Phuket yachts brave 25-knot gusts for weekend regatta

PHUKET: A brave few challenged the windy and wet conditions on Chalong Bay yesterday for Race 4 of the Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC) Series 2 2014 weekend regatta.

Catamarans Galeforce and Shiraz accompanied by monohull Sansiri started the course with a downwind run. Even though Kirril Stashevskiy’s Galeforce crossed the start line some 10 minutes after “Capt Ron” Ellis’s Shiraz, she still managed to claw her way back into the lead and take first overall on handicap and line honors.

Sailing on her own, Sansiri was simply put into survival mode by her skipper Patinyakorn “Ging” Buranrom to make sure the boat finished the course and collected the points.

Conditions were gusty with wind strengths up to 25 knots for the first part of the course, dropping off to 10-15 knots as the day progressed. Some of the sailors were lucky enough to stay reasonably dry with rain clouds circling the course area, but drifting off in other directions. The weather remained unstable during the full race throwing every angle of wind at the participants.

It was a relieved group that returned to the comfort of the ACYC clubhouse after three hours subjected to the blustery elements on the course. Sundays are ACYC’s Sunday Roast day – a few late lunches were ordered by the hungry crews on their return.

The start boat longtail skipper had a great day as well – on retrieving his anchor he pulled up about 30 meters of good-quality galvanized anchor chain.

BART’S HONOR

A reminder that the weekend of September 21-22 is the worldwide get-together of all sorts of marine craft to rally and race in honor of the Olympic sailing gold medalist Andrew ” Bart” Simpson, who died during training sessions for the America’s Cup. He was 36.

The ACYC is a registered club for this event, which has been organized by the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation.

There has been a change of venue to Koh Rang off the Boat Lagoon marina. All parties interested in joining the group are asked to advise ACYC. The restaurant on Koh Rang normally shuts in the afternoon, but has offered to stay open Saturday evening for the group if they are given notice of numbers arriving.

For more information, email June Carwardine: june.carwardine@acyc.asia or Mick Kealy: mick@octopusasia.com

— Bob Mott