Koh Samui Regatta
15 June 2011
Although Team Mandrake has sailed in the Koh Samui Regatta several times before, this was the first time we completed in the 40ft class and it was a completely new experience.
At this time of year with the transition from the north east to the south west monsoon, the winds were light and very variable, with most days ended in massive thunderstorms. This did nothing to mar the beauty of the island and the great competition with 14 boats in our class.
Our main challengers were highly modified Beneteau 44.7 from Australia, two Archambault 40s from Hong Kong, and J130 team from Beijing.
The first day of two windward leewards proved to be difficult, with the winds starting at 10-12 knots, and by the end of racing, dropping to 1 or 2 knots. Good starts in both races, an excellent performance achieved a third and a first respectively, giving us second place overall for the day.
On the second day, one race only was achieved in the dying breeze. After a great start, and ahead by 4 minutes at the top mark, we followed the course of the TP52s in front of us and fell into our own individual hole while the fleet sailed around us. A disappointing 7th position. Meanwhile, our main competition, the 44.7 retired with a broken spinnaker pole after a collision and was awarded average points from the two races sailed by the protest committee for any races they didn't sail. This meant they could sit onshore and win the regatta, provided no other boat won every race. A strange decision.
The third day, two windward leewards in similar conditions achieved two seconds for us. These were followed by an island race in a dying breeze, while enormous thunder clouds descended on the fleet from the south west. In Asia, thunder clouds do not necessary mean wind, but this time the storm packed gusts just under 40 knots. We were caught with a full kite, and performed a spectacular broach that was captured by the news cameraman film following the boat. At least we saw the bottom of the heel was clear! We will try and get the clip onto the website shortly. Although we were winning the race at the top mark, the storm brought a small boats screaming in, which left us with a 4th position.
Meanwhile, the 44.7 had been sitting onshore sipping drinks and collecting first places by not sailing. During the Thursday lay day, after a lot of pressure from the class, the protest was reopened, and the Australians were then awarded average points based on their results for the whole series rather than the first 2 days.
On Friday they duly turned up for racing. Again, three excellent windward leewards with two thirds and a first. The 44.7 managed to foul us in 2 consecutive races, and our protest flag was aired. Six hours in the protest room saw their regatta average dropped from first place to third place, knocking them off the top spot that they had achieved by not sailing.
The last day started in 14 knots of wind with a long beat to the south through beautiful islands. We were first at the turning mark by around 5 minutes, but again fell into a hole in the wind that had our name on it, while the whole fleet sailed around us. Unfortunately, there were no thunderstorms this time on the return leg, and we only managed to claw back to fifth position.
Overall, an excellent first regatta for the boat, which performed extremely well, but we were unlucky with the wind in several races. Overall, a third position behind one of the Hong Kong Archambault 40s, and the infamous non-sailing Beneteau 44.7.
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