The Nov 17-23 event started in Port Klang with passage races to Pangkor, Port Dickson and Penang, which saw a day of around the buoys and human propelled chariot racing. There was also a passage race to Langkawi, which included two days around the buoys.
This year the Raja Muda Regatta was largely uneventful apart from the odd 40 knot squall, light winds testing conditions, yachts tangling in fishing nets and snaring tree branches which are all par for the course during the passage racing which often stretches into the night.
Last year’s event had an unexpected pre-regatta catastrophe with a large Indonesian timber trading vessel running out of control in to the marina at Royal Selangor. Three entered yachts were damaged with hulls holed and one mast torn down. This year, thankfully, there was no such thing and it was all plain sailing.
The regatta has always been considered an important and well-timed feeder race for yachts and crews to get themselves in shape ahead of the Phuket’s King’s Cup, which this year is in its 36th year.
A third of the yachts from this year’s Raja Muda Regatta will be in action at the King’s Cup. One such example is the yacht Aftershock, skippered by Steve McConaghy, that will compete in IRC 0 division at the King’s Cup Regatta. They certainly did a great job organising their crew at the Raja Muda Regatta and will take on more crew ahead of the King’s Cup.
Aftershock is being used for sail training and they are looking for candidates in Phuket where she will be based. Steve McConaghy is running the show and skippering the yacht and they plan to be a regular at the Kings Cup moving forward.
Elsewhere, a couple of big Cruiser racers from the Raja Muda will be battling each other again in Premier Cruising at the Kings Cup. Yasooda, a 70-footer built in Bremen, Germany, and fitted out in Hamburg 20 years ago and Peter Cremer’s Shahtoosh, a Warrick 75 built in New Zealand have had tight competition all the way from Port Klang Malaysia.
Phuket is Yasooda’s home after its owner Hans Raman sold his Firefly Voodoo and is now concentrating on racing Yasooda. With knee replacements and at the age of 80 it may well be a smart decision. She was recently reweighed at Royal Phuket Marina by Simon James for a more accurate IRC handicap.
Other yachts from the Raja Muda competing at King’s Cup are Mick Burn’s Witchcraft, Rolf Heemskerk’s The Next Factor, Andrew McDerment’s Trident, Ray Roberts’ Team Hollywood, Nick Burn’s Blitz and Lee Yi Min’s Jolt.
This year’s 36th Phuket King’s Cup takes place between Nov 29 and Dec 6, with 40 entrants confirmed at time of press.