J/41 SOUAY1 Loves Samui Regatta

Just 5 Days Sailing, 7 Nights Partying
(Samui, Thailand)- The brochure is apparently quite accurate.  5 days,  7 nights of bacchanalian fun and merriment.  "Come and enjoy the final regatta of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix in Koh Samui.  Go out on a spectator boat, party with the sailors, enjoy the super car rally, play golf, watch the swimwear fashion show and enjoy the gorgeous island of Koh Samui. Bring your friends, bring your family, but just don't miss this fantastic event!"  Yes, that's what the brochure says.  Believe it, a "must sail" event on anyone's "bucket list".

Starting at the end of May, for one week each year the normally tranquil waters around Koh Samui comes alive with top level yacht racing. Thirty yachts descended on the tropical resort island, deep in the South China Sea to contest the Sawadee.com Regatta and the season ending AYGP Championship. Better known as a high end tourist destination and neighboring Ko Pangan for its full moon parties, the regatta organizers are also engaged the local community by promoting a Supercar Rally, Fashion shows, Property Exhibition and transforming the event into a Luxury Lifestyle week. Sailors celebrated the 10th running of the regatta, a mixture of passage and buoy racing in conjunction with a variety of great parties held at some of the classiest resorts on the Island.

Sailing in the event were two well-known J's that sail and race in the region.  One is Jean Rheault's beautifully re-conditioned J/41 One-tonner SOUAY1 sailing IRC 2 and the other is Rick Poulson's snazzy J/130 JING-JING sailing IRC 1.  

On the first day of racing, the fleet was greeted with 10 knots from the South.  The fleet sailed briskly away on windward/leeward courses. Although as the overcast sky lifted the breeze started to fade as Race 1 was coming to a conclusion and the 12 o'clock WindGURU bewitching hour was fast approaching. As the wind became unstable and started to clock around there was a lengthy two hour wait before the race committee could get Race 2 underway. All skippers were keen to get going and the crowded starting line in Division 1 & 2 would determine the tactics on the upwind leg.

In IRC 1, Rick Poulson's J/130 JING JING helmed by Steve McConaghy missed out eclipsing their top competitor by twenty seconds, so had to settle for second.  For IRC 2/Cruising class, Jean Rheault's J/41 One Tonner SOUAY 1 traded second and third places to be tied on points for the top of the podium.

For the second day of racing, the heavy overcast sky prevented the morning breeze from pushing through, so PRO Ross Chisholm sent the mark boats in all directions in search of wind. Eventually a patch was found to the East of the Ko Samui and Ko Pangan passage and the 'Follow Me' instruction came crackling over the radio. Thirty minutes after the prescribed start time the starting sequence began with the Racing Class away in 7-8 knots of Westerly breeze.  Several boats were caught off guard and desperately tried under spinnaker to get to the start line. Shortly after starting the breeze faded and the skippers had to contend with a strong Northerly flowing current after rounding the top mark. Another announcement that all courses will be shortened at the bottom mark, bought some relief but the minefield still had to be delicately crossed. Tactical decisions to gybe down current towards the wind line or stay in the light stuff and stem the tide. Initially it looked good down tide but as time wore on, their hopes washed away in the current.

The start line bungle and shifty conditions turned the IRC 1 result sheet up side down with JING JING having a "slow day".  However, in the IRC 2/Cruising class Jean Rheault's J/41 One Tonner SOUAY 1 claimed the daily double in the light conditions.  After further canvassing the wind situation and setting up the course in a new wind line, just as the starting sequence was about to get underway the wind died out and changed direction, so that PRO Ross Chisholm had no alternative other than cancel racing for the day. Despite the committee's persistence the wind did not want to play the game.

Happy days greeted the fleet again for the third day of racing.  It was time to rejoice, the South Westerly tradewind returned and PRO Ross Chisholm was game enough to run two windward/leeward races followed by a passage race to the South of Ko Samui. This may have been a result of last nights torrential downpour that turned the roads in Chaweng into rivers. As the yachts reached the southern turning mark the gathering gray clouds may have put an end to the bright sunshine and fair sailing conditions but added 30 knot breezes and blinding rain into the equation.

In IRC 1, Poulson's JING JING was just off the pace again.  And, a repeat occurred in IRC 2,  Jean's SOUAY 1 traded first and second places to run away with the top podium places from the rest of the competitors in the overall stakes.

For the fourth day of racing, post a massive party lay-day situation (fashion show pictured at right), it was going to take some time for crews to rehabilitate and remember how to sail their boats all over again! Consolidating the results was on the mind of all the skippers today. Getting clear air off the start line and quickly up the first windward beat has produced consistent podium places for the top boats in each class. Being mid fleet at the top mark means playing catch up for the rest of the race. Racing got away on time in fresh 12-14 knot SW trade wind which held in for the first race but faded and clocked around to seaward before racing could be resumed. Once again, PRO Ross Chisholm patiently waited for the wind to settle before firing off two more races for the Racing and IRC 1 classes.

In the IRC 2/Cruising class Jean SOUAY 1 claimed line honours but not far enough in front to make a difference and settled on second place and second overall.

The final day came down to one passage race shootout, down South to the Mat Sum mark and back for the Racing and IRC 1 classes. The IRC 2 class set off in 10 knots of breeze on a slightly shorter passage race to finish off the event. Only seconds separated the leaders as they went tack for tack, picking the wind shifts on the long windward beat. As the breeze faded the boats began to struggle into the current. Luckily the breeze returned in time for all classes to round the mark and set off downwind. As there was no sign of the sea breeze, PRO Ross Chisholm called it a day at the Hin Ang Wang gate for all classes.  In the end, Jean Rheault's J/41 One Tonner SOUAY 1 won the last race but in the overall stakes took second!  And, Rick Poulson's J/130 JING JING took fourth overall in their class.  Needless to say, all the crews enjoyed the Fashion Show, the Super Car Show, the Awards and the extraordinary hospitality all around!  How many of you are going to join them next year?   For more Samui Regatta Sailing information    Samui Regatta Sailing Facebook Group    Sailing photo credits- Annie Sophie