Royal Langkawi International Regatta- It’s all about the scenery

by Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia on 16 Jan 2015 Windward-leeward courses in Hong Kong and windward-leeward courses in Phuket look pretty much the same. Which is why a number of people have remarked recently that more differentiation between regattas would be a good thing. Windward-leewards look pretty much the same in Langkawi too, so today the fleet was sent off on an Around the Island Race to soak up a bit of coastal scenery – which in Langkawi is truly spectacular.

For those who weren’t around 550 million years ago, here’s the short version. Langkawi, the Tarutaos and Phang Nga Bay are all remnants of a seabed limestone formation that was uplifted a Very Long Time Ago. In the case of Langkawi there’s also sandstone involved, but this is the short version - and a sailing column not a geology lecture. What’s left behind now are some amazing mountain ridges (Mount Machingcang – try the cable car ride) and Mount Gunung Raya (fabulous views down Bass Harbour, especially at sunset) and a generous sprinkling of islands. Some of them are comfortable-looking little things with inviting sandy beaches and pleasantly rounded contours draped in the lushest of lush vegetation, and others come as towering limestone cliffs artistically undercut by the sea, massive sentinels of the landscape that they inhabit.

The full course today was 28nm, starting outside and to the north east of Bass Harbour, and then a clockwise circumnavigation of Pulau Dayang and Pulau Tuba, the two southwestern islands of the archipelago, returning to a finish near RLYC via Bass Harbour. 12 knots from the northeast off the start line, a straight run down the coast to the corner at tiny Pulau Balar, and then Racing and IRC 1 continued round to Pulau Kentut Besar (Big Fart Island, in case you need to know). All other divisions turned right into the beautiful southwest channel entrance to the harbour with a building wind on the beam, and then all boats together beat up the harbour in a healthy 20 kts.

Fastest finisher and no surprise was Oi! after a mere 2.30.37 on the racecourse, but even that was some 15 mins outside the time set by Jelik (Frank Pong) last year at 2.14.53. Foxy Lady found the conditions to her liking, taking the win for IRC 1 by five minutes from Mick Tilden’s Fujin, and Mata Hari (Vincent Chan) made it six wins in a row in IRC 2.

At the other, slower, end of the fleet, the Sailing Instructions for this course allow the Club and Ocean Rover classes to start before 0830h and record their own start time instead of starting at the 0930h ‘proper’ start time. This recognises that that some of the boats concerned really take a little longer to get round the course, and may need the additional time. Today’s Tail End Charlie Award goes to Hennig Lenz’s My Toy, with an elapsed time of 4.46.17. But this afternoon controversy erupted among members of the fleet’s back markers when questions were raised about the fairness of the performance handicap system – with the result that the Ocean Rover class has been split into OR ‘A’ and OR ‘B’. Nobody wants to come last – but now two boats can. Hurrah.

Meanwhile, back in the harbour… the Platu fleet stayed ‘indoors’ in the harbour today, completing three more w/l races instead of joining in the coastal race. Kevin Yong’s RSYC Setia West, helmed by Commando Tom, scored three more bullets right in front of SMU with three second places. Yong says 'we have the crew chemistry just right, and that makes all the difference. In addition, our helmsman, Tom, sailed the boat all the way from Port Klang to Langkawi (a distance of over 200nm) for this event so he knows the boat pretty well!' Collin Lim, skipper of the SMU team presently in second place, recognised that 'there are only seconds between us at the front of the fleet, and we are really enjoying the close racing.'

That’s it for today. The Cruising egos have been massaged, and out on the water another good blow has provided first class racing conditions for the RLIR. Back on track tomorrow. See you on the water.

Short Results
(Full results at www.langkawiregatta.com)

Racing
1. Oi! 1,1,1,1,1,1 (6)
2. Utarid 3,2,2,2,2,2 (13)
3. Zuhrah 2,3,3,3,3,3 (17)
IRC 1
1. Foxy Lady VI 1,2,1,1,1,1 (7)
2. Island Fling 2,1,2,3,4,4 (16)
3. Fujin 3,4,3,2,6,2 (20)
IRC 2
1. Mata Hari 1,1,1,1,1,1 (6)
2. Endeavour of Whitby 3,2,3,2,2,4 (16)
3. Phoenix 2,3,2,3,3,3 (16)
Sportsboats (Platu)
1. RSYC Setia West 2,3,1,2,1,1,1 (11)
2. SMU 6,2,5,1,2,2,2 (20)
3. RQYS 3,1,2,5,5,4,5 (25)
Multihull
1. Andaman Cabriolet Nina 1,3,1,1 (6)
2. 2Fast4You 2,1,2,2 (7)
3. Gale Force 3,2,3,3 (11)
Club
1. Sophia 3,1,1,2,1 (8)
2. Rascal 1, DNF,2,1,2 (12)
3. Alakaluff 4,DNF,3,3,3 (19)
Ocean Rover
1. Eveline DNS,1,1,1,2 (13)
2. My Toy 1,5,2,2,3 (13)
3. Chantique 5,2,3,4,6 (20)