AsianYachting January 2005
News and Views

Our heartfelt condolences go out to everyone who has suffered as a result of the tsunamis coming ashore and thank all the people that have generously donated to supply urgently needed help for the survivors in these remote regions during their times of need.

Distribution: To over 2700 recipients in all 4 corners of the globe. From as far north as Iceland to sailors in the Southern Ocean, all across the mighty US of A in the west to China's spectacular Oriental clubs in the far east.

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CONTENTS

1. Editorial - Concerns about damaging Tsunami news coverage
2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month"
Roland Jourdain, Sebastien Josse, Grant Wharington and Stewart Thwaites
3. Austral - Asian News - Marine business is still up and running
4. International News - 60th Rolex Sydney Hobart Race round-up
5. "Luckiest sailor of the month" - Conrad Humphreys on the Vendée Globe
6. World Speed Records - Ellen sets a new hat trick of Solo Records...

Browse last years News & Views - Web Editions click on: Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Christmas 04 Special and the Asian Tsunami report...

1. EDITORIAL

The unprecedented nature of Tsunamis occurring on South Asian beaches has caused a massive emotional wave of out pouring to reverberate across the globe. First TV glimpses held in disbelief appeared of shocked survivors at popular west coast holiday destinations describing the initial trauma of clearing through the debris and getting over the grief of losing their loved ones. Then as news of the widespread carnage unfolded in worst hit areas of Sri Lanka, the Maldives, India, Andaman Is and Indonesia came in, a flood of International aid and UN humanitarian assistance is now rapidly flowing in to help pick up the pieces and hopefully rebuild their shattered lives. As these Indian Ocean nations are amongst the poorest and densely populated in the developing world, which at best only supports a basic infrastructure and in many cases are coastal fishing villages usually found under the swaying palm trees, the final death toll will never be known.

Although the off lying islands around Phuket, Langkawi, Penang and parts of the mainland have been affected, there is a growing concern in these popular tourist destinations that International news agencies are disproportionately reporting the extent of the damage in these more developed regions compared with elsewhere.

Eleven days after the tsunamis and the respective national emergency services have swung into action taking care of the injured plus proceeded rapidly with a clean up and enough time to arrange immediate relief funds for other countries most affected, all while the International news services are still focusing on the grisly aspects of the disaster despite a general desire to get on with life as quickly as possible. As a consequence, they could be destroying the survivors very livelihood as thousands upon thousands are expecting to earn their living from tourism over the coming months. Once the immediate impact is over and the reporters go home, many people may face unemployment with no income to sustain their families.

Over the years the SE Asian tourism industry has built up a well-deserved reputation of extending a warm welcome to visitors and being especially big on hospitality. As there is little chance of Tsunamis ever going unheeded again, it seems ironic that the best foreign aid in the present circumstances could yet come from seeing visitors returning with friendly greetings and smiling faces because they decided to continue on with their travel holiday plans.

Grenville Fordham at Image Asia Events reports that "The majority of hotels, beaches and tourist facilities in Phuket, Krabi and Koh Lanta remain untouched and are operating normally. Many tourists have decided to stay on. As each day passes more and more can be seen sunbathing, swimming, dining out, drinking and making the most of the rest of their holiday". Their website newsletter paints a clearer picture of the situation around Phuket at http://www.image-asia.com/post_tsunami_phuket_krabi.htm and despite negative travel warnings being issued overseas, they ask intending visitors to browse the recent images and maps plus check out the status of hotels and beaches for themselves before changing their holiday destinations.

Good News! For all concerned pleasure boating enthusiasts in the world, is that very few cruising yachts were damaged during the tsunami and no deaths known off amongst the yachties in the region (See Simon Ince's account below). After absorbing this bitter blow, it may surprise you that the marine business is still up and running here with the 11th Singapore Straits Regatta Jan 19 to 23 and the 7th QBE Phang Nga Bay Regatta Feb 10 - 13 going ahead as per usual (See Asian Section below).

