AsianYachting April
2006
News and Views
Make
plans NOW! For the Top of
the Gulf Regatta...
May sees a total of 18 Platu 25's fronting up for the Platu Coronation
Cup which is part of over 200 sailing craft, ranging from Optimists contesting
the Thai National Championships to Multihull and Keelboats competing in
the second Top
of the Gulf Regatta (3rd to 7th May) The Platu fleet will
be the largest one design keelboat fleet ever assembled in Asia and although
charter bookings are filling fast, there is still a few left, so contact
info@topofthegulfregatta.com
to have a chance of winning.
Distribution: Emailed to over 2800 recipients on all points of the compass. Read by sailors as far north as Iceland to the extremes of the Southern Ocean, all across the Atlantic to the plush oriental Clubs in the far east.
The AsianYachting.com site is now a major yachting news provider in Asia which averages well over 3000 hits per day.
CONTENTS
1.
Editorial - 3rd
Borneo Regatta
postponed till latter in the year
2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month" -
Keelgate in the
Philippines
and on the VOR again
2.1
Luckiest sailors of the month"
Aussie
Dominique Courteille
and Indo farther and
son from Sumatra
3. Austral
- Asian News - Next up China
Sea Race -
President's
Cup
-
ISAF
Nations Cup - Yacht Taxes in China
4. International News - Basilica
takes the overall lead in Volvo Extreme 40 GP
5.
World Speed Records - Atlantic,
Pacific, NOW Indian Ocean on a Sailboard
Goto Archived AY News & Views and Race Reports 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 98-99
1.
EDITORIAL
Due to unforeseen circumstances ranging from an outbreak off hand, foot and mouth disease plus not to mention a low entry turnout the 3rd Borneo International Yachting Regatta has been postponed till latter in the year. Dates are yet to be finalised. This has caused some changes to the Runnalls 8 building plans (As per earlier Breaking AY News) which is now likely to take place in West Malaysia. All going smoothly over the next few months we might even be able to train up some local sportsboat enthusiasts and get some match racing going in time for the re-scheduled Borneo Regatta at Miri Marina in Sarawak.
April
also sees Asia's longest running blue water classic, the 23rd
China Sea Race from Hong Kong to the Philippines get underway
on 13th April. Twenty eight entries including Frank Pong's two 76 footers
are lining up for the biennial 565 nautical mile race organised by the
Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club that finishes over the easter weekend in Subic
Bay, north west of Manila. The 2006 race ties in with the President’s
Cup Regatta (18-22 April), organised by Manila Yacht Club
and Subic Bay Yacht Club, where the Philippine fleet will be joined by
the usual suspects from Hong Kong and a few visiting yachts from Russia
and Australia.
Most
Asians do not know what a Yachtmaster
Scheme is, let alone how it works! When AsianYachting.com
was first launched back around 1997 it was purely a Training Scheme which
took over a year to produce and still today takes up well over half of
our storage capacity. We find the best way of explaining training courses
is - Sailing the oceans is one of the "Last remaining individual
freedoms left in the world today". Although this privilege grants
us the true freedom to sail the seas, it is the moral responsibility of
the owner and skipper on every yacht that puts to sea to ensure that the
crew and passengers are not exposed to avoidable danger or risks and that
no unnecessary demands are made on the local rescue services. That's were
we come in! The Learn to SAIL
with Asian Yachtmasters
training scheme is home grown in Malaysia and what is termed in the developed
sailing world as a Voluntary Training Scheme - For people that would like
to learn sailing by attending organised courses before they go and buy
a boat or head off out into the wild blue yonder.
With TM Streamex finally
reaching the AY
HQ in Pt Dickson and as exciting news is coming in between
our popular monthly News and Views
we intend experimenting with the Breaking
AY
News
edition as it comes to hand. We also intend increasing our Event
Coverage to include significant happenings affecting sailing
in the Asian Region. First up is a yachtmaster examination for Ervin Celoso
the skipper of Andres Soriano's magnificent Swan 80 Maligaya
in the Philippines has chosen to join a growing band of qualified and
certified Asian
Yachtmasters operating in the region. Follow our progress
and the first of these reports can be found at: http://asianyachting.com/news/YachtmasterExamReports.htm
Happy sailing where ever you are
Capt Marty
2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month"
As everyone has probably read enough about the Clipper Keelgate affair in the Philippines and ongoing problems the Farr yachts have experienced during the Volvo Ocean Race (See Jan Feb and March N&V) we have decided this month to highlight some of the Luckiest Sailors last month in the Asian region where little or no rescue services can be relied on for help.
