Sail boating News and Views Sept 03, yacht clubs, events calendar, ranking system, archived links

To celebrate AsianYachting being incorporated in Malaysia as AsianYachting Ventures Sdn. Bhd. and the only privately owned marine consultancy firm in Asia that can deliver a complete educational package (anything from training and certificating new sailors to managing major sailing or racing campaigns around the world) will honour, till the end of the year, FREE !!!! Learn to SAIL lessons to anyone that buys a yacht from the AY Yachts for Sale page. Check out the AYachtmasters syllabus at: http://asianyachting.com/AYmasters/aymenu.htm

DISTRIBUTION: to over 2900 recipients in 69 countries at last count.
The AY Website averages well over 110,000 hits per month. Thank you all.

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

As large parts of the Internet is suffering serious disruptions, I have tried to keep this issue short and sweet. Can you magine the media going back to a world without the internet and the ability to transmit images via satellite. CNN's blow by blow action at global hotspots would go back to daily reports on local TV and Newspapers would probably have to revert to the telex or fixed line fax. The people performing these irresponsible acts should know that by over loading the system with their senseless virus is seriously hampering the safety of ships at sea (we have seen the mess they can make) and those of us who rely heavily on transmitting and receiving data for honourable business purposes.

With mail servers increasingly focusing on Spam and legal permission in email marketing campaigns these days AsianYachting is in the process of performing a complete make over of the AY website and converting the old Outlook Express Circulation List over to a opt-in mail database with password on the homepage.

So whether you are a dearly valued customer, a prospect who expressed interest or a client that wants to keep in touch during some of the best yachting regattas in the Asian Region. Don't be surprised if you receive further email details in a mid month mailout and asked to follow some simple registration instructions to keep on receiving the popular monthly News and Views and Daily Race Reports.

Judging by the increased activity down on Admiral Marina's hardstand in Port Dickson we must be getting closer to the start of the regatta season. Last years champion Peter Ahern's Yo has been completely repainted and prepared for this year, Neil Pryde's Omega sponsored HiFidelity has a new carbon fibre mast and undergoing further modifications, Ray Roberts Farr 52 Hollywood Boulevard will be leading a pack of Aussie challenges after his former Luna Nouva is sold to interests in Sarawak that are preparing her for the inaugural Borneo Challenge in Labuan and Miri.

Rumour also has it that DK Yachts the builder of the popular Mumm 30, Farr 36, Farr 40 and 520s are planning to have their 1st new Mark Mills designed DK 46 (with full interior) in the water in time for the Asean Regatta in October. Serious Yachts for Serious Sailors can be found at http://www.dkyachts.com

Take a copy of the exciting 03/04 Asian Sailing Calendar which can be found at http://asianyachting.com/asiancalendar.htm and book your holidays if you are looking for any yachting action at your favourite SE Asian sailing destination this year.
Happy sailing where ever you are.
Capt Marty

As an unparalleled number of groundings occurred last month during Skandia Cowes Week we highlight some recent Asian incidents that have come to our notice of yachts that unfortunately had the misfortune of running aground during the RSYC regatta in Singapore. A 26 boat fleet contested this regatta in the waters off Selat Pauh, a small island about 8 nautical miles to the South West of Singapore. These are the closest sailing grounds to the RSYC clubhouse and marina that provide excellent racing conditions which blends the unique scenery of relatively untouched islands with Singapore's industrial skyline in the back ground.

However Gunnar Berg Leknes sailing a J24 was not the only one that was left high and dry at Pulau Bukom and could not finish the race. John Busch and his crew on Joan Marie also found themselves in contact with the bottom (when draft exceeds depth of water) and unable to get off for at least 2 hours. Fortunately the Sing Salvage Engineers, who spend most of there time creating more land around Singapore, managed to remove Joan Marie from the rocks. After this maneuver was completed the skipper of Joan Marie announced her retirement from the race over the VHF and thanked everyone for their concern and safety to win September's "Unluckiest Sailors of the month of Award.

1. Over the last couple of months local yacht clubs have been conducting their annual racing programs which a number of yachts have taken the opportunity to hone the crews skills before the International Regatta season gets underway in October. The Republic of Singapore Yacht Club is apparently the 6th oldest yacht club in the world and oldest in Asia by far, held the RSYC Regatta and Raffles Marina the 6th Western Circuit Regatta Ao Chalong Yacht Club in Phuket the Summer Regatta and the Royal Selangor Yacht Club in Port Klang held the Pangkor Race over the Merdeka long weekend (which is a re-run of the 1st challenging leg of the Raja Muda Int Regatta each year).

