8m of Miri Magic launched

by Asian Yachting.com on 12 Oct 2006 Just over a year ago expat Kiwi and Thailand resident Bill Gasson told Marty Rijkuris (aka Capt Marty) that he would be interested in selling his Malcolm Runnalls-designed Buzz 8 (Runnalls 8) mini-offshore racer, plus all the moulds built by Buzzcat Thailand.

Coming not long after the 1997 financial collapse, this was a bit of a tough call as raising any sort of bank finance on a boat is still considered risky business in Asia. A bid was made for financial support, sponsors or partners, and an attempt made to convince various Malaysian coastal resorts and regional sailing authorities – those that indicated they would like to conduct keelboat courses - to commit to buying suitable training boats. It wasn’t easy.

But Troy Yaw and his Miri men in Sarawak were interested. This was a natural progression for a boating minded, regional marina owner, in an area devoid of any racing boats, to team up with experienced professionals and build some boats capable of competing in events such as the Borneo International Yachting Challenge (BIYC) and the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta (RMSIR).

The BIYC includes the 110 nm Labuan-Miri Race and calls for a keelboat with offshore racing capabilities. The RMSIR has three over night passage races, all requiring Cat 3 (modified), and the RORC have sanctioned the event for yachts with a STIX (Righting Moments) value higher than 22.

With its 650kg lifting keel, lead bulb and a RORC STIX value of 28.69, the Runnalls 8 is way above the legal requirements. Then it was just a matter of changing the spec to include a regulation pulpit, pushpit and stanchions, fitting a nav lights system, 12v solar battery power, communications equipment and complying with ISAF Safety Cat 3 to convert the boat from a day match racer to a mini offshore racer.

There were plenty of good omens on launch day for the newly designated Miri Magic. A heavy overnight downpour gave way to a spectacular clear blue sky, with sunshine replacing the smoke haze that has engulfed most of SE Asia for the last few weeks. And when the boat arrived at the Port Dickson World Marina it was low tide so there was plenty of time for those myriad ‘final preparations’.

In the end everything went smoothly, including the brand new Mercury 5hp outboard which started first time, allowing the boat to be piloted around to the nearby Admiral Marina for the mast stepping and champagne ceremony. The day went well, with fantastic weather, and the boat seemed to be ‘ready’ in every respect. The Miri Magic is everything designer Malcolm Runnalls has described her to be, and she certainly did not disappoint on her first outing.