AsianYachting September
2005
News and Views
Raimon
Land PLC, is not
only one of the main sponsors of the Top
of the Gulf Regatta, Evason
Phuket
Race Week 2005 and Thailand's prestigious Phuket
King's
Cup Regatta but this Bangkok-based property
company has an excellent track record of delivering quality residential
projects in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket which achieve high yield holiday
rentals through their professional asset management team. They
are also known for hosting the more lively and entertaining parties at
their sponsored events. More at: www.raimonland.com
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CONTENTS
1.
Editorial - Asian
racing scene is coming of age
2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month" -
AC
Act 6 racers and Marc Lepesqueux - Maisons Pierre
3. Austral - Asian News -
Elaine
Chua and Feng
starting the Transat
6.50
4. International News - Hilary Lister - First Quadriplegic
to cross English Channel
5.
World Speed Records - Atlantic
Cup - new trophy
in the world of sailing.
Browse past News & Views - Web Editions click on: Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July Mid-July Aug and the Asian Post Tsunami reports...
1.
EDITORIAL
On behalf of the Asian sailing fraternity, we would like to extend our commiserations to the Southern Yacht Club and the City of New Orleans plus the other Gulf Yachting Associations in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama for the devastating losses suffered when Hurricane Kartrina came ashore. We wish them a speedy recovery and a return to normality as soon as possible. Having lived through Cyclone Tracy in Darwin (Dec 74) and last years Asian Tsunami serves as a reminder to everyone that the catastrophic forces of mother nature should not be taken lightly. The latest listings of damage to clubs along the Gulf Coast are posted on the Scuttlebutt website.
Meanwhile
the Asian
racing scene is coming of age with allot of interest from
overseas crews and racing teams looking for new and exciting venues to
race their yachts. New events include the Swedish
Match 'Monsoon Cup'
in Terengganu from Nov 29 to Dec 4, IMOCA
Open 60 Europe-China Race
departing late March 2006, arriving in China by the end of May, Ellen
MacArthur's Offshore Challenges
are planning some participation next year and the Volvo
Ocean Race expect to race in the Asian-Pacific region with
the surviving yachts after their Round the World Race is completed.
With
the successful launch of the Radical Bay
8000 and a increasing number of boat builders in Thailand
plus the full range of Farr yachts produced by DK
Yachts and Quantum
Sails manufacturing Fusion-M Sails in Malaysia, there are
plenty of reasons to own and race a yacht in Asia these days. Not to mention
the marina building program that the Thai and Malaysian Governments have
been encouraging and repair facilities emerging in Phuket to safely keep
and maintain a yacht in the region. AY
is only to willing to help any interested racers intending a visit and
firstly recommend that they take a look at the extensive annual Calendar
of Events with web links and contacts on offer, then select
an event or put together a suitable itinerary or program to run them through.
On the local scene
we have Elaine
Chua and Feng
(Chinese for Wind) starting the Transat
6.50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia (ex Mini Transat) on Sat 17th
Sep and posted reports on Sail
Indonesia 2005
- YO!
Team's Valencia TOUR
- the 8th
Western Circuit Sailing
Regatta and last chance to become a
International Jury in Asia this year plus improvements to regatta's coming
up in the Asian Section below for all to enjoy.
Cheers for now
Capt Marty Rijkuris
2.
"Unluckiest sailors of the month"
The strong gusty winds in Sweden during the Malmö-Skane Louis Vuitton Act 6 caused boat damage, Carbon splinters on deck, blown sails, crew injuries and crew overboard. Then Gavin Brady resigned from ORACLE BMW Racing and a bungled start saw Italy's +39 defeat a stunned Emirates Team New Zealand in one race. South Africa's under performing Team Shosholoza and China Team took their first win of the season. More at: http://www.americascup.com
On
the final leg of La Solitaire Affelou Le Figaro between
Cork (Ireland) and Port Bourgenay (French Vendée region) at around
06h30, Marc Lepesqueux - Maisons Pierre, was
leading the fleet at the 04h00 rankings, had a collision with a cargo
freight ship south west of the Scilly isles. Sailing with two reefs in
the main and a reefed Solent in strong 30 knot winds, rough sea and rain.