2.1 Luckiest sailors of the month"
Phuket-based
yachtswoman survives five days adrift in a dinghy.
A 57-year-old Australian yachtswoman was swept out to sea in her dinghy
after tidal currents and strong wind on Southern Thailand’s Koh
Lipe, in the Butang Island Group (Popular cruising boat stop-over) made
it impossible for her outboard-powered boat to make it back to her anchored
11m yacht Sonnet, after an evening ashore with friends. Dominique
Courteille, a mother of four, drank her own urine in a five-day
ordeal at sea in a dingy with no fresh water or food in intense heat before
being rescued by local fishermen, west of Langkawi in the Andaman Sea.
“I never lost faith,” Dominque told Phuket Post from her hospital
bed after arriving back in Phuket with the captain of the fishing boat
that had found her adrift. “I prayed to my god. I knew I would survive,
I knew I would be found.” Ms Courteille, her face scarred by almost
a week beneath the fierce Andaman sun, was admitted to Bangkok Hospital
Phuket for tests and to recover. Full story at Phuket
Post..
Another
great survival story came from Marian
Martin - BYM. Imagine Indonesian farther and son fisher folk
from the Sumatran island of Rondo hopelessly drifting for two weeks after
the outboard motor broke down and at the mercy of the Bay of Bengal /
Indian Ocean currents with dehydrating NE Monsoon winds lashing their
open 6 metre boat (Looks relatively new in fiberglass possibly post Tsunami
handout) that should not go out more than a couple miles offshore.
Then
out of the blue comes the majestic three masted Shenandoah in
all its elegance to save you. Wow! One of the luckiest days of the fisherman's
lives. I'm sure they will be forever grateful that the British registered
sailing megayacht was making its way across the sea at that time and came
to their rescue. (Further on in the Arabian Sea it is not recommended
to go and assist distressed looking fishing boats as they may turn into
pirates) I'm sure they could quickly adapt to the crayfish and caviar
dishes onboard which would make a delightful change from the usual fish
and rice they are used to. Maybe if they are short on delivery crew they
could get a job onboard as even at US20 per day, this would far exceed
the income they would earn from fishing in the region. All jokes aside,
it will be interesting to find out, how they got back to Indonesia from
Sri Lanka?
3. Austral - Asian News
3.1
Sailing does not come any better...
A perfect day, clear skies, 15-knot southerly and slight chop saw 90 craft
of all sizes battling it out offshore from Pattaya's popular beachside
resorts in the Gulf of Thailand for the 12th Pattaya Mail Peter Cummins
- PC Classic. Combining celebrations with the 60th anniversary of HM the
King of Thailand accession to the throne a huge group of spectators crammed
the Royal Varuna Yacht Club's seafront to watch the action and avail themselves
of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort generous catering. And what a day and
night it was. Finally, as the sun set on a beautiful day, the juniors
having showed their prowess out on the water worthy of any world champions
in the tough conditions, surged forward in excitement to be awarded their
trophies. And, so, for another year, all proceeds from the Regatta will
be disbursed to charities that better the lives of the most needy children
in this region. Full story and results at: http://pattayamail.com/pcclassic/2006/pc2006.html
3.2
ISAF NATIONS CUP 2006 - Fancy
your teams chances?
Just like the A1 Grand Prix of motoring the ISAF Nations
Cup is being re-launched on April 2nd - 7th and already the event is promising
to bring a feast of keelboat match racing around the world. Dubai
International Marine Club, UAE leads the charge by kicking
off the Asian Regional Final, the first of the ISAF Grade 2 events for
some Mediterranean, African, South & West Asian nations on the locally
produced Vi-30. Other regional qualifiers will quickly follow the Oceania
Region - Auckland, NZ (19-24 April) on Elliot 6's for Eastern
and SE Asian - Pacific nations, then two in Europe (J/80 & J/22),
one in North America (IC24), two more in Europe (J/80 & J/24) one
in South America (J/24) culminating with the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final
in Cork, Ireland (5-9 Sept) on J/24's. A number of World and Olympic Champions
plus some top ISAF Ranked sailors are already lining up under their national
flags. The winners from each qualifying event will join the defending
Men's and Women's Champions from South Africa and Australia respectively,
in the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final showdown at the Royal
Cork Yacht Club in Ireland (5-9 Sept) where they will fight
for the title of the world's top match racing nation. http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?PID=17926
3.3
Are the Clippers heading for more troubled waters?
