Andaman Laser Challenge - Yassine Darkaoui takes off

by Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia on 30 May 2014 At 1220 yesterday (28 May) Yassine Darkaoui launched himself and his Laser from Ao Yon Sailing School, Phuket, and set off on his own personal Andaman Laser Challenge.

After several months of waiting – for a mast, for sails, for a support boat and for some help with insurance – Darkaoui finally took off alone, unsupported, in an attempt to break the Guinness Record for Longest Sea Journey in a Open Dinghy – all he has to do is sail more than 301 nm around a self-designed course of ‘loops’ in the Phuket area – around Phuket, Phi Phi and Racha, all to be recorded on a GPS. He set off without a support boat (not forthcoming) and without insurance (no offers).

Looking for a quiet and undramatic departure, Darkaoui set off with only a few people to wish him well – a few close friends, the owner of the Ao Yon Sailing School (Paul Firmin) and a journo keep ‘em all honest.

You can follow Yassine Darkaoui’s progress on the Andaman Laser Challenge FB page and on andamanlaserchallenge.blogspot.com

It is very likely that Guinness will not accept the Andaman Laser Challenge as a bona fide record attempt – Yassine describes it as ‘a kind of free style sailing, with no support boat – but he considers the trip to be more of a private challenge than a public feat. The recorded GPS track will be the proof of the distance, and local media and the French Consul are enrolled as witnesses.

At 2300h last night Darkaoui was suffering from lack of breeze, somewhere near Koh Racha, but by the morning of 29 May had completed a full lap of the Phuket - Phi Phi - Racha triangle, constituting one-fifth of the requisite distance.