Marc was at the helm of Maisons Pierre and after leaning beneath
the boom he happened to see the cargo ship coming out of the dark. When
he realized the collision would be unavoidable he bore away and jumped
below deck to protect himself from the impact. By the time the catamaran
support boat Ecole Navale located Maisons Pierre, Marc had secured
the boat and cleared the deck of its rig, sails and broken mast. The skipper
was safe and sound despite suffering shock and had the 10m boat under
motor heading for the Port of Falmouth. More on this grueling event at:
http://www.lasolitaire.com
3. Austral - Asian News
3.1
Follow Elaine Chua on the Transat
6.50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia
Twenty eight years after the event was first set up, the 15th edition
of the Transat 6.50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia (ex Mini Transat) 72 boats
will be setting out on Sat 17th Sept at 17h17 off Fort Boyard, crossing
the Atlantic heading towards Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) via Puerto Calero
in Lanzarote (Canaries – Spain).
Forty
four single-handed Prototypes and 28 Series Class entrants (Elaine Class)
have qualified to tackle the 4250 nm (7871 kilometers) aboard the 6.50
m mini yachts. The course requires great tactical and technical skills,
as the journey takes the fleet around Cape Finisterre, down the Portuguese
coast, along the NW coast of Africa, before they go through the infamous
Doldrums with its ominous calms and violent squalls. Then via the Equator
where the trade winds in the Southern Hemisphere will be a welcome relief
pushing the 6.50 Minis along to the finish in Salvador de Bahia.
The
72 Minis will face the Atlantic crossing alone in this unique ocean racing
event, where the only help they are allowed comes from the GPS (global
positioning system), automatic pilot, electronic wind gauges and allot
of willpower.
There are no computer programs for route planning, no help and no weather charts sent to them, no computers on board nor satellite communications equipment. It’s almost a journey back in time! You can follow the skippers by map and all the information on the actuality of the race in French at: http://www.transat650.org or in English at: http://www.transat650.blogspot.com/
3.2
Sunsail Asia MileCatchers
for Sept/Oct
Sunsail
Asia are pleased to announce
that you can now gain RYA qualifications on their Koh Samui to Sebana
Cove and Sebana Cove to Langkawi MileCatcher
Voyages coming up in Sept/Oct. MileCatchers offers an
exciting way of gaining valuable offshore miles and sailing skills while
exploring a new tropical cruising ground. Also you can Learn
to Sail at Sunsail Asia - RYA Sailing School in Phuket.
Five-day courses for 24,500 Baht includes 5-days sailing around Phuket,
on-board accommodation with meals and RYA certified tuition. Courses run
weekly: Sunday to Friday and Wednesday to Monday. Call +66 76 239057 Fax:
+66 76 238940 Email: sales@sunsailasia.com
or visit http://www.sunsailasia.com
3.3
Last chance to become a International
Jury in Asia this year.
The Yacht Racing Association of Thailand will be holding an ISAF International
Judging Clinic from 18 - 20 September 2005 at the Samudhara Kila Aquatic
Sports Centre near Pattaya in Cholburi, 170 Km.east of Bangkok. YRAT will
also be hosting an ISAF International Judging Seminar from 23 - 25 September
at the same venue. Transport between the Bangkok International Airport
and the venue will be provided free of charge. For more info contact Admiral
Varong Songcharoen by Ph +66 2 4666687 Fax +66 2 4720852 or E-mail sail@yrat.or.th
ISAF Race Officials Microsite at: http://www.sailing.org/
3.4
India International Boat Show 30 Sept - 2nd Oct
Kerala Tourism, organizers of India's only boating & marine industry
exhibition, announced that the fourth India International Boat Show [IIBS]
would be held in Cochin, from 30th Sept - 2nd Oct 2005. This year's edition,
the third since it went global after the inaugural national event in 2002,
will see increased participation, with a majority of exhibitors from the
earlier editions already having expressed their intention to participate.
The organizers are making special arrangements to accommodate country
pavilions & regional industry groupings in the show this year. For
further information, contact the show management office Email: info@indiaboatshow.com
Tel: ++ 91 471 2313955 Fax: ++ 91 471 2312708 Website: http://www.indiaboatshow.com
3.5
KRA Invitational Challenge Cup
In a bid to generate more interaction and competition between the yacht
clubs on the Kra Peninsula, the Royal Selangor Yacht Club has invited
regional Yacht Clubs to enter a yacht in the KRA CHALLENGE CUP competition,
which will be run within the annual Raja Muda International Regatta. The
KRA CHALLENGE is perceived as an excellent way for competitive club sailors
to match their team skills against their friends and sailors plus foster
the development of yacht racing in the region. NOR
and
more at:
http://www.rmir.com
or contact
the RMIR Organising Committee rmir@rsyc.com.my
3.6
Featured AY Grand
Prix Yacht Brokerage
Racing
Class - Here is a chance to own a Farr
40 One Design and compete with the big boys in the racing
class on the popular and ever expanding Asian yachting scene. She comes
complete with Cat 1 safety equipment for the long distance races and at
US175k is priced to sell. Also been meticulously kept in one design configuration
and can race at International Farr 40 events. View the extensive inventory
and full details at: http://asianyachting.com/boats/Farr40OD.htm
Cruising
Class - A Swedish built Classic
S30 designed by K.M. Reimers and professionally built by
Fisksattra in 1973 for only
US23,500 and a Aussie built Adams-Radford
11.9m for a mere US65k.
