10th Multihull Solutions Regatta 2017

AY Race Report & Summary

July 16th Ao Chalong, Phuket: The remaining yachts approached the start line with trepidation, as the SW’ly gusts were over 20 knots. Flying the hull or hulls became the order of the day and if you weren’t ‘driving like you stole it’, expect to be at the back of the fleet. The daring young men in their flying machines, marched away at the front and ended up winning the 4 classes. As the breeze increased to 25 knots before the second race, the Firefly’s and Pulse 600’s decided to call it a day, while three Stealth cats braved it out. While the others returned to the comfort of the Phuket Yacht Club and wisely choose to preserve their rides for Phuket Raceweek, starting next Thursday. Go to the action packed AY Photo Gallery.

Remarkably at 80 years young, Henry Kaye is still racing the Seacart 30 Thor at the peak of performance in these conditions. They clocked up another victory, to seal the Multi Racing class with four wins in a row and decided to return to base, while the others fought over the minor places. Right on their tail, but not close enough for handicap victory, the defending champion Alan Carwardine’s 11.8m Asia Catamarans Hurricane had to settle on 2nd place and hand the trophy over to Thor. Despite Mick Coleman Java Yachting insisting, a second race be held and won it with a torn headsail, Peter Wood’s Top Cat 2nd place is enough to keep them in 3rd overall, with Java Yachting displacing Andrew Hurford’s Phantom V for 4th spot. Unfortunately Henry couldn’t be at the prize presentation but said that he was “Thor but satisfied”.

Although John Newnham’s Twin Sharks didn’t have it all their own way for most of the race, they eventually wore down the leaders on the last downwind, to claim their fifth win and successfully defended the Firefly 859 Sports title. Despite leading most the race, Ian Coulson’s Voodoo buried the bows on two occasions and unsettled them to let arch rival Twin Sharks past, but second overall was always on the cards. The young Japanese crew on Natsuki Motoyoshi’s Mil Grace (Frog) stayed on the pace for 2nd place and secured third overall in the process. At the bar last night, John Newnham let his secret to success slip out ‘ Hit the start line with speed, fly the hull to gain an extra 5 degrees pointing angle and boat speed in clear air and sail away in front’. I’m sure there is more to it than that, but certainly worth noting in these conditions.

Despite yesterdays two race disappointment, Andrew DeBruin’s Multihull Solutions H30 returned with speed to take today’s victory but a little to late to completely recover. Second place for Paul Baker/John Priestly Pulse Yellow ended up tied on points with Multihull Solutions H30 but dropping a 3rd place versus 2nd, gives Pulse Yellow victory by one point, in the Pulse 600 class. What started with a flourish Neil Ayre’s Java Racing, ended with another withdrawal and 3rd overall in the three boat class.

Perhaps the happiest of all the boat crews, came in the Cruising Multi class. Enough wind to get the three displacement catamarans around the course in record time and almost flying a hull. Another circumnavigation of Ko Lon with Rick Fielding’s Fusion 40 MOJO taking the daily double by 3 minutes from Robert Hossack’s Rapter and Mike Spurle’s Proud Cat 20 seconds behind in third place. Although MOJO and Rapter tied on 6 points, it was broken in favour of MOJO by winning the last race.

Summary
Wind glorious wind! While most regattas have suffered from the lack of wind last season, this one has consistently turned it on, for all to enjoy. The only down side is the rate of carnage and bruised egos, it leaves behind. The growth rate has increased year on year and the results have become an important gauge on what to buy, build or charter. While its winter in the Southern hemisphere, it’s a perfect excuse to get away to foreign shores, for some fast tropical t-shirt and shorts racing.

Results can be found Here… and more details on the PYC website: http://phuketyachtclub.com/

Go to AY Photo Gallery
AY Race Report 2
AY Race Report 1
AY Pre-Regatta Report

Go to the 2016-17 AY Regatta Race Reports…