The remaining parts of this News and Views edition is returning to the normal format of highlighting some of the magnificent yachting achievements that have been going on around us and other regional sailing pursuits over the next month.
Happy Sailing
Capt Marty Rijkuris

2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month"

On Friday 17th Dec, Roland Jourdain admitted defeat in the Vendée Globe round-the-world race after reporting "catastrophic" damage to his canting keel on Sill et Veolia. Jourdain, who was lying third and catching the leaders, was forced to accept he would have to retire about 900 miles south of Melbourne, Australia. "It's all over, there is no way I can continue". Under the effect of the hydraulic ram, a black carbon liquid is oozing out of the portside cracks. "I don't know where it's going to end" said a devastated Jourdain. First on the Frenchman's list, after consulting the Lombard design office in France, was to contact his fellow-competitor Jean le Cam, lying second at the time just over 130 miles ahead, to warn him to check the keel of the sister ship to ensure that it was not showing signs of the same problems. Other contenders for this coveted prize are Marc Thiercelin on Pro-Form, Alex Thomson Hugo Boss, Hervé Laurent UUDS and Norbert Sedlacek on Brother for various reasons have been forced to retire from this edition of the Vendée Globe.

OUCH!
The ice field lying 500 miles south-east of New Zealand and directly in the path of the solo Vendée Globe sailors showed just how dangerous it can be when Sebastien Josse hit a growler (small, virtually submerged masses of ice) during the night, which can be deadly to lightly-built racing yachts. Josse, who was in fourth place, stopped VMI by lowering the mainsail and inspected the damage. He did not appear to be at risk and resumed a normal course at speed, though VMI's bowsprit and bow rail were damaged. See Photo.

More trouble with those darn keels...
As the bow of the well traveled 98-foot Skandia crashed down off steep and straight-backed waves during this years Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, the hydraulic rams on the canting keel mechanism broke, leaving the lead bulb jammed hard over to starboard in 30 to 40 knot stormy conditions. Skipper Grant Wharington immediately called for sails to be taken down and life rafts to be deployed as the keel started to work itself loose and the threat of detaching itself from the boat becomes even more apparent. Wharington later described the rescue by the police vessel Van Diemen and the watchful eye of a television network helicopter as 'a textbook operation'. All 16 men escaped unharmed, but on his return to the stricken yacht in Bass Strait the distraught skipper found the damage to his uninsured $4 million super-maxi so extensive he described it as "trashed" and after salvaging her would have to build a new yacht with the bits and pieces from the present model.

Meanwhile, Konica Minolta also lands badly off "a ginormous wave", as Stewart Thwaites later described it. The mountings that hold the fixed keel to the hull have become badly loosened, and there is an alarming crease across the middle of the deck. After reinforcing the deck with any bit of spare wood, metal or carbon they get their hands on, Thwaites and his crew soon realise that to continue ploughing on towards Hobart would be foolish. The keel could fall off, or the whole boat could even snap in two and sink without trace.

3. Austral - Asian News

3.1 The 11th SSR 05 is still on..
The Singapore Straits Regatta is going ahead as usual from the 19th to 23rd January. Jason Lim has advised that SUTL the developer of Sentosa Marina have come onboard as principle sponsor for the next 3 years. Racing will start with a passage race from Changi Sailing Club to Nongsa Point Marina in Indonesia followed by two days of course racing on Tering Bay at Batam Island. Then its back across the busy Singapore Straits and hugging the East Coast shoreline to finish against the backdrop of the City skyline at Sentosa Marina. Yachties can look forward to a good welcome reception at Changi Sailing Club, followed by 2 nights of revelry in Batam and a grand closing ceremony at Sentosa Cove courtesy of SUTL Marina. More info, NOR and crewing positions can be found at http://www.straitsregatta.com or Email: ahoy@straitsregatta.com

3.2 "YES, I repeat emphatically YES".
Was John Everingham's reply from Phuket after being asked whether the 7th QBE Phang Nga Bay Regatta Feb 10 - 13 is going ahead. He added "There is real reason to go on with normal activities, and not get knocked down by this" is also a sign of just how resilient the people are living here. Full details and contacts are available from the 2004/05 AY Calendar

3.3 Surviving a Tsunami
BYM's world girdling correspondent Simon Ince was anchored off Phuket in his 18 metre Jongert Ocean Pirate, when the tidal wave hit. This is part of his account when a 6m tsunami swept ashore. As far as we know, very few cruising boats were lost or damaged and we have heard of no deaths among yachties. As the huge waves came in, the boats lifted and for our part Ocean Pirate lifted as though on an Atlantic wave.

