Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta 2014 – Opening strokes

by Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia on 16 Nov 2014 Phew! What a scorcher! It was hot hot hot leaving Port Klang, and for Zanzibar it was sticky stick sticky too when they parked on the putty 20 minutes before their start time and had to be rescued by the Polis/camera boat. First, take the picture. Second, tow them off the sandbank with a promise of a case of beer on the chitty.

Port Klang to Pangkor, 70nm in a straight line.

9 kts of breeze from 270°, and all classes went away clean and clear – we missed the start for Class 6 on account of towing duties, but the 25th issue of the Raja Muda went off at pace. Admittedly, the entrance to Port Klang is not the most scenic spot along the route of the Raja Muda, but some good solid breeze sorts is always welcome, scenery or no scenery.

There was a cargo ship departing Port Klang that got a little bit exercised by the sight of 40 sailing boats in front of him, and requested Port Klang Control to remove them, but there was no doubt on board the Royal Malaysian Police support/camera boat that the sailing vessels were NOT in the way, and after a few plaintive radio calls the problem seemed to go away.

After that, it was a straight run to the finish line on the fast RIB, pausing only for a swift coldie on Mr Amir’s Diesel Duck (the finish boat) before heading in to Pasir Bogok and the welcoming arms of the Sea View Resort. SVR is not quite the Four Seasons, but the beer is cold and the prawn curry is hot, and the establishment is well-beloved of Raja Muda sailors. It has rustic charm, and is undeniably a great place to wind up after a 70nm coastal race.

First to finish and first in the bar were the HiFi crew – first to finish, and (as it soon turned out), first in division. Second boat across the line was Antipodes. 'It was a pretty straightforward race,' said Neil Pryde. 'Off the start line and then tack on to port for the run up the rhumb line, and we held that until the wind swung sharply across to the northeast and we tacked for the finish. But then the breeze dropped, and we were running severe angles just to keep the boat moving.' Antipodes reported strictly similar conditions. Enthusiastic race analysis, fuelled by cold refreshments, continued long into the night as the crews arrived one by one to add to the party and to the list of anecdotes.

The first finishers reached the line with only a short patch of light breeze to work through, and dry. Others were not so lucky. The big swing in the breeze accompanied a squall line with plenty of rain in it, but no breeze. EFG Bank Mandrake was on the wrong side of the line and spent four frustrating hours becalmed in torrential rain, watching Antipodes sail away. Mandrake finished four hours behind Antipodes. Island Fling got as far readying an anchor, and so did Beaux Esprits. 'We had it on deck, and then there was a little puff, and all of a sudden we were charging along at 0.1 kts and getting excited. We had more than 30kts across the deck on the front edge of the storm, and then nothing, and then another blow on the back edge,' said Dominic Liddell.

The 37m Escapade suffered a ‘soft shackle failure’ that dropped her enormous main on deck, and necessitated sending a man up the mast to bring down the halyard. Starlight had an encounter with some fishing nets and required assistance from the ever-vigilant RMP. Indulgence missed the finish line, came back through it from the wrong side and had to have the principle of unwinding the string explained. Fortissimo X retired early in the race and returned to Port Klang.

Arrival at Pangkor is a genuinely all-night affair. The party gets topped up as each boat arrives, and the bar and the restaurant stay open the whole while. When the sun comes up there are still a few die-hards celebrating, and there are still new arrivals coming up the beach to join in. Jerry Lau’s WYSIWYG was the last recorded finisher, crossing the line at 10.01.30 this morning, with the venerable Eveline retiring before even reaching the Div 6 gate half way up the course.

Short results:
Class 1
1. HiFi
2. 2. Island Fling
3. 3. Foxy Lady VI
Class 2
1. Antipodes
2. Australian Maid
3. Starlight
Class 3
1. Fujin
2. Beaux Esprits
3. Rikki Tikki Tavi
Class 4
1. Nijinsky
2. Piccolo
3. Skybird
Class 5
1. Sophia
2. Rascal
3. Lady Bubbly
Class 6
1. Kay Sira
2. Aeolus XC
3. Sade 2
Class 7
1. 3itch

Warning signal 1255h tomorrow, racing Pangkor to Penang (65nm, but longer depending on how much water you need to get around the end of the Kra Bank).

Full results at www.rmsir.com