12ft Skiffs at Koh Samui - 28th - 31st May 2009

Day 1

Interstate rivalry was on display for the first two races of the 2009 Sawadee.com Skiff Challenge - and Challenge it was.

 

The breeze came in at about 12pm, blowing about 15kn with gusts up to 22, saw all of the skiffs selecting 2nd rig, except Andrew Short Marine, who put big in.

 

However when the racing started, the wind had dropped of to 0-10 with gusts of 15 coming down the valleys behind the beach.

 

The days results were, Andrew Short Marine 1st, with Juiced 2 Go, 2nd, At Call powered by Bainbridge International, who had the only swim of the day, 3rd. Cunning Stunts 4th.

 

Today sees a passage race with a morning start for the better wind, from Tradewinds Resort at Chaweng Beach to The Weekender Resort and Spa, where we are staying, at Lamai Beach a distance of 5 nm and a sprint race off The Weekender’s beach.

 

Tonight, The Weekender is putting on a Welcome Party for the skiff sailors with the skiffs rigged on the beach and maybe one in the pool. This will give the regatta sponsors a chance to meet the sailors and get up close to the skiffs.

 

More photos can be found at http://www.samuiregatta.com/

 

With a web cam looking down at the beach where the skiffs are here, mms://wms.th66.com/regatta

 

Day 2

The Second day we had a passage race, held in about 10kn, from Tradewinds Resort at Chaweng Beach to The Weekender Resort and Spa, where we were staying, at Lamai Beach a distance of 5 nm and a sprint race off The Weekender’s beach.

 

Andrew Short Marine won with Juiced 2 Go 2nd, At Call powered by Bainbridge International 3rd, after a spectacular mine 50m of the beach when The Stick, maybe he should be called The Log, took a step forward. Cunning Stunts, after a swim, 4th.

 

In between the two races the competitors could see the preparations being undertaken for the welcome party put on by The Weekender Resort and Spa and the organizers of the Sawadee.com Regatta Samui.

 

In the afternoon the sprint race was held off the beach to a mark about 300m to sea and back to a mark 30m of the beach. The first leg was a tight shy reach with a two tack work. After 2 laps the results were much the same, first, Andrew Short Marine, runner up, At Call powered by Bainbridge International, Cunning Stunts 3rd, and sailing with 2nd rig, Juiced 2 Go was 4th.

 

After the races the skiffies put Juiced 2 Go into The Weekender Resort and Spa’s pool, and then left it rigged in the garden with the sails on, while the three other skiffs were left rigged, around The Weekender’s “Official “Skiff Regatta” Hotel Headquarters” sign, on the beach.

 

At 6:00 the party started with Thai food being prepared by The Weekender’s chef all night, next to the bar, stocked with Singha Beer, a Co-partner of the regatta.

 

During the night the skiffies were introduced to a number of the sponsors, yachting media, and David and Pat Littlejohn who accepted the 12 foot skiff on behalf of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. http://www.varuna.org/  Anyone that even thought about complaining about the party and the service would have sand in their head.

 

Day 3

The first race on Saturday was a downwind passage race from The Weekender back to Tradewinds held in a shifty 5-8 knots. Close racing ensured with the skiffs separated by no more than 150m at the end. Results, Andrew Short Marine, At Call powered by Bainbridge International, Juiced 2 Go and Cunning Stunts who went further out to sea.

 

A sprint race was to be held off Chaweng Beach but the breeze died out, so Phad Thai and Singha beers were the call while we waited.

 

Whatever Phad Thai is made from is now listed as an endangered species as the boys ate so much of it!

 

When the breeze failed to reappear, the skiffies ran most of the masts, via a 10’ rib, sails and gear via jeep, back to the container which was located near Coral Cove in a rest stop next to the jungle.

 

When the container turned up on the first day, it had been organized that Brad Greenrod takes over driving the low loader from the ferry terminal to Coral Cove.

The trucks dash board didn’t work (no instruments) it was a 6 speed (he normally teaches in a 15 or 18 speed) and was 3.0m wide (normal container trailers are 2.5m wide) and had a driver who didn’t speak any English plus Brad didn’t speak any Thai.

 

Just as a bonus for Brad, the container didn’t fit onto the trailer! It had about 15 feet hanging over the back of the trailer and was chained down at the front and in the centre of the container

 

Scotty Finstone our regatta starter, drove the jeep as an escort but the locals and tourist ignored him. Once Brad came into view he had both the locals and tourist ducking for cover as the truck moved down the main road as the trailer took up most of the road ready to wipe out anything in its path.

 

This was the start of moving the skiffs and equipment “Island style”!

Day 4

Sunday was to be a passage race with two extra marks set to create a windward/leeward course off Chaweng Beach and then to Coral Cove. As the wind dropped quickly, the race was shortened and the marks of the beach were deleted. This was to get the skiffs back to Coral Cove and the container without outside assistance. The results were a clean sweep to Andrew Short Marine, Juice 2 Go closely followed by At Call powered by Bainbridge International. Cunning Stunts, who got caught in a hole, 4th.

 

The container was repacked in the tropical heat, not a good idea for two reasons. Firstly as quickly as you drank water, you sweated it out and secondly, Brad stripped down to his Speedos, while the driver slept in a hammock under the rear of the trailer.

 

The afternoon consisted of Singha beer, Phad Thai, and massages, some on the beach and some in dodgy massage places (this place is heaven for spinner’s nominations)

 

Sunday night was the Welcome party for the yachts, held at Zirco’s Brazilian Bar where more Singha’s and Thai food were laid on again by the organizers along with Brazilian Dancers (did I mention that this place and particularly this night was heaven for spinner’s nominations? Taxi surfing anyone?) and the skiffie’s were the last to leave and they took some of the regatta organizers with them!

 

It must have been a good night as a number of the skiffies looked a bit worse for wear in the morning, at least one hadn’t been to sleep, while waiting for the magic bus to pick us up and take us to the airport.

 

Results                                                             with one drop                no drop

 

Andrew Short Marine                                           4                                  5

Juice 2 Go                                                          9                                13

At Call Powered By Bainbridge International       10                                13

Cunning Stunts                                                 15                                19

 

 

Miners

 

At Call powered by Bainbridge International, the only mine of the regatta. (see photos)

 

 

Spinners

 

Too many choices, but at this location what goes on tour most defiantly stays on tour!

 

Things that may not have happened and did not include, Ladyboy massages, Taxi surfing while the more sensible one drank rum straight from the bottle in the cab, not ringing Brazilian dancers for a trip to the waterfall with her dancer friends, fireworks taped to scooters, loud nocturnal activities .

   

The skiffie’s would like to thank in no particular order;