As the water receded though it was confused and spun boats around, many dragged and there were lots of collisions in the shallows with smaller local craft and the odd Cat that had anchored close in. At this point local speed boats suffered badly as did small fishing craft. Simon has been instrumental in successfully contacting other visiting yachts for concerned people. His full account can be found at: http://www.bymnews.com/cgi-bin/datacgi/database.cgi/News/SingleArticle/ArticleID=7535/

3.4 Next stop Cochin in SW India.
The Blue Water Round the World Cruising Rally was in Thailand at the time of the Tsunami. Luckily all crew and yachts are safe. The next port of call was to be Sri Lanka, but has been changed to Cochin in SW India. Reports at www.yachtrallies.co.uk

3.5 Tracy's Oryx Quest 2005 is steaming ahead
All eyes on February 5 will be on Qatar were 4 of the world's giant maxi-catamaran crews will be fleet racing round the planet and chasing $1million prize money in the first ever HSBC-sponsored global yacht race Oryx Quest 2005 to start and finish in the Arabian Gulf.

Presently the four entries are: Qatar 2005 (formerly Club Med and Maiden II) skippered by Brian Thompson, the current Jules Verne trophy holder Geronimo skippered by Olivier de Kersauson, Daedalus (Peter Blakes former ENZA) skippered by Tony Bullimore; and Steve Fossett's Cheyenne (formerly PlayStation) skippered on this occasion by American David Scully.

The 21,000 mile race takes the fleet down the Indian Ocean into the Southern Ocean and around the five great capes of Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa before returning to the oil rich state of Qatar at the end of April, in what will undoubtedly be a new world record time for any circumnavigation. Check out the websites: www.qisel.com/ and http://www.teambullimore.com

3.6 Quantum's FusionM gets with the strength!
Asian sailors may be interested to know that one of the world's leading edge sailmaking factories is sitting in their backyard. Since it's formal introduction on May 10th 2004, Quantum's FusionM has taken the world by storm. For a product update, including setting-up and gybing asymmetrical spinnakers on boats with ‘conventional’ spinnaker poles, plus an all important article on "The fine art of Crewing" goto: http://asianyachting.com/news/QuantumSails.htm

3.7 After a hiatus of a year, the Borneo Cup Yachting Challenge is back! - April 18 to 24
Jointly organized by the State of Sarawak on Borneo and the Federal Territory Island of Labuan is another joining the growing number of Asian events to promote regional marine and sporting eco-bio tourism.

The program starts in Labuan and includes a offshore race from Labuan to Miri plus a number of day races in Miri. The developer of the Miri Marina have offered free berthing for the duration of the event. The Sarawak Sailing Association together with the Piasau Boat Club will be managing the event and races. More can be found at www.borneorace.com and interested entries can contact the secretariat at ngmiri@tm.net.my or vic-miri@sarawaktourism.com

3.8 In the Gulf and looking for sailing action?
Yachting interests in the Gulf of Thailand have announced the inaugural Top of The Gulf International Regatta for keelboats, beach cats and dinghy classes during the first week of May 2005. It is timed to coincide with the prestigious Royal sponsored Platu Fleet Coronation Cup at Ocean Marina, near Pattaya and a 200nm feeder race to Ko Samui is designed to complement the Ko Samui Regatta, to be held a few weeks later. “Ocean Marina offers the perfect harbour and great facilities for visiting yachts that are competing in both events” says Bill Gasson, chairman of the organizing committee, added that some boats are available for charter and “It’s hard to find a better location, good wind, a great sailing area just out the door of the marina". You can get more info from Bill at: gasson@ptty2.loxinfo.co.th

3.9 BEIJING 2008
Southampton, Great Britain: Representatives from the Organizing Committee of the 2008 Olympic Games visited the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Secretariat on the 10th November, taking the opportunity to give an update to new ISAF President Göran Petersson. As sailing is being held at a remote venue, the 29th Olympiad Organizing Committee Sailing Sub-committee has been formed, as a branch office of Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee. The Sailing Sub-committee will have 100 personnel in employment by 2008, and currently has 40 staff working.

The masterplan of the sailing venue was agreed with ISAF and will leave a legacy to the city of Qingdao as the "sailing city" of China through the regeneration of the waterfront area. Development of the venue is progressing well, with all infrastructure and facilities are currently under construction. The British Olympic Team have already carried out detailed weather studies of Qingdao and while guarded about the details the conclusion of team manager Stephen Park is that "8 knots could be a big day in Qingdao" - this says it all. Not only is there little chance of wind but Qingdao is fairly tidal and getting races in very light winds could prove to be problematic.

