12 FEBRUARY 2003

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.

15 boats started the 203 nautical mile race at 2200 hours on Wednesday, 12 February 2003, from the line off Manila Yacht Club. With the wind from the East 5/7 knots and a flat sea, spinnakers were set for the 32 mile leg to the entrance to Manila Bay. Maligaya (Swan 80), Mandrake (IRM 50), Subic Centennial (Sydney 46), followed by Sandoway (BH 36), led the fleet.

The wind gradually increased, 10/12 knots, and the leaders passed San Nicolas Beacon, 14 miles on, between 2330 and 2345 hours. Then came Trio (Banner 41), Salina (Shock 35), Rapparee II (Yamaha 36), Viking Express (S&S 36) and Fast Exit (X 99) at midnight.

The wind freshened and veered ESE. Passing Drum near the entrance to the Bay. Yasdip (Halberg Rassy Mistral, 33ft) blew out a spinnaker while following August Pearl (Durbick 46) entered by the Philippine Navy.

Turning south after Limbones Island, the wind increased to 15 knots and backed East. On the reach to Cape Santiago spinnakers were changed to genoas before Fuego Point. Viking Express and Fast Exit passed Rapparee II, with Fast Exit pulling well ahead. The Judge (Peterson 33) passed Yasdip near Calatagan, with Freewheeler II (Cape Carib 33) behind while Kuruksan (Sun Odyssey 42) and Lhayas (Nauticat 43 ketch) were ahead further out to the west.

At Cape Santiago, 60 miles down the track, the course changed to 120 degrees, 40 miles to Calapan Point. The wind was East 20 knots increasing, with the tide flooding into the Verde Passage from the west and east entrances, resulting in confused seas of 2 to 3 metres high as the day went on.

Maligaya cleared Cape Santiago at 0315 hours Thursday, followed by Mandrake, Subic Centennial at 0431 hours, Sandoway at 0530 hours with Salina passing Trio inshore at 0545 hours. All boats shortly afterwards reduced headsails and put in one reef for the beat. Soon after passing Cape Santiago Salina tacked onto starboard into Balayan Bay.

At 0700 hours Fast Exit, Viking Express and Rapparee II, passed Cape Santiago. The yachts following behind cleared Cape Santiago between 0730 hours and 0830 hours.

By this time the 3 leading boats were beating past Puerto Galera in 25 knots winds. The winds continued to strengthen during the morning, with the rest of the fleet sailing in winds of 35 knots, with gusts over 40 knots. 2 boats reported gusts over 50 knots near the Mindoro coast west of Puerto Galera. Sails were further reduced to storm jibs and fully reefed mainsails on most boats. The fleet split with the majority going down the middle of the Passage on port tack with Trio and later The Judge and Yasdip going up to Maricaban Island to get a lee. Viking Express reduced sail to a storm jib and trysail and, with 12 crew, made the best line down the Passage.

Fast Exit reduced to a headsail only, while Viking Express said Rapparee II made 2 accidental wild tacks, tilting almost to 90 degrees, near the Mindoro coast. Kuruksan, having split tacks with The Judge earlier, continued on port to the Mindoro coast. However, with damage to its furling genoa and the mainsail Kuruksan retired to Caylabne. During the day August Pearl with torn sails, Fast Exit, Freewheeler II and Rapparee II retired into Puerto Galera.

Passing between Verde Island and Puerto Galera the winds eased to 20/25 knots and the boats put up more sail. Maligaya was well ahead of the fleet by Calapan Point at approximately 1000 hours, followed by Mandrake, then Subic Centennial at 1128 hours and Sandoway, having torn out the clew of the mainsail and consequently restricted to one reef for the second half of the race, at 1430 hours.

Further back, at Verde Island, Salina caught up with Viking Express and both boats closed up to Trio near Baco Island at about 1600 hours. Shortly afterwards Trio's mast broke at the first spreaders. As its fuel was contaminated by salt water from the heavy beat she was towed back to Puerto Galera by MY Examex, one of the support vessels.

After Calapan the leaders turned south to begin the 100 mile down wind leg to Boracay. However the wind became very light and variable on the section to Dumali Point, 25 miles away, and the boats were becalmed, drifting for up to 6 hours.

Viking Express passed Salina at about sunset and gradually closed up on the leaders with the new wind filling in from NE at 10/12 knots. They were followed by The Judge and Yasdip, which cleared Calapan at midnight Thursday. The wind faded again and Yasdip reached Dumali Point at 1600 hours Friday.

After the boats passed Dumali Point the NE wind freshened as they came abeam of Maestre de Campo Island. During the night winds of 25/30 knots were reported and spinnakers were replaced by genoas or, on the smaller boats, #3 jibs. It was an exhilarating down hill leg, with boats surfing at times, Subic Centennial doing more than 17 knots, Sandoway at times 14 to 15 knots and Maligaya averaging 12 knots. Viking Express did 7 knots under #3 jib alone, The Judge averaged 7 knots, while the next night Yasdip was coming off the waves at 8 knots under full main and #2 jib.

Line honours went to Maligaya, passing Tony Bradley's MY Heather Louise, the Committee Boat, at 2333 hours Thursday, Viking Express, overall IRC class winner for the Kellett Island Trophy (presented by RHKYC), finished at 0815 hours Friday. The Judge finished at 1559 hours Friday to win PY Division B and Yasdip finished at 0435 Saturday, while Lhayas persevered to finish at 1200 hours Saturday.

Standard Insurance and Judes Echauz hosted the Awards Party on Saturday night on the beach at Boracay, with food, drink and music for all the participants. The buffet started with unlimited oysters and bottomless wines and beers. What more can be said except thanks to Judes Echauz, the originator of a great, challenging race.

The final results were:

IRC Class

-         Overall Winner for the Kellett Island Trophy

Viking Express, owner/skipper Mineo Maruyama

PY Class

-         Overall Winner Maligaya (as Viking Express was IRC Class Winner)

Standard Insurance Line Honours Trophy

-         Maligaya

First Foreign Boat Award

-         Mandrake, Frank Pong/Rick Strompf

Award for Perseverance

-         Lhayas, Edgardo Limon

Navigator's Trophy

-         Tom Hofvenschiold on Subic Centennial

Finally, Overheard

-         in the Verde Passage 'the inside of the cabin was like a trench in the front line of a war'
-         at the Finish '5 xxxxxxx metres'
-         at the Awards 'I have problems with the English language'.

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