The crews have beat up the west coast of the Philippines, across the Luzon
Straits, then out around Taiwan and now crossing the notoriously unstable
East China Sea to Qingdao, China. (Home of the 2008 Olympic sailing).
Morale aboard Jersey Clipper was apparently "pretty low" after
hearing that skipper Mark Taylor had earlier resigned from the job and
leaving the boat when they arrive in China.
The
48 day unscheduled stop-over at Subic Bay in the Philippines to rebuild
the hull/keel joints on all ten yachts would seem to be a bit rushed and
beginning to take its toll. At the time one of Marks biggest concerns
was being limited to only two hours testing before the 25th March 1500
start deadline approached and heading out this time of the year with a
dodgy electrical system including the Sat C, wind instruments and electronic
compass not yet operational. After leaving port Mark also feels that the
rigging is not tuned to his satisfaction. For an interesting read goto
the Jersey website at: http://www.jerseyclipper.com/default.aspx
or follow the entire Clipper fleet at: http://www.clipper-ventures.co.uk/2006/content/viewer/leader.php
3.4
Quantum Fusion
M just keeps getting better!
The
Quantum Sail Design Group have officially opened a new state of the art,
custom-built, 50,000
square foot factory in Malacca, Malaysia which is dedicated to
assembling its proprietary Fusion M sail membranes for more than 60 Quantum
sail lofts around the world. The Structural Membrane Facility (SMF) has
more than doubled Quantum’s capacity and has the potential to expand
further to meet future demands. So now, more than ever, you can count
on Fusion M delivering great boat-speed and reliability. Goto: http://asianyachting.com/news/QuantumSails.htm
3.5
Bumpy start for Dame Ellen and B&Q team
Rough seas with a headwind continuously over 40 knots
and gusting to 48, Ellen MacArthur decided to take shelter behind Yaku
Shima island midway between Yokohama, Japan and Dalian, Northern China.
Other problems included missing the floating debris and getting the rudder
caught up in the numerous fishing nets and dodging shipping traffic along
the way causing them to miss their target time at the Jeju Island gate,
South Korea on the first leg of her Asian Records Circuit. In finishing
they have also established The Manchu Record - the total elapsed time
from Yokohama, Japan to Dalian in a time of 7d 11h 8m 18s. After a short
3-day rest and promotion they are off on the short 265nm leg from Dalian
to Qingdao which should see some favourable reaching and running conditions
from now on. Click on http://www.asianrecordcircuit.com
for latest information - 10 record legs, 6 countries, establishing 12
new records.
3.6
Looking for a tropical retirement home in
SE Asia?
Raimon
Land is a Bangkok-based
property company that have an excellent track record of delivering quality
residential projects in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, who achieve high
yield holiday rentals through their professional asset management team.
They are also the main sponsors
at the Top
of the Gulf Regatta, Evason
Phuket
Race Week 2005 and Thailand's prestigious Phuket
King's
Cup Regatta and known
to host the more lively and entertaining parties at their sponsored events.
More at: www.raimonland.com
or goto AY
Real-Estate page...
3.7
Yacht Taxes in China
A swag of Australian marine companies will still be exhibiting at the
China International Boat Show (April 6 - 9) in Shanghai despite the Chinese
government imposing a 10 per cent luxury tax on yacht ownership starting
April 1, at a time when the industry is still in the embryonic stages
of development and needs nurturing. Against this socio-economic backdrop,
yachts got caught in the dragnet of tax reform when the sweeping changes
of broadening the country's consumption tax laws were aimed primarily
at the luxury goods market. Yachts, golf clubs and golf balls will face
a 10 per cent tax, while high capacity automobiles, luxury watches and
hard liquor (baiju) will be taxed at 20 per cent. On the other hand, taxes
on skin and hair care products will end (this tax was introduced in 1994
when such items were considered luxuries). IBI News/YP Loke http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20060223101323ibinews.html
3.8
Sunsail Asia expanding their horizons...
