SAILING: The weather forecast is predicted as looking good and anticipation is high as The Yacht Sales Co Regatta prepares to get underway this coming weekend (June 23-25).
Organised by the Phuket Yacht Club, the three-day event will see a number of multihulls competing, including past winners such as James Haste’s Bonza and Dan Fidock’s Fugazi as well as Roger Diggelmann’s Saffron and Glwyn Rowlands’ Twister 2, both Stealths built in Phuket by Asia Catamarans. Andrew McDermott’s trimaran Trident with a predominately female crew will also compete.
Two Fireflies, John Newnham’s Twin Sharks and George Eddings’ Blue Noze, will be competing against each other in the multihull class. Both were built in Phuket by designer Mark Pescott and boatbuilder Mark Horwood. They are always fun to watch scattering around Chalong Bay as is Dirk Wieblen’s interesting No Fear, a VLVP YG25 MOD, which is also entered in the regatta.
Two monohulls, James Bury’s Alright, a Sydney 40, and Neils Degenkolw’s Phoenix, an X ¾, have also officially entered the regatta.
The weather forecast is looking good, particularly on race days two and three with 12-17 knots expected in Chalong Bay. Principal Race Officer Simon James from Regattas Asia is hoping to get in three races a day.
The event, known as the Multihull Solutions Regatta for the past decade has changed its name and concept to the The Yacht Sales Co. Regatta. Previously, it was the only regatta in the region which strictly focused on multihulls. However, since the mother company Multihull Solutions started Yachts Sales Co, which brokers used monohulls, it is changing its image and rebranding itself to the Yacht Sales Co in this part of the world, and so it only made sense to rename the regatta.
In the past, this event has sometimes been seen as a feeder event for Phuket Raceweek, traditionally held a few days later, but since that regatta has been canceled The Yacht Sales Co Regatta is now the main event for the summer sailing season in the region.
“This being the 10th year of sponsoring the event is already a significant landmark in itself, which now also coincides with the re-branding of our Company and indeed this Regatta,” said Paul Stamp, General Manager of The Yacht Sales Co in Souteast Asia.
“We have expanded our portfolio of new boat brands, which we now represent and as such are very pleased to have a new Dufour 61 on show at The Yacht Sales Co Regatta this year too,” he added.
“Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to both Peter Dyer and Scott Duncanson of Phuket Yacht Club for their continued effort and support in making this event a success.”
The Phuket Yacht Club deserves to be commended for not missing a beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. The club held its three annual regattas (Sailor’s, Yacht Sales Co/ Multihull Solutions and Jai Dee) throughout the pandemic, adhering closing to health regulations and never canceling one event.
Supporting sponsors for this regatta include: Regattas Asia, SEA Yachting, Phuket Boat Lagoon, Octopus Electrical, East Marine Asia & Really Good Deli.
All the regatta entries are live on the website: www.phuketyachtclub.com
Results can be found at www.results.sailingscoreboard.com/index.php/results/index
