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CONTENTS

1. Editorial
2. "Unluckiest sailor of the month" Award
3. Asian News
4. International News
5. World Speed Records

Browse past News & Views by clicking on: March April May June July  August September October November  December January February March

1. Editorial

While the destructive forces in West Asia continue to fill all the news sources and have a marked effect on global economies the rest of the world is forced to look on in awe and hold serious doubts of the future. It is like a breath of fresh air that we turn to sporting achievements and other human passions for our own well being and take our minds off the atrocities created by the war.

Scheduled International sporting events and Asian Yachting Regatta's have successfully gone ahead which shows that most of Asia is a very safe place to be, where multi cultured nations are genuinely forging ahead and living in harmony despite the destructive outside influences that once again must be suffered with all the horrible consequences that we unfortunately have no control over.

The inaugural Royal Langkawi International Regatta has been heralded as a great success and expected to go on to rival other regattas as one of the best in the region. For a complete round up, including Bruno Peron's The Race Tour 2006 promotional efforts including plans for a 'Malaysia Boleh' entry can be found on the RLIR Race Reports which typifies the go ahead spirit the nation aspires to at: http://asianyachting.com/news/RLIR03.him

Round-ups of the Boracay Race, Phang Nga Bay Regatta and Andaman Sea Rally plus previews of the Hong Kong - San Fernando Race and Presidents Cup in the Philippines have been included in the Asian Section (below).

Last but not least on the 2002 - 03 Asian Yachting Regatta season is the Ko Samui Regatta to be held from May 25th - 31st on Thailand's east coast. Organisers are gearing up for an exciting final showdown in the racing classes with some new design inclusions and racing teams expected to turn up to test their form. Press Release at http://asianyachting.com/news/KoSamui03.htm 
Wishing everybody, good sailing where ever you are!
Capt Marty Rijkuris 

"Unluckiest sailor of the month" Award

The 7880 nm Leg 4 of Around Alone from Tauranga NZ to Salvador (Brazil) round the notoriously rough Cape Horn has claimed two booms, two masts, damaged two keels caused a pitch-poling (end-over-end capsize) and forced Kiwi Graham Dalton on his Open 60 Hexagon to retire from the race entirely. The ports of Mar del Plata and Ushuaia in southern Argentina and Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands have been extremely busy receiving the yachts, effecting emergency repairs before sending the competitors on their way.

Winds of around 70 knots and 40 foot high waves have been recorded and Canadian skipper Derek Hatfield (before dismasting his Open 40 Spirit of Canada) joined a long line of mariners who have been fooled by Deigo Ramirez, a small rocky archipelago 30 miles west of Cape Horn that have scared the fillings out of many sailors who have come up on the group in the middle of the night and suddenly seen the lights on the wrong side of the boat.

Hatfield's pitch-poling story is pretty amazing: It was sometime mid-afternoon when the wave that had his name on it came up from behind. "I was so exhausted that I could hardly think, but when I heard the wave I knew that I was in trouble. It was not as big as some of the others, but was breaking and it made a huge roar as it approached the boat. In seconds we were falling down the face of it until the bow dug in and then we pitch-poled. The boat went straight up and then fell over sideways. I was at the back of the boat and got flung forward, and the next thing I knew I was in the water under the boat."

Derek continued his story. "I heard the water gurgling and knew that I was under the boat, then all of a sudden I heard loud explosions that reverberated through the water and I knew in a instant that the mast was breaking. It was unreal. Gurgling water and huge bangs. Suddenly without the mast the boat came back upright and I was dragged back on deck." Derek is amazed and gratified by the outpouring of support he has been receiving including Emma Richards sponsor Andrew Pindar offer to fund a spare mast is starting to feel a bit confident that he might just be able to get back into the race. Read further updates on this remarkable story at: www.aroundalone.com

Asian News

1. Sobstad International Team makes way for Quantum
The management team of Elvstrom-Sobstad International in Malaysia have moved en-masse over to Quantum Sails. Managing director Bruce Anson  has built a global reputation producing Genesis laminated sails for Sobstad will remain in Malacca and run both the existing sail-producing factory and the new Quantum SE Asian retail loft.

Bruce is excited by the latest developments which is a tremendous boost to existing customers on the Asian yachting scene. "The Quantum brand brings a new level of service and commitment to quality for the local sailing market. We will be able to tap into Quantum's huge global resources and talent plus be able to offer the Quantum network a highly technical product at reasonable cost". Phone 60-6-231-6145 Website: www.quantumsails.com

2. SAN FERNANDO RACE
Thursday 17^th April marks the start of the 2003 San Fernando Race. The 480nm race from Hong Kong to the Philippines welcomes the eight boats from Clipper 2002 who integrated this race into their bi-annual circumnavigation series. They will join a fleet of approximately 40 Hong Kong / Asia-Pacific based racers and cruisers which will compete under IRC or HKPN handicap in this RORC Offshore Special Regulation Category 1 event.

4. Twenty one competitors started on the 5,500 nautical miles (approx 10,200 km) non stop Melbourne/Osaka Double Hand Yacht Race on the 16th March from Portsea Pier. The race is conducted every four years by the City of Osaka and this is the fifth running for the Tasaki Osaka Cup.

