The 'Thai Platu' and its revival

by Thailand Marine Guide on 4 May 2009 The Platu is often referred to as the ´Thai Platu´, recognising that the design was commissioned by a group of avid Thai sailors lead by entrepreneur Viroj Nualkair, at the time chief executive officer of Thailand’s Phatra Thanakit Finance Company and originator of the Phatra Marina and Yacht Club. The group were were looking for a small racing yacht suited to Thailand´s prevailing light wind conditions.

The name, Pla Tu, is a short-bodied mackerel fish found in the Indo-Pacific and also common in Thailand´s Gulf, the home of the original Platu fleet. The mackerel is embedded in history of the class as it is the class logo.

A 25ft monohull yacht, the Platu was designed by Bruce Farr of Farr Yacht Design fame, and incorporated features from the Mumm 30 and Farr 40 designs. The light displacement hull shape combines a long waterline, fine bow sections and powerful stern sections, all carefully balanced to deliver exceptional performance. The combinations of wide, flaring topsides that increase the effective stability from crew weight and a highly refined keel geometry will give the high stability essential for a well-rounded, light displacement design.

New Zealand´s McDell Marine launched the first Platus in 1995 – 32 for Phatra Thankit Sailing Organisation. The order book started to fill with 17 shipped in 1996 – 6 to the Philippines and 11 to Malaysia for the World Match Racing Series for the Malaysia Cup. 1997 saw the last to be built by McDell Marine with a shipment of 10 to Japan.

McDell Marine supplied the Farr Platu 25 tooling for Beneteau who then went on to produce the renamed ´Beneteau 25´ in large numbers. According to the International Platu 25 Class Association 2009 Class Report, today there are approximately 600 Platus worldwide, with 200 having been built over the last 5 years and 15 in 2008 alone. Beneteau France and Beneteau USA produce the Platu as well as Xtreme Sailing Products at their production facility in Batam, Indonesia.

Since 2005 the International Platu25 Class has been recognised by ISAF. The class calendar includes events around Europe and if you still doubt the international popularity of this Thai-born small boat, a Google search for ´Platu 25´ will turn up over 870,000 results!

In moderate conditions, the Platu is an easy and fun sail for both novice sailors more serious sailors alike, and is sailed by a crew of four to six.

Of the original 32 Platus, 6 went to Phuket under an agreement between the Phatra Marine Products Company and Sunsail, who managed them and chartered them out as a one-design fleet, while the remainder stayed at Phatra Marina and Yacht Club.

Since those early days, the fleet has been split with only a few left in Phuket under private ownership today. Some were also sold privately in to Singapore and Malaysia. The largest competitive fleet in Asia is in Pattaya, Thailand – 17 Platus, some available for charter, based at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

The Pattaya Platus have seen a resurgence and are now very active having created the Thailand Platu Open – a series of 4 one-design events leading to an overall winner. The jewel in the crown of the series is arguably the Royal-sponsored Platu Coronation Cup which is part of the Top of the Gulf International Regatta currently taking place off Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

Skipper Scott Duncanson and crew won the 2008 Thailand Platu Open and is favourite to take the crown again in 2009. They also won the Platu Coronation Cup in 2008 but are currently trailing Aussie Ray Roberts and crew on Wikki Quantum Racing in the Cup.

With crews joining the Thailand Platu Open from around Asia (Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and more), competitive regular sailing in Pattaya, and the fact that the Platu is now being built back in Asia at Xtreme Sailing Products, the resurgence of the Platu and growth in regional fleets is hoped to continue.