sailing gloves we expect to feature long and short sleeve polo's, tees, dry-tees, hats and caps with embroidered logos or patches plus a line of good wet weather clothing (jackets and pants) suitable for sailing in tropical conditions. These are to be made from water proof materials with quality fleece fabrics. We intend to channel all profits towards our sailing teams development.

4.7 Looking for a job in the marine industry?
Located in South Florida, Brooks Marine Group offers traditional search and recruiting operations for mid-management through to senior level positions. Along with their niche in search and recruiting, Brooks internet operation at: www.careerboat.com — is a leading on-line job board dedicated to advertising employment opportunities in the marine industry. Listed openings range from hourly trade personnel to senior managers. The site also offers relocation assistance, a salary calculator, job interviewing and resume formatting tips, and an on-line behavioral profiling instrument.

5. World Speed Records

5.1 Ellen is going places
It's been fun following Ellen MacArthur in her bid to set a new west-east solo transatlantic record on the new Aussie built 75-foot trimaran B&Q on its way home. Initially trailing Laurent Bourgnon's time by up to 391 miles or 22 hr 49 mins due to being forced to take a more southerly heading, then grinding back the huge deficit to eventually draw even with the Frenchman's record but as the wind dropped in the final miles to under 15 knots the weather had the final say. Just missing out by 75 minutes after 7 days of sprinting across the Atlantic sees Bourgnon's 10 year old record of 7d, 2 hrs, 34 mins, 42 secs set in June 1994 on board his 60-foot trimaran, Primagaz still standing. As a consolation prize Ellen has set a new record for the "Transatlantic West to East, single-handed female" shattering Florence Arthaud's previous record by more than 2 days. What's next? Ellen is considering whether to make a winter attempt on the round the world record held by Francis Joyon. For more info go to http://www.teamellen.com

5.2 Driving across the English Channel record?
British entrepreneur Richard Branson set a new world record on June 15 by driving across the English Channel in a James-Bond style amphibious sports car in under two hours. The car seats 3 people and travels at 100mph on land and 30mph on sea. He emerged from the car, elated but wet, in a dinner jacket and bow tie after a 22-mile journey between Dover and Calais. Branson wants to put a fleet of Aquadas into service for business customers. By traveling on the Thames, he said it could cut up to 45 minutes off the trip from the City of London to Heathrow airport. Due to increased production the Gibbs Aquada has been reduced in price from £150,000 to £75,000. More at: http://www.aquada.co.uk/

5.3 Bruno Peyron's Orange 2 on the move again
After two months spent in dock having work done to improve her technical capabilities, the ORANGE II maxi-catamaran, skippered by Bruno Peyron, set sail once again on the Round the Isle of Wight race. After just missing out by 9 minutes on the record in the Solent the sailing program includes an attempt on the Channel crossing record between Cowes and Saint-Malo before heading off towards New York to be ready to attempt the North Atlantic crossing record (New York - The Lizard), weather conditions permitting. "Orange II was designed and built to become the fastest yacht in the world over the next five years, and it is by sailing and developing the boat that we will achieve our goal, which still remains for me winning back the Jules Verne Trophy".

5.4 New Round Britain and Ireland record
The WSSR Council announces the ratification of a new "Round Britain and Ireland, all islands, non stop singlehanded" world record. With a average speed of 6.47kts between 28th May and 8th June, Belgian skipper Michel Kleinjans on the 40 ft monohull Roaring Forty set a new elapsed time of 11days 12hrs 26mins 48secs.

5.5 Is it a bird or a plane?
Allot of outlandish claims about designing radical wing-bourne hydrofoils to break the world sailing speed records have been going around lately. First Stephen Bourn, a maths scientist with Australia's Defense, Science and Technology Organization claims his design will "allow the sailing craft to travel at more than twice the speed of the wind in which it is sailing." He also claims "The craft will fly at a maximum speed exceeding 30 knots ..."

Then Alan Smith, a retired aeronautical engineer came forward with his new Kooee design - which can only be described as a 'extreme sport' sailing craft that has the potential to break the 50 knot barrier. It is a craft with a tricycle footprint of deep running foils that are operated by active joy stick controls which could be suitable for general purpose sailing on enclosed waters. To read more about the Aussie bush call Kooee at: http://home.kooee.com.au/zach/hydrofoil.htm

But Dennis Palmer so rightly pointed out in Scuttlebutt 1616 that this is not a new idea and would not necessarily lead to any major speed reductions as compared to the stock Hobie Trifoiler which is based on the present record holder that lifts out of the water in 12 knots of wind and exceeds 35 knots, going nearly triple the speed of the wind... Can be found at: http://www.hobiecat.com/sailing/history_trifoiler.html

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