Early Bird registration can now be completed and Notice of Race found at the club’s new website www.phuketyachtclub.com.
The racing schedule changes a little in 2019 with registration and weigh-in starting on Friday, July 12 and racing conducted from Saturday 13 through to Monday 15. Crews will then have 48 hours or so to prepare for the Cape Panwa Phuket Race Week.
Phuket Yacht Club Commodore, Scott Duncanson said, “With many competitors travelling from abroad to compete we thought it would be beneficial to compact the racing to maximize sailing time whilst still leaving a day or so to recover or conduct boat repairs if needed. The early bird offer is particularly attractive this year with entry fee just B6,000 and crew B2,000 per person making the Multi Solutions Regatta one of the best value for money regattas in the region.”
Participant numbers have been increasing, 18 yachts competed in 2018 and it is hoped 2019 will be another successful year.
While the Multihull Solutions Regatta is a very competitive event for most sailors, Cruising Multihulls are of course welcome to participate in a much more relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. P.Y.C. Race Director Tom Cracknell explained, “Chalong Bay and surrounding islands really do offer some spectacular cruising opportunities and what better way to conduct a preliminary survey of the area than to sail the Cruising Class courses which are specifically designed, pending weather conditions, to view some of the most beautiful island scenery around. The Chalong Bay anchorage is extremely safe during the South Westerly monsoon with easy access to the Phuket Yacht Club and on-shore amenities via the floating dock.”
Andrew de Bruin, General Manager of Multihull Solutions Asia, said, “We are very proud and happy to return as the primary regatta sponsors in 2019. This will be the 6th consecutive year we have partnered with the Phuket Yacht Club in the promotion of multihull sailing, cruising and racing, in Thailand and beyond. We are really looking forward to July and the beautiful sailing conditions the South Westerly monsoon has to offer. The Southern Phuket islands are stunning and ideally suited for swimming, sailing, diving, and fishing. A multihull is, of course, the perfect platform for these activities.”
It’s difficult to pick winners at this early stage but going on current form John Newnham’s Twin Sharks would have to start as favourites again in the FireFly 850 One design class although Niel Ayre and Michael Coleman aboard Mamba might have something to say about that and will surely be challenging for a podium position.
Peter Taylor’s Ballerina has shown very good form recently finishing 2nd at the PYC Sailor’s Regatta earlier in the year but has been very tight-lipped so far in regards to his challenge in 2019. Hans Rahmann’s very consistent Voodoo are the class Mr Nice Guys but a light weather regatta could shake things up a bit.
The premier OMR class is wide open with last year’s winner, a trimaran named Fugazi being sold to world-class Etchells 22 sailor Mark Thornborrow from Hong Kong and well known local legend Henry Kaye. Renamed BONZA in memory of the late Hong Kong, Olympic and National sailing coach Colin Smith will surely be a serious contender for overall OMR honours.
Somewhat of a wild-card at the time of writing is Dan Fidock’s Bakewell-White 10 metre catamaran. New to Phuket, no doubt this quite extreme design will be exceptionally fast but performance under the Ocean Multihull Rule handicap is still completely unknown.
Find out more on the Multihull Solutions Phuket Regatta event page here.
