OMAN SAIL A100 - Majan rules the Indian Ocean
In the February and March AY News & Views we kept a close eye on Majan's progress down the hurricane strewn Indian Ocean to Capetown. Then across the storm lashed Southern Ocean where the crew survived several days of fast moving cold fronts when the windspeed peaked at 78 knots. Legendary UK skipper Paul Standbridge is happy to report that "Other than a few mechanical breakages that we fixed, there is no sign of any problems with the hull platform structure in those conditions". Amazingly it only takes a crew of six to drive this vessel mercilessly forward to reach their targets. Or shall I correct myself, highly trained racing team that are very experienced yachting campaigners. The new reference time of 8 days, 15 hours, 12 minutes for the 2700nm Leg 4 from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Piai must be some sort of record as back in my delivery days we would allow anything up to a month to get a boat to Perth from SE Asia this time of the year.

Here in Asia we can only dream of seeing one of these Giants when we go overseas, so when Ingmar Jense invited Capt Marty (Editor) down to Singapore for a Media Sail, he was off like a rocket and could not be seen for the dust. WOW! what a weapon - In five knots of breeze she effortlessly glides along at ten knots and with three rudders is extremely responsive on the helm. For lengthy sails we all need to go back to school for some speed sailing lessons on how to steer fast in continually forward true and apparent wind angles. Pity the wind did not pick up as the crew say Majan really comes alive in as little as 10 knots of breeze.

A quick Photo Gallery of the Singapore experience was posted on Facebook and Now! the more comprehensive AY Photo Gallery showing all the intricacies of Majan including steering system, centerboard, boat interior, rotating wing mast, mainsail traveler and sail handling mechanisms can be found at: http://asianyachting.com/photos/photo.htm?MajanSing2010 Make your own conclusions. Even Singapore's renown navigator Alex (Ferret) Voss and girl friend Rina managed to get in on the act and found the long conversation with Majan's navigator Marc Largesse very stimulating and rewarding.

For those that can go back to the early Phuket King's Cup in the nineties, will remember Paul Standbridge on the bow of Bill Gasson's Buzzard when they won the overall title for a record fourth time. His CV includes 13 Fastnet races, five Whitbread Round The World Races and bowman of the British America’s Cup campaign in 1987. More recently he worked with South Africa's Americas Cup success story, Shosholoza, and now joined the new offshore team at Oman Sail. Standbridge’s exemplary leadership skills and deliverance commands great respect, commitment and complete dedication from his crew which apparently can be delivered without raising his voice.

The crew has been mixed a little on each leg – but when they blast off at 2:00pm (Local Time) today, (Tuesday 27th) for the final leg back to Oman, Skipper Paul Standbridge will be joined by Ali Ambusaidi head instructor at the Oman Sail Academy, around the worlder Mohsin Al Busaidi, Mohammed Al Ghailani, Solo French specialist Sidney Gavignet and Marc Largesse – former Team Shosolasa bowman and all-round top navigator on board. Mark Covell will continue as media man and even though he is Olympic Star Silver medallist his role is purely media - just like the VOR when he was media man for the Russian Team.

The main aim other than setting the benchmark is to convince the stop-over ports and other regional sailing authorities to procure a new Arabian 100 (A100) trimaran like Majan (sistership to Thomas Coville's Sodebo), then grow the class into a full blown Racing Team ready to tackle the 15,000 nautical mile (27,780km) route and firmly plant the event on the 2012 ocean racing calendar.

This might seem to be a big ask in the current economic climate but countries or private individuals that want to fast track a serious big boat racing campaign and propel themselves onto the International sailing stage, like Oman Sail has done, should be looking hard and fast at taking a few pages from the Oman experience.

SE Asia is presently changing over from the NE monsoon season to the SW monsoon tradewinds. According to the Singapore Weather Portal (See Chart) from 7am today they can expect an uncharacteristic South East flow up to 10 knots in the Malacca Straits. Further north they are likely to experience light variable conditions with localized scattered thunder storms until they exit from North West Sumatra. We advised them to stay on the Malaysian side of the Straits between the north bound shipping channel and the inshore fishing nets plus plan to catch a glimpse of them when they pass Port Dickson late this Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning. They might be wishing that they have not left this leg to late in the season as SW headwinds and lumpy sea conditions could hamper their progress to the bottom of Sri Lanka.

Single handed Frenchman Sidney Gavignet is also hoping that Majan gets safely back to Oman in one piece as he is scheduled to race Majan solo from France on a trans Atlantic crossing to Guadeloupe in the 2010 Route du Rhum race, starting early November. He took the time to explain how to sail this beast single handed and is ever thankful to the skipper and crew who have allowed him to practice some of the all important reefing and sail handling techniques along the way.

Singapore in particular has close maritime ties with Oman and shortly after Majan departs, a second Oman ship will be arriving. The Jewel of Muscat is a recreation of a 9th century AD 60-ft trading vessel that was hand-built with 70,000 stitches and without one nail on a beach near Oman’s capital Muscat. Launched into the Oman Sea for the first time last November, the ship was named at a special ceremony in Muscat attended by an official delegation from the Republic of Singapore before setting sail on 16th February. The Jewel of Muscat has already stopped in India and will now stop in Sri Lanka and Malaysia before arriving in Singapore in July. As part of Oman’s program to re ignite its maritime eminence, the Sultanate will be giving the Jewel of Muscat to the People of Singapore as a gift to heighten the awareness of the old trading routes between the two countries. Follow the Jewel of Muscat journey at: http://www.jewelofmuscat.tv

Follow Majan's progress and boat blog News at http://www.majan-a100.com/news.cfm
More on Oman Sail at: http://www.omansail.com/
Oman Sail on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/OmanSail?v=wall

Check out the Facebook Photo Gallery at: http://www.facebook.com/OmanSail#!/album.php?aid=167471&id=768932761&ref=mf
Or the AY Photo Gallery at: http://asianyachting.com/photos/photo.htm?MajanSing2010
Also goto: AY Race Reports & monthly News & Views Here

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