Sunsail Thailand have announced the availability of their matched fleet
of SunOdyssey 35 yachts for charter at this years Koh
Samui Regatta (21-27May). With the success of the 4 matched
yachts in last years regatta, they are delighted to offer an even larger
selection of yachts for this years regatta. Two Aussie teams are returning
to defend the Sunsail One Design title and as all yachts are supplied
with racing spinnakers & poles the Sunsail Trophy looks to be even
more competitive this year. Check out their Flotilla holidays and bareboat
charter fleets or latch onto one of the weekly RYA
Courses or their great value MileCatcher
Voyages by Calling +66 76 239057 Fax: +66 76 238940 Email:
sales@sunsailasia.com or visit
http://www.sunsailasia.com
3.9
Boat-Asia sets sail this month
From 20-23 April, Boat Asia 2006 will be firmly moored in Sentosa Cove,
Singapore with more boats on the water, more world class exhibitors and
more exciting attractions than ever before. Plus this year’s show
will feature more opportunities to join the boating lifestyle with the
widest selection of marinas offering both property sales and club membership.
As Asia’s leading leisure boat show for yachts, power boats, super
yachts and marine equipment & accessories, it’s full steam ahead
for capacity crowds at this year’s show. Boat Asia 2006 is so comprehensive,
they can even sell you a mooring and the BA team are really looking forward
to seeing you there. http://www.boat-asia.com/
3.10
Warning to all offshore racers.
DK Yachts are warning all offshore racers to watch out
for when one of their Mum 30, Farr 36, 40, 52, 520 or Mills DK46 lines
up on your starting grid. Although there has been a management take over,
it is business as usual in their new ultra modern 110,000 sg ft workshop
facility in Malacca. Two new DK 46's were exported recently and the resurgence
of interest in Mum 30's see's them producing more for the American market.
Then it's no wonder that the successful Mark Mills designed DK46
was acclaimed one of the outstanding production boats of the year. Serious
Yachts for Serious Sailors
can be found at http://www.dkyachts.com
3.11
Red and yellow CHINESE DRAGON
China Team has presented a new visual identity of a Chinese dragon emblazoned
across the red and yellow bow during the Louis Vuitton Acts this year.
Protocol for the 32nd America's Cup requires each team to build the boat
it will race in 2007 in the country of its challenge. "There are
no existing facilities in China to build an America's Cup boat,"
de Lesquen said. "We want to establish partnerships with Chinese
partners to build the first one." Meanwhile the Chinese Yachting
Assoc have identified 15 young candidates who can be tested and maybe
join the team later this year and next. "Our objective is to introduce
China to the America's Cup and to work to make China Team as strong as
possible for the future," said sailing manager Pierre Mas. ~ website
http://www.china-team.org
3.12
Featured AY Brokerage Listings...
The Cape
Cutter 19 (CC 19) is a pretty little sailing yacht with 1 cabin and 4
berths. It is ideal for coastal cruising, island hopping and draft with
centreplate up is 45 cm which is great for exploring rivers and estuaries.
Bandoola was built in 2002 and is lying in Malaysia. The boat is in good
condition and has been maintained on a regular basis.Her
easily driven hull provides good speeds with little effort, making her
a joy to sail.
View the complete inventory list and for a honest assessment of the yachts
condition at: http://asianyachting.com/boats/CapeCutter19.htm
Advice
on running a full
blown racing campaign during the AYGP
Season
can also be obtained from: info@asianyachting.com
4. International News
4.1
New Media Exclusive AC photos !...
Many thanks to Gilles Martin-Raget photography that
regularly sends us great yachting images, this time of BMW ORACLE racing
America's Cup yacht USA 87 on her first sea trials plus the spectacular
christening ceremony shots taken in Valencia. Sue Dickson, wife of BMW
ORACLE Racing CEO and skipper Chris Dickson, smashed a magnum bottle of
Moët & Chandon champagne across the bow of USA 87 to christen
the team's new racing yacht. USA 87 is the result of 1,000 hours of full-scale
two-boat testing and 30,000 man hours invested by our boat building team.
Over the coming days and weeks, the challenge will be to tap the yacht's
full potential There are many more new photographic reports to discover
on his website if you have not looked recently at: http://www.martin-raget.com
4.2
AY
Gloves for
all occasions..
