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Moored just off the white sand beach, S/y Yanneke
Too, a modern schooner built by Camper & Nicholson in the early 90's. On her third invitational, with
polished wood gleaming brightly in the sunshine, was the well-loved S/y Sylvia. A classic 43 metre ketch.
We also saw newcomers S/y Lady M whose owner was impressed with the venue and the smooth
organization
behind the event and S/y Intrigue, a 24.6 m Performance Sloop built by Yachting Developments in New Zealand.
S/y Cordelia's owners had flown in from England to join their yacht for the event, grateful to be away from
the cold English winter.
 As the champagne flowed on board the classic motor yacht Maid Marian II at the opening cocktail party, a
stunning tropical sunset seem to herald a new era in yachting. It was a fitting tribute to the elegant
Maid Marian II celebrating her 75th birthday. Launched in the golden age of yachting, with her teak and
mahogany finish Maid Marian II seems to have found her true place in this tropical paradise.
Following cocktails, guests were whizzed ashore for the opening party on the splendid terrace of one of
Amanpuri's luxury villas. A panoramic view of the Andaman Sea provided a stunning backdrop as Hein
announced The Feadship Challenge over finely flavored canapés. The objective was simple. Teams had to
design and build a model Superyacht in 15 minutes!
Acknowledged as the global leader in the construction of premium quality motor yachts Feadship knows a
thing or two about boats, but weren't giving away any secrets - leaving teams scrambling with cutters and
plastic board to design the perfect floating Superyacht. Hein looked on with amused curiosity as the teams
tackled the challenge, paying homage to ancient shipbuilding traditions with balsa wood, plastic, superglue,
sailcloth and a few basic tools. As the teams began to assemble their various designs, suitably inspired by
generous quantities of Moet and fellow guests, the teams came up with some super, and not so
Superyachts -
leading us to ponder the old question 'Does size matter?'
We were about to find out as the boats took to the water in the specially built racing trough. Wind power,
always variable at the best of times proved tricky as team members attempted to blow maximum gale force to
propel their boats. To separate the men from the boys, a beer had to be downed at the halfway point. The
result in many cases after awhile, was light breezes. The team from Sylvia encountered steering problems,
while superior wind power assisted Maid Marian through several heats until Yanneke Too - built for speed,
emerged the fastest.
Awards for 'The best design' went to the Silvertip team for sleek clean lines. The ugliest design (fast but
ugly) went to Cordelia for an extreme flat bottom. Better luck next time!
 The following day dawned with glorious weather conditions. After weeks of unusual drizzle in the region
the gods had obviously decided enough was enough. The sun shone, a fantastic fresh wind blew to fill the
sails, the sky was a brilliant deep blue - set against the lovely coastline of Phuket.
Veteran King's Cup race master Andy Dowden, reminding everyone 'it's a rally not a regatta' set the
triangular course leading the yachts close to the land. Long legs and down winds provided spectators with
a magical sight, as sails were unfurled in majestic splendor! Braving fresh winds the remotely operated
mini helicopter from Helicam-Asia, buzzed around the ships to capture the moment on film and produce
spectacular photographs.
S/y Sylvia, always memorable, gave us an inspiring sight as south west winds filled her 600 sq metres of
sail- setting her on course for Sri Lanka. 'Everyone got their passport?' joked Captain Bryce after Sylvia
missed the starting line. These Superyachts are ocean cruisers - not made for quick tacks, so Sylvia
requires manpower. The 80-year-old lady challenged with rigging and renegade sails that took a lot of
combined muscle to rein in. As every year, the much loved Sylvia followed a slightly different course,
much to the enjoyment of the crew and spectators treated to this beautiful ketch in full sail at 12 knots.
Captain Bryce commented that perhaps a few regatta rules had been broken, but everything was fine. As she
swept through the clear blue water, you couldn't help but think 'it doesn't get any better than this!'
S/y Yanneke Too - operating with push button efficiency lead the field. After an exciting start, which had
S/y Yanneke Too and S/y Intrigue neck and neck, Yanneke - the only boat who hoisted her fabulous spinnaker,
made headway. Unfortunately the spinnaker just dipped in the water and Intrigue sailed sovereign in the
winner's position, an absolutely perfect day for her.
A rally rather than a serious regatta, the Invitational this year captured a moment in history. Following
last year's Tsunami, Phuket and the Andaman coast has made an incredible recovery and many visitors felt a
new era was beginning for the region. Media sponsors Seaspray magazine, Millionaires Asia, Asia Pacific
Boating magazine and organizing sponsors SEAL Superyachts see Asia, especially Phuket, emerging as the
ultimate yachting and lifestyle destination in the not too distant future. Adam Frost from SEAL commented
'The Thai people offer superlative hospitality. Combined with breathtaking scenery and superb facilities,
there's simply no better place to enjoy the luxury yachting lifestyle.' Hein from Feadship agrees 'I want
to show that there are more cruising places than just the Mediterranean. Asia, especially Thailand has so
much to offer. It's one of the fastest growing regions for yachting in the world.'
At the final gala dinner their predictions seemed to be on track. The Amanpuri's private beach was
beautifully decked out for the Invitational gala dinner. Always a superb dining experience, no expense was
spared with a lavish buffet that included fresh Andaman Seafood, oysters and of course, an array of
sensuous chocolate delights. Lashings of champagne added to the general bonhomie as dozens of traditional
hot air lanterns were launched in the night sky, forming a canopy of tiny lights above the yachts. A
perfect end to a perfect Invitational. |