If you have been contemplating owning a yacht you better be quick to put in a offer as they are expected to be snapped up within the next month or so. Check them out at: http://asianyachting.com/boats/yachtsforsale.htm
3.7
YO! Team's Valencia TOUR
By winning the 2005 BMW - Royal
Langkawi Int. Regatta earlier this year, Peter Ahern's entire
Yo!
Team were lucky enough to receive a fully sponsored trip
to Valencia to visit the BMW Oracle America's Cup base and an afternoon
of match racing on the teams training yachts.
Now back home and settling into reality, Lesley Chapman gives a detailed account of a truly wonderful trip and extraordinary experience at: http://asianyachting.com/news/YoValencia.htm
3.8
Sail Indonesia 2005 - On
the way!
Has now become the second largest yachting event in the Asian region ---
right behind the King's Cup in Thailand. Sixty nine (yes, 69) yachts joined
the rally in Darwin Australia, to sail together on a voyage of discovery. First
stop, Kupang W. Timor, the whole town turned out to greet and treat the
yachties to the first of four cultural experiences arranged by the Yayasan
Cinta Bahari Indonesia in cooperation with the Dinas Pariwisata (tourist
board). Full report with photos of this unique event at: http://asianyachting.com/news/SailIndonesia05.htm
3.9
Europe Class World Championship in China
Rizhao is a rising port city along the coast of China were early September
the China Yachting Association (CYA) is hosting the 2005 International
Europe Class World Championship. Marina Rizhao is located at the southern
end of Shandong Peninsula along the coast of the Yellow Sea, facing Korea
and Japan across the sea in the east. More at http://2005iecwc.rz.gov.cn/
or http://www.rzsport.gov.cn/
3.10
Dare 2 be Different
- Charter a winner!
The much
talked about tandem mast, bi-plane rig has mainly been used to power up
experimental out and out speed machines. But now the Radical
Bay 8000 - a production 8m catamaran built right here
in South East Asia is available for bare boat or skippered charter around
Koh Samui and the surrounding islands
So now YOU can find out what it is like to sail the Phuket Kings Cup 2004 and Koh Samui winner! Want to own one or see just how easy and safe this radical new design and simple rig handles by going to the Coco Sailing website: http://www.cocosailing.com
3.11
SEA Games 05
sailing website
Peter from the Taal
Lake Yacht Club in the Philippines reports that Arvin Simtoco
has launched a new sailing website to report on the sailing competition
during the South East Asian Games coming up in November.
Visit http://www.seagsailing2005.cjb.net
3.12
Quantum's FusionM
just keeps getting faster!
With the northern summer heating up Quantum's
FusionM sails are gaining
a big foothold in the professional and grand-prix sailing circuits in
Europe and the US. Quantum
Racing Team wins Copa del Rey TP 52 Class and becomes first boat to win
two events on the Breitling Medcup Circuit. Asian sailors have benefited
from having one of the world's leading edge sailmaking factories in their
own backyard. Bob Howisons Teko MDBS won the Sportsboat Class
at the RSYC Regatta and Western Circuit in Singapore. By
taking the knowledge gained from these events and applying it directly
to the sails they make, now, more than ever, you can count on Fusion M
providing you with great boat-speed and reliability. Goto: http://asianyachting.com/news/QuantumSails.htm
3.13
CHINA opens new Sailing Facility in Qingdao
Qingdao Yinhai Yachtsman Training Center, China's biggest one of a kind
supporting project for the 2008 Olympic sailing events, went into service
on Tuesday 30th August as its first-phase project sloping path was put
into use. The training center, which costs 300 million yuan (36.2 million
US dollars), is equipped with luxury facilities, including docks, berths,
sail training base, gas station at sea and lifesaving helicopters. It
is able to offer training to 1,000 to 1,600 people each year. About a
hundred sailors from France, Austria, and New Zealand preparing for the
2008 Olympic Games had arrived in Qingdao several days earlier begun making
intensive use of the training center. - People's Daily Online, complete
report: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200508/30/eng20050830_205377.html
The first one design Neil Pryde RS:X windsurfing event is also taking
place in Rizhao with CHN 1 Huang Yue leading the women and CHN 6 Wu Shifu
the men from a mixed cast of 35 International competitors. More on this
at: http://www.neilpryde-rsx.com
3.14
Teaching Sailing Worldwide
ISSA Conference in Singapore
The International Sailing Schools Association
(ISSA) will be holding a Teaching
Sailing Worldwide Conference in Singapore on Nov 5th at
the River
View Hotel, 382 Havelock Road. A day of networking and information
exchange amongst prominent local and international experts in sailing
education including Steve Colgate from the Offshore Sailing School. Members
can find the registration form in the Members Room at: http://www.sailingschools.org/
If you are not a member of the ISSA and wish to attend this conference,
please email the ISSA at: ahb@sailingschools.org
they will be happy to provide you with all the information about this
meeting.