There will be two test events for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, in 2006 and 2007 at a similar date to the Games. The 2008 Olympic Games will take place in Beijing, China from 8 to 24 August 2008. ISAF will be making a site visit to Qingdao in January 2005, with the main objectives being to review venue development progress and the ongoing program to educate and train volunteers. More at: http://sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j1,Fhtp7?

3.10 AMERICA'S CUP HOPES in CHINA from 2006...
In a recent meeting with officials of the Chinese Olympic Committee in Beijing on Nov 22, 2004, Michel Bonnefous, CEO AC Management of the 32nd America's Cup Sailing, said that he hoped America's Cup could come to China in 2006 with the approach of the 2008 Olympic Games. According to Bonnefous the 32nd America's Cup could have one of its preliminary races in Qingdao of China, venue of the Beijing 2008 sailing competition.

It was not accidental that America's Cup was attracted to China with the approach of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, especially when Formula One racing, NBA pre-season games, China Open tennis and other top-class international sports events have achieved huge successes in this country.

However, as COC Secretary-General Gu Yaomin put it, "We are very interested in Mr Bonnefous's proposal, but the key to the question is that sailing is such an expensive and technique-demanding sport, is China ready for it yet?" From the Chinese Olympic Committee website: en.olympic.cn/coc/exchange/2004-11-26/404708.html

Recent AC Speculation has it, that the headlines as soon as the holidays are over will be, "Chinese buy GBR Challenge". More on this from: http://www.mariantic.co.uk/ac/six.htm

3.11 MAKTOUM SAILING TROPHY 05
Organised by Dubai International Marine Club, the Maktoum Sailing Trophy consists of a seven-round series of events stretching over the next few months that will bring together a mixture of purpose-built racing yachts and cruisers ranging in length from 29-foot to 55-foot, whose widely ranging performance capabilities will be balanced out by the IRC handicap system based on hull and sail size.

The series reaches its climax in April with the yachts returning from the Oryx Quest Around The World Race circling Nakheel's landmark development in Dubai. This will see a mixture of eight to 12-strong national and expatriate crews competing in a selection of newly acquired IRC boats, in particular the popular Beneteau 36.7.

Maktoum Sailing Trophy calendar:
21-22 January: Dubai-Sir Bunair-Dubai Race
2-4 February: Jebel Ali Sailing Club Series
3 - 7 March: Dubai-Muscat Race
31 March-1 April: Dubai Offshore Sailing Club series
7-8 April: Dubai-Sir Bunair-Abu Dhabi Race
21-22 April: Final - Around The World Race
More at: http://www.dimc-uae.com/sailing/

4. International News

4.1 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2004
Owner of Aera Nick Lykiardopulo's Ker 55 is the winner of the prestigious Tattersalls Cup and a Rolex timepiece with skipper Jez Fanstone's British team from the Royal Yacht Squadron also picking up the Division A trophy. They finished a remarkable 4th over the line only 10 hours behind Nicorette and in front of all the Volvo 60's competing.

The demise of the two full-size super maxis handed line honours and 2nd place on IRC to Nicorette the Simons/Voogd 90 owned by Sydney-based yachtsman Ludde Ingvall who also led the fleet out of Sydney Harbour. In provisional third place is Matt Allan's Farr 52, Ichi Ban, the current Australian IRC champion.

Aussie Stephen Ainsworth from the CYCA steered his Swan 48 Loki to a Division B victory. Owner/Skipper of Nips-n-Tux Howard de Torres looks good for Division C. Division D went to Philip Childs, Courtesan who went to enormous efforts to truck his Farr 38 all the way across the Nullarbor Plain from Hilarys Yacht Club in WA and Division E to the 30-Year veteran Love & War, on this occasion skippered by Simon Kurts, is one of the oldest yachts in the 116-boat fleet. The owner Peter Kurts is one of the racing stalwarts at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia who proudly conduct the race.