In the racing class Keith Moore's Pla Loma 3 sporting a new set of Quantum Sails - South Asia Structurally Reinforced Membranes (SRM)set them onto their winning ways in Singapore, Scott Duncanson's Phuket 8 Somtam Express snatched victory in Thailand and Stuart Harrison's Mumm 30 Panic won after a close battle in Malaysia. Visit their websites for full results, photos and race reports.

2. Omega confirmed as Title Sponsor for the Omega Asian Yachting Circuit
In a major step for sailing in Asia, Omega have confirmed their status as Title Sponsor of the Omega Asian Yachting Circuit or "Omega AYC". Proteus Sports have brought together the region's four finest keelboat regattas into one unified circuit which comprises of the Raja Muda Int. Regatta in Malaysia, Phuket Kings Cup, Singapore Straits Regatta and the China Sea Race from Hong Hong to the Philippines. During these events yachts competing in the elite Racing Division at each regatta will accumulate points. At the end of the 4 regattas a new Omega Asian Yachting Circuit Champion will be crowned.

Each regatta on the Omega AYC will be televised by Andrew Owen's Proteus Sports for an international audience with a half-hour show produced at each event. The TV series will first be broadcast on Star Sports in the Asia Pacific region then distributed by BBC Worldwide into over 120 countries and 200 million households around the world. More at www.asianyachtingcircuit.com

3. The RSYC Training Center in Pt Klang is conducting the final Competent Crew Course for the year on the 13th/14th of Sept and will be running a 3-day Day Skipper course on Sundays the 21st/28th Sept and the 5th Oct. In a all out effort to get more racing oriented on and off the water before the regatta season gets into full swing we have decided to include spinnaker handling and racing strategy into the AY Day Skipper syllabus, which already includes the usual Man overboard, sailing a circular course, coming alongside, navigation theory, position fixing with a healthy dose of the “Five” Essentials thrown in. This should make the RSYC - AY course attractive to present sailors and competent crews in Asia that are interested in going on and skippering their own yacht in the future.

4. The Borobudur Ship Expedition
After a magnificent ceremony marking the launch of 'Samudra-raksa' presided over by President Megawati they have departed from Jakarta and are well on their way across the Indian Ocean to retrace the trading and migratory routes taken by ancient mariners who sailed from the Indonesian Archipelago across to Africa during the first millennium.

The voyage is being made using the first modern day reconstruction of one of the world’s most unique vessels that combines a double outrigger structure with numerous rowing ports, a significant sail area and capacious central hull. The design info and scaling has been interpreted from relief’s in the Borobudur Temple which date back to the 8^th century. The ship's position will be sent daily via satellite telephone at 12:00GMT

5. Hong Kong to Vietnam Race to be reinstated in 2004
Negotiations are underway between the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and the Vietnamese government officials to reinstate the 700nm downhill Hong Kong to Vietnam Race to be held October 2004. Danang is the proposed finish and during the last race in 1996 Sam Chans Ffree Fire stormed home taking a little over 3 days to complete. The RHKYC has a vast experience in organising ocean races and some inshore races will be organised in Vietnam to promote sailing and cruising in the region. They expect this event will attract international entries from as far as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.

1. Due to announcements by Steve Fossett and Tracy Edwards that they are making individual attempts at breaking the Jules Verne - Round the World record in January 2004, Bruno Peyron The Race supremo has decided to review his Feb 29th 2004 departure dates and course for the next The Race. As Steve is expected to be at the helm of his 125ft (38.1m) giant-catamaran Cheyenne and Tracy Edwards on her 34m (100ft) maxi catamaran Maiden II during Feb who regard the recordable Jules Verne trophy for the fastest boat around the planet as the ultimate in sailing achievements. More news can be found on The Race site as it comes to hand with an announcement by Bruno probably in Sept

2. A 43-year-old French woman from Morbihan who crossed the Atlantic on a windsurfer has set off from Peru hoping to cross the Pacific Ocean alone and unassisted in the same manner. Her board is 7.8m long 1.3 m wide and 1.05 m deep. It carries batteries and solar panels and a desalinator to make fresh water from seawater. She also has an Iridium satellite phone, a VHF radio, and GPS. She has four carbon masts and three aluminium booms plus a 90 day supply of dehydrated and freeze dried foods.

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