Conditions were initially light until the fleet encountered strong north easterlies after passing the Bass Strait Oilfields. Several boats sheltered south of Gabo Island. Others continued east, crossing the southern flowing East Coast current, five yachts went into Eden to repair storm damage but all have continued racing. The fleet will travel backward through the seasons with autumn in Melbourne summer at the equator and spring in Osaka. Track the yachts by visiting the Official Race Website www.osakacup.com

5. Winds over 40 knots, surfing down east of Mindoro at 17 knots, swinging beach party, this was the inaugural Standard Insurance Manila to Boracay Race 2003, organized by Manila Yacht Club. Go to Race Report at http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayRace.htm

6. The QBE Phang Nga Bay Regatta is held annually over Chinese New Year among the stunning karsts of Phang Nga Bay and Krabi in Thailand which has a strong focus on fun and is one of the most popular sailing events in the region for cruising yachts and visitors to Phuket. Go to 2003 Race Report and Results.... http://asianyachting.com/news/PPKBay03.htm

7. The Inaugural Andaman Sea Rally considered a Roaring Success Go to complete Rally Report at http://asianyachting.com/news/AndamanSea03.htm

8. Cat sailing anybody?
Blue Wave Watersports Asia (based in Thailand) are the exclusive agent for Nacra Catamarans in the Asia Pacific region. More to the point, Nacra catamarans are going to be manufactured in Thailand (starting in June), and on April 19/20 the Royal Varuna Yacht Club will be hosting the first ever Asia Pacific Nacra Championships.

9. The Racing Yacht Club in Port Dickson have issued the Asean Regatta 2003 Notice of Race and are keen to build on the success of the past years by attracting high tech racers, sports yachts and racer/cruiser classes in the region to hone their skills over 3 days of competitive offshore racing from Admiral Marina. NOR at: http://asianyachting.com/Clubs/RacingYC.htm

10. AsianYachting Brokerage Special
1991 Lotus Catalina 55 (16.7m) Cruiser (3-cabin fully furnished, dining, lounge, kitchen, toilets) Engine: Inboard Twin Caterpillar 3208 Diesels (425hp x 2 / 633 kW) The engine hours are 1286 and 1288. Dimensions: 16.7m length x 4.8m width x 5m height (55’ x 16’ x 16’) Gross Tonnage: 56.5 Has been regularly serviced (every 3-6 months). Asking Sing$300,000 or best offer which represents allot of boat at a reasonable price and probably the best buy in the region.

International News

1. For those that wanted to buy America's Cup memorabilia and found them to be to expensive GOOD NEWS at LAST! 40% off Team New Zealand clothing and 40% off all competing teams accessories.

2. America's Cup 2003 is over and the Cup has gone to Europe. Despite Team New Zealand's disappointment of losing the Auld Mug it could well be heading into an exciting new era. Although Alinghi have released plans that will significantly alter how the event is run with notable differences in the format, nationality requirements, technology transfer restrictions, the Jury and the organising authority etc... After all the Hula and underwater appendage rulings and the persistence to race monohull yachts here at AsianYachting we would like to see the underbodies becoming unrestricted as per the original Deed of Gift which was raised by none other than Hamish Ross a member of Team Alinghi in the March 2002 News and Views

"Centre-board or sliding keel vessels shall always be allowed to compete in any race for this Cup, and no restriction or limitation whatever shall be placed upon the use of such centre-board or sliding keel, nor shall the centre-board or sliding keel be considered part of the vessel for any purposes of measurement."

As Ernesto Bertarelli and Larry Ellison share the same vision and values for modernizing the Cup go forward with planning the next event perhaps canting keels and rigs should also be considered and the millions spent on design and technology will advance monohull racing to the next level and directly benefit the world over.

World Speed Records

1. Tough and determined Frenchman Olivier de Kersauson and his 10-man crew on the Cap Gemini and Schneider Electric trimaran Geronimo where very disappointed after their bid to capture the Jules Verne Trophy came to an end after seeing their time wither away as they struggled in the South and North Atlantic when they were well within grasp of achieving their goal. After demonstrating the giant trimarans huge potential that set new records at every waypoint and lead Bruno Peyron's time by more than 2 days after rounding Cape Horn the weather systems let them down. Describing the situation as a 'meteorological catastrophe' at times they could only manage 180 miles in 24 hours, an average speed of just 7.5 knots to eventually become completely becalmed within sight of the finish line. For a rundown on The Race, Jules Verne and other world record attempts just click on: http://asianyachting.com/news/WorldRecords.htm

2. Light air in the China Seas has also plagued Great America II's attempt to break the Hong Kong - New York speed record set in 1849 by the schooner Sea Witch. Skipper Rich Wilson said "We are becalmed as Sea Witch sails away. The ultimate in frustration." The 53-foot trimaran has eventually passed through the Sunda Strait and entered the Indian Ocean at sunrise on March 29 which is considered a milestone on the voyage and hopefully bring new fortunes in the southern hemisphere on their 15,000-mile non-stop run from Hong Kong to New York. Go to www.sitesalive.com/ to follow the progress or browse a chart showing the relative positions of Great American II and Sea Witch.

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Once again, if you have found this issue of AsianYachting News & Views useful and interesting please forward it onto your sailing friends.
Kindest Regards
Capt Marty Rijkuris

AsianYachting HQ
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Batu 5 1/2 Jln Pantai
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Negri Sembilan
Malaysia

AsianYachting HQ Phone: +6-06-6477701
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