2009 Archives

The Second SEA Properties/ACYC Multihull Challenge
July 2 - 5 2009

From the 2nd until the 5th of July the ACYC hosted the second SEA Properties Multihull Challenge.

There were 13 multihulls competing in two classes with one being the Performance Multihulls and the other being the Firefly class. We had our first cruising multihull this year in Madame Cholet, which was placed in Performance Class because it was being sailed so well by its youthful crew.

The talk of the town this year was Thor, the new Seacart 30 owned by Fergus Wilmer and Henry Kaye. It was the fastest multihull out there with its carbon fibre hull and spars and also professionally sailed by Fergus and Henry. Thor’s crew were back at the yacht club and were finished lunch before any other crew arrived and achieved first overall in the Performance Class. Second, on count back, was Shanghai Baby who managed to beat Thor on the last day by six seconds on handicap. Third was the Thai crewed Charro who were unlucky to not finish second.

In the Firefly division, Mark Pescott on Voodoo Child ruled supreme with third on the first race by crossing the wrong side of the finish line but then subsequently achieved four straight firsts. Second was SEA Property who incurred several protests against them but none were upheld. Third was Roger Kingdon on Moto Inzi.

The first race on Day One was a windward leeward course with the second one an around Koh Bon course - all in about 10 knots of wind.

On Day Two the windward leeward course was started in light winds but very early into the race, the winds picked up to around 15 knots for some exciting mark rounding. The next race of the second day took us up to the Cape Panwa safe water mark and everybody enjoyed this cracking race.

On the final day it was something completely different. Race officer Simon James skilfully got the fleet away in light winds only for the wind to drop away to nothing as the rain moved in. All were soaked and cold for the remainder of the three hour race which was a shortened course due to the poor conditions.

The whole regatta was organized and run from ACYC with SEA Properties responsible for the food and entertainment. Sea Bees Diving sponsored the buffets and Lady Pie also contributed some delectable pies on the first day. An added bonus was the Slushie machine! There were free strawberry daiquiris and vodka orange, beverages that were very popular with the women crew members.

All in all a very enjoyable regatta which will only grow in popularity over the coming years.

Well done ACYC and SEA Properties!

Cheers,
Mick Kealy
ACYC Commodore

Download the SEA Properties/ACYC Multihull Challenge daily and overall race results here.
Click here to see photos from the regatta.