AsianYachting Christmas Special

All 3 Directors of AsianYachting would like to take this wonderful opportunity to wish our very loyal and multi-cultured 2700 plus subscribers a "Merry Christmas" and have a safe and happy "New Year", "Hari Raya Hajji" journey or prosperous "Gong Xi Fa Cai" for 2005.

Your co-operation over the years, has helped us steadily climb up the Internet media rankings and gone on to become one of Asia's best yachting news providers on the web.

One thing we have noticed recently is that the local marine tourism industry, surges forward after each regional boat show is held, so we have decided to let you know in advance that Next Year we are launching some new marine oriented business opportunities in Asia (See below) as well as placing an equal importance on promoting the annual regatta's and boatshows during the year.

Also keeping in line with improving the rankings a inter-connected Photo Library with our miraculously saved album of boats, regatta's, skippers and sailing identities taken over the years plus a collection of photos circulated copy right free between photographers from all over the world will progressively appear online in the new year. For now! You can see Shu Fen's - King's Cup 04 pics at http://203.125.247.170/photos/kc2004

Late News...

One thing I did miss out on in the Phuket King's Cup Summary is how after the 4th AsianYachting Grand Prix event to be held this year, that Neil Pryde and a very swish looking crew on HI-FIDELITY with 8 points are shooting up the 2004/05 AY Skipper and Crew Rankings.

This leaves defending champion Peter Ahern and YO! trailing on 5 points with the Nick Burns pacesetter MANDRAKE further back on 3 points and only 5 more events to go. Take a peek at this seasons progressive point score or see how your favorite racing team is shaping up on the 2004/05 AY Rankings at: http://asianyachting.com/news/Rankings0405.htm

SIYC Committee relaxes IRC guidelines..
As their objective is better served by having a wider variety of boats competing on the Inaugural SIYC starting in Phuket on 8th Jan to include seagoing cruiser/racers, the Phuket to Singapore Yacht Race committee are reviewing the IRC entry guidelines in special circumstances, when a competing yacht does not have an IRC-SSSN value of 25 and above or a TCC of 1.050 or higher. We must also mention that along with the Sing$10,000 prize pool, for an added incentive, there will be freight services provided by Schemer (the official logistics provider) between Phuket and Sing plus complimentary berthing for participants at the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club (RSYC) in Singapore for up to a month until 15 Feb., so that you can come back and enjoy the winnings after the SSR. The SI have just been released, see http://siyc.rsyc.org.sg/race/si.htm

Bright Future News...

A special tribute must also go out to all the media we have met covering Asian events and congratulate them on garnering our fair share of International TV coverage and media exposure throughout the year. After a few years in the doldrums local boat building and foreign mega yacht projects (Like media shy Frank Pong on CNN Mainsail the other night, explaining how breaking sailing speed records is becoming the newest game in town) seem to be on the increase again as investors are feeling confident that the marine industry will continue to keep getting better by having great regattas in exotic places with lots of participation locally and from around the world.

Good news, Hey? The rumor mill has it, that a local TV station is launching a daily Sports Show in the new year, were they will quickly summarize the individual regatta results and overall AYGP rankings during the year. Although we are aiming to get a slice of the action and expand our multi-media services, sailors can rest assured that someone will be there capturing all the action.

Imagine this - For a little more than the price of a few rounds of drinks in a UK pub, you could be jetting your way over to one of Asia's tropical beaches and joining a crew or chartering a boat, then participating on one of our fabulous regatta's. It's easy! Just choose an event from the 2004/05 AY Calendar at: http://asianyachting.com/asiancalendar.htm then contact the race organisers for more details and your on the way. Hope to see you on Asian waters soon or meet up afterwards in the media office .

Looking at something Fast and Easy to Sail? Right!

East coast boat builders Kym Thomas and Peter Plant are still smarting over their first up King's Cup victory, racing their light weight and fast Samui-built twin-masted Radical Bay 8000 catamaran, Coco Blues, winning – albeit narrowly – the Multihull Class to proudly lift the trophy for the first time from their Phuket based counterparts.

One of the best-known sailing personalities - on and off the water - in the Gulf of Thailand is Bill Gasson who recently launched his new super-fast sports boat Buzz 8 onto the market from his Buzzcat (Thailand) facilities at Ocean Marina near Pattaya. Within days and not even time for a “shake-down” cruise, Bill had the Buzz 8 trailered to Phuket where Aussie Geoff Backshall and his racing team completed an incredible wrought by annihilating the highly-competitive Sports Boat Class line-up at the 18th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, winning six races out of the seven to record a perfect score. This win represented the fifth PCKR victory for Bill with a long line of “Buzzard” yachts. More at: http://asianyachting.com/AYmasters/Promotion/Runnels8.htm

Business Partnership Opportunities...