3.15
Come on girls, lets go shopping!
As the South East Asian region is turning into a world-class marine tourism
destination, AY
is expanding the Shopping
Mall to include a Charter
Yacht page for the popular "Fly in, have fun, fly out"
sailors with Sabah's recent award winning Touchdown Charters
and a Real-Estate
page to promote the ever increasing residential
Condominium, Resorts
and Marina developments the region has on offer. Browse the full
AY
advertising
rates and find other things for-sale including the Fastest
Sailing Gloves on the Planet in the AY
Shopping Arcade here...
4. International News
4.1 FIRST QUADRIPLEGIC sailor crosses English Channel...
Hilary Lister (GBR) become the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the
English Channel on Tuesday 23 August and in so doing completed the longest
sail ever by a quadriplegic. Lister, from Kent, used controls powered
by her breath, known as the sip and puff technique, to navigate her 27
foot Soling called Malin from Dover, England to France, reaching Calais
after six hours and 13 minutes. The mechanism she uses is similar to one
on her wheelchair and has two straws connected to switches to control
the sails and steer the boat. After arriving in France the 33-year-old
said: 'I am just thrilled' as she took up sailing two years ago as a way
to boost her self-confidence. More on this incredible feat at: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?PID=15829
4.2
Warning to all offshore racers.
DK Yachts are warning all offshore racers to watch out
for when one of their Malaysian built Mum 30, Farr 36, 40, 52, 520 or
Mills DK46 lines up on your starting grid. As the summer unfolds a growing
group of DK46's are knocking on the doors of success and standing high
on the podium.
Ray Roberts brand new DK 46 Hollywood Boulevard finished up the best of the smaller boats after the maxis took the glory at Hamilton Island Race Week. This serves as a notice to others on the up and coming Asian season. Serious Yachts for Serious Sailors can be found at http://www.dkyachts.com
4.3
Lets hear it for the little guy!
Jean-Yves Chateau and his six crew on his Nicholson 33 Iromiguy
-- one of the smallest yachts in the fleet -- has won the Rolex Fastnet
Race on handicap. For a race traditionally dominated by big boats (For
a while it looked as though the 98-foot ICAP Maximus would win
the race on IRC handicap) Iromiguy's victory is a dream come
true, proof that occasionally the Corinthian weekend enthusiast can prevail
in a old boat. What is even more remarkable is that you have to go back
30 years, to 1975, for the last time that a yacht less than 40 feet long
won this offshore classic. And the boat that won it then was Golden
Delicious, a Nicholson 33, the very same design as Iromiguy.
This is Chateau's fourth Rolex Fastnet Race start and in the previous
race two years ago, he came second in his class. Full Results: http://www.rorc.org
5.
World Speed Records
5.1
There is a new trophy in the world of sailing.
It is the Atlantic Cup and
has been established for the Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Record. A group
of New York sailing enthusiasts discovered there was no trophy to symbolize
this magnificent achievement. So a trophy was sponsored by the New York
Harbor Sailing Foundation who wished to be part of this unique sailing
history. Moved by the great courage and experiences of Francis Joyon plus
the loss of his great boat Idec the new trophy was unveiled at
a press conference on August 1. More at: http://www.nyharborsailing.com/trophy/transatlantic.htm
Thomas Coville and
Ellen MacArthur
are both on standby in New York waiting for a suitable weather window
to tackle the trophy.
5.2
Olivier de Kersauson does it again...
The World Sailing Speed Council has ratified the Performance Certificate
of Olivier de Kersauson's passage from Sydney to Tahiti (Papeete) of 13
days, 08 hrs, 25 mins, 56 secs aboard the trimaran, Geronimo. The average
speed for the passage was 10.29 knots. More at: http://www.superyachting.com
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