Whether your sailing in the depths of the Southern Ocean or the hot balmy
tropics, we have got a pair of sailing gloves to suite you! Check out
the fashionable two and five finger cuts plus the tropical full finger
(good for mastmen to bounce halyards) or our signature cold climate protective
gloves which earlier this year became the fastest round the world. Just
ask Bruno Peyron! They can be purchased individually or in bulk (Min 60
pairs - your choice of colours and logo) which event sponsors are finding
good value and memorable promotion items, that won't break the budget.
Take a look in the AY
Shopping
Arcade or go directly to: http://asianyachting.com/Mall/AYGloves.htm
4.3
Basilica takes the overall lead in VE 40 GP
The five cats competing in the Volvo Extreme 40 Grand Prix Series got
off to a flying start in Rio. The series which has been created as a spectacular
addition to the in-port racing in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 is a
global event at the forefront of sailing. It features some of the most
exciting and adrenalin-filled yacht racing in the world, on specially
constructed catamarans capable of reaching up to 40 knots. Alister Richardson's
British team on Basilica, were unbeatable in the first three races but
eventually forced to share the spoils with Motorola-CHR as British Tornado
sailor Leigh McMillan managed to gain the upper hand. The ‘VX40’
Grand Prix has already raced in Sanxenxo, Spain in November, and the next
leg takes place in Rio de Janeiro from 21 – 26 March. Further legs
will then take place in Baltimore (28 April – 3 May), Portsmouth
(27 May – 3 June) and Rotterdam (9 – 14 June). More at http://www.volvoextreme40.org
4.4
Update on the Alpha Global Expedition
Good News! Looks like the Russians will accept a compromise of having
an ice pilot along in a escort vessel, so Adrian Flanagan's dream of becoming
the first to sail solo, non-stop on a longitudinal circumnavigation maybe
the next reality show to unfold in Asian waters. The expedition yacht
Barrabas is a Trireme 38 Mk IV. Designed by renowned French naval architect,
Francoise Charpentier and hand-built in France from 316 TI (Titanium)
grade, ice hardened, stainless steel was specially selected for its great
strength and safety needed to survive the bone crushing Bearing Strait
and freezing Russian Arctic ice regions.
So
far the 35,000 nm route has taken us south down the Atlantic Ocean, then
westwards around the notoriously rough Cape Horn, first go. After that
northward over the vast Pacific Ocean for a arranged supply drop off Honolulu.
Currently they are still on track for arrival in the Bearing Strait by
July and all things going well expect to complete the transit of the ice
by Sept. Alpha-Global Expedition's campaign base at the United Kingdom
Sailing Academy in Cowes on the Isle of Wight are especially looking forward
to the day they see Adrian on the final stage, heading south-westerly
across the North Sea and finishing back in The Channel. Go directly to
Adrian's website to follow this unique journey at: http://www.alphaglobalex.com/
5. World Speed Records
5.1
Atlantic, Pacific, NOW Indian Ocean on a Sailboard
French adventurer Skipper Raphaela LeGouvello will attempt the Indian
Ocean crossing on a sailboard, solo and non-assisted, departing from Exmouth,
Western Australia on 5 April 2006. The 45-year-old aquaculture veterinarian
is bound for Reunion Island, 3400 nautical miles to the west. 'Solo' means
that she will sleep in the hull of her specially-designed sailboard for
the 10-11 weeks she expects the odyssey to take. She will desalinate her
water, be self-sufficient in food, carry spare sails and ropes, carry
a waterproof laptop and may even transmit photographs of her progress.
Raphaëla discovered windsurfing with her family in 1976 and has been
an adept ever since. The call of the open sea was immediate for her and
the idea of crossing the Atlantic became more and more important. Raphaëla
is a woman with a passion; three extreme adventures In 2000 she took 58
days to complete the challenge the Mediterranean in 2002 and the Pacific
in 2003. -- Website (English version): http://www.raphaela-legouvello.com/index_an.php
5.2
Did you know that DC held the 24 hour monohull record in 1997?
Responding to an increasing demand, the World Sailing Speed Record Council
is developing their website to include more information about the progression
of these records. The first section to be updated is the "24 Hour
Distance Records" which can be browsed at: http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/major.html
-----------------------------------------------------
Come
on girls, lets go shopping!
As the South East Asian
region is expected to turn into a world-class yachting 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 Plus 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...
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