Over the coming 3 months our intention is to incorporate two new Buzz 8 yachts into the ever expanding Learn to Sail with Asian Yachtmasters training scheme we presently run in Malaysia. Want a slice of the action? We are now inviting local sponsors and foreign investors with an eye on taking the first step into Asian business circles to join us in launching the first ever mobile AY Sailing School in the South East Asian region. If you are interested in becoming a venture partner at your convenience a Word file prospectus can be e-mailed over from info@asianyachting.com for your perusal.

Keep on partying...
Keeping inline with the party atmosphere sweeping across the world any subscribers that find themselves lost in Asia, around the PT Dickson area in Malaysia, on the afternoon of Boxing Day (Sun 26th) are welcome to join some Asian Yachtmasters for a barbeque around the pool at PD Perdana (So bring your swimming costume) to celebrate the start of the 60th Hobart race and discuss other worldly events going on. If you can make it please email: info@asianyachting.com in advance.

Fastest sailing gloves in the East..

After selling a record 27 pairs in 2 hours from the AY full-finger glove range on registration day at the King's Cup our photographer went out to find which of the fastest boat crews were wearing them to protect their little pinkies.

Yacht Clubs or Marine supply company's wanting to bring out a line under their own label should go to the AY Glove web page to see the incredibly low prices presently being offered on bulk orders of 50 or more at: http://asianyachting.com/Mall/AYGloves.htm

Needing a internet sailing fix over the holiday season...

You can do no better than following young Ellen MacArthur's astounding sailing accomplishments at: http://www.teamellen.com

Or experience the racers exploits, trials and tribulations on the Vendee Globe http://www.vendeeglobe.org the everest of single handed racing, beamed out direct from the Southern Ocean - They have got webcams capturing all the action, race reports, journals and all sorts of other gear aboard, enough to keep the general public mesmerized with the extreme human endeavor going on out there, while they are there.

Aussies sailors bash their way to Hobart...
Another one to follow is the inaugural nine-race Rolex Teams Challenge at: www.regattanews.com that has been going on in Sydney, Australia were International state-of-the-art super maxis and grand prix racing yachts are clashing for the Rolex Trophy. Can Steven David's 60 footer Targe go on and win the end of the year 60th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which historically starts on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com that will count double points.

Centrebet
An online betting agency in Alice Springs, has issued its betting market for the ocean classic, setting the Kiwi super maxi Konica Minolta as favourite ahead of Skandia after she outsailed the Aussie boat in last Friday's Canon Big Boat Challenge. The latest odds can be viewed at: http://www.centrebet.com

Form Guide at Sail-World
Our good friends at Sail-World and a very popular sailing site down under in Australia have produced a page with the complete list of entries for the 60th Sydney-Hobart Race. Take a copy at: http://www.sail-world.com/rolexsydneytohobart/index.cfm?Nid=15727 as it can be used as a form guide if your browsing the odds at centrebet

Other events on over the holidays
Dec 27 - Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race - The West Coaster and Mariner Corporate Finance Melbourne - Launceston Race, from the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria http://www.orcv.org.au/

Dec 28 - Jan 6 -- Strathfield Pittwater & Coffs Harbour Offshore Series. The Pittwater to Coffs offshore race starts on January 2. http://www.rpayc.com.au

Fast and effective advertising?
Want to get a last minute promotion out quickly or market your products to a diverse marine oriented audience, around the world? NO Problems! You can join some of our regular advertisers DK Yachts, Quantum Sails, Boat Asia, MIBS, PIMEX and Asean Regatta just to mention a few, who have successfully negotiated and wisely selected AY marketing tools to get their message out. Anything from special mentions and links in the popular AY News and Views, and/or AY webpage to further display there wares plus a choice off rotating banners working 24hrs/7days on the AY homepage, Asian Yachtmasters Menu, 2003/04 Sailing Calendar and the Yachts for Sale pages from as little as US$50 a month. For obligation free quotes E-mail info@asianyachting.com or browse the full AY advertising rates and find other things for-sale at the AY Shopping Mall here...

Once again, if you found this AY Christmas Special issue interesting enough please forward it onto your sailing friends or better still get them to freely Subscribe to the fully automated Online AY Circulation List.

AsianYachting Ventures Sdn. Bhd. (Co. No. 627106-T)
A 308 PD Perdana Condo Resort, Jln Pantai, 71050, Pt Dickson, Malaysia
Tel: 6 06 6477701 Email: info@asianyachting.com
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Yachting at http://AsianYachting.com