Sydney 38 Division: Chutzpah, Owner/Skipper Bruce Taylor, Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, VIC
PHS Division: Seriously TEN, Owner/Skipper John Woodruff & Eric Robinson, CYCA, NSW

Top 5 Line Honours standings
1. Nicorette finished at 05:10:44 hours, 29/1/04
2. AAPT - finished at 11:40:42 hours, 29/1/04
3. Brindabella - finished at 13:56:50 hours, 29/1/04
4. Aera - finished at 15:43:43, 29/1/04
5. Seriously Ten - finished at 16:16:38 hours, 29/1/04

4.2 Warning to all offshore racers.
At the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's awards night on the 21st Dec Matt Allen, the owner/skipper of the Malaysian built DK Farr 52 Ichi Ban, a major contender for Overall honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart was named CYCA Ocean Racer of the Year the most prestigious of the four categories awarded annually. Sydney based Allen won IRC Division A at last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart and quickly followed with an IRC Overall win at Sailing South Week and Geelong’s Skandia Week. The boat then went on to win the IRC Australian Offshore Championship and later in the year, collected the trophy for the IMS Division on the Brisbane to Gladstone Race. Serious Yachts for Serious Sailors can be found at http://www.dkyachts.com

4.3 Vendée Globe in less than 90 days?
The fifteen remaining Vendée Globe competitors are strewn between the two Capes of Leeuwin (Western Australia) and Horn (South America), over 5000 miles divide the leader Jean Le Cam on Bonduelle from the backrunner Karen Leibovici Benefic.

They have been jumping from one depression to another in a highly strategic game of meteorology playing out in the Southern Ocean.

The race's astonishingly fast pace continues with the 3 leaders having rounded the notoriously dangerous Cape Horn in record time and continuing on with an almighty battle expected across the Atlantic and a possibility that the winner could finish in fewer than 90 days. Keep up with all the action at: http://www.vendeeglobe.org

5. Luckiest Sailor of the month...
British sailor Conrad Humphreys has made yachting history by becoming the first man to change his boat's rudder at sea during the Vendée Globe single-handed, round-the-world yacht race. The drama started when the rudder on Humphreys' yacht Hellomoto hit an unidentified submerged object 300 miles off Cape Town. They were travelling at more than 20kts in a force-eight gale at the time and Humphreys was thrown violently against the cabin wall.

He then decided to make his way to SA avoiding a collision with a Japanese fishing boat on the way then securely moor his boat, dive into the water to knock out the damaged starboard rudder, a carbon fibre structure close to his own weight, and replace it with the spare, knowing that if he asked for any help he would be disqualified from the 26,000-mile race. Twice Hellomoto moved around on the mooring leaving Humphreys under the water and attached to a rope which was too short to let him surface. Tim Jeffery in The Telegraph, sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ Browse the amazing photos that Conrad somehow had time to take and transmit back thanks to modern ICT technology from the Southern Ocean.

6. World Speed Records

6.1 Ellen sets a new hat trick of Solo Records...
When Ellen MacArthur crossed into the Southern hemisphere she set a new solo benchmark from Ushant to the Equator. "A gust of wind kicked in just as we approached the 'line' so we sped into the southern hemisphere at over 14 knots ... nice". When the 75ft trimaran B&Q crossed the longitude of Africa's Cape of Good Hope on the 17th December they set a new solo fastest time of 19 days, 9 hrs and 46 mins, taking 10 hrs and 45 mins off Francis Joyon's time. The hat trick came when she passed Australia's Gape Leeuwin taking over 17 hours off Joyon's time.

There is no doubt Ellen is a sailing phenomenon and the real driving force behind the British public's enthusiasm for sailing. They can identify with what she does and that is great. After 36 days at sea and more than 15,000 miles, MacArthur's 75-foot trimaran B&Q has averaged 17.5 knots and now more than 64 hrs ahead of Francis Joyon's solo round the world record she is attempting to better. With around 10,526 miles left to go and continuing to average 17.5 knots could put her over the finish line in about 25 days. That would be a total solo round-the-world time of about 61 days, which beats Joyon's record by 11 days. Ellen has passed 7 of the 15 boats still racing in the Vendee Globe that started 21 days ahead of her. Follow her progress and see if all this speculation comes to fruition at: www.teamellen.com

6.2 Watch out! BRUNO'S back...
Those who get off on round the world record attempts will be thrilled to learn that Burno Peyron and his crew on the maxi-catamaran Orange II are standing by in Lorient, France, waiting for a weather window, so they can attack the Jules Verne Trophy that he has already held on two occasions.

In 2004 there was the race against the clock for three giant multihulls. Orange II was forced to turn back. Geronimo managed to grab the Trophy in 63 days and 14 hours. Meanwhile, the American, Steve Fossett's Cheyenne set the bar even higher. On the same route, but outside of the conditions of Jules Verne Trophy, he set a new time of 58 days and 9 hours. Follow the latest craze in sailing at: http://www.maxicatamaran-orange.com

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