Yachtstyle issue 26 by Yachtstyle

ASIA’S AWARD WINNING BOATING LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

issue

LADY CANDY

RACING ROLEX SYDNEY TO HOBART RACE SUPERYACHTS ASIA SUPERYACHT RENDEZVOUS MOTOR RIVA DOMINO 86 WATCHES JADE COLLECTION

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YACHTSTYLE ISSUE TWENTY-SIX WINTER

024 NEWS New marinas in Asia and inaugural Hong Kong Kettle

036 REGATTAS Rolex Sydney to Hobart, Raja Muda, Phuket King’s Cup and 4 Peaks

052 PARTIES The Asia Superyacht Rendezvous and Royal Langkawi International Regatta

046 BOAT SHOWS Macau, Pattaya, Phuket Boat Shows are reviewed and the 2014 calendar

056 JIM STOLL Argo is inspiring today’s youth and educating them about the ocean

060 JODY CHAPMAN This talented designer is looking to Asia for challenge and inspiration 064 MARK TURNER The sailor who is taking sailing into the corporate world in an extreme way

FEATURES 070 LADY CANDY This innovative 65m Benetti with its unique design features is on show

080 PHUKET PLAYTIME Beautiful superyachts meet in Phuket for the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous

090 CHINA CHALLENGE Chinese sailors aim to be on the DongFeng team for the Volvo Ocean Race

096 POWER SURGE Offshore powerboat racing is big in the West and looking to go east

GUY NOWELL

ONTENT

LOGBOOK

propaganda3.it

86’ Domino A Riva is a Riva. Always.

a Ferretti Group brand

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Iseo • Aquariva Super • Rivarama Super • Rivale • SportRiva 56’ • 63’ Vertigo • 63’ Virtus • 68’ Ego Super • 75’ Venere Super • 86’ Domino • 92’ Duchessa • 122’ Mythos

yesterday

ONTENT

ON BOARD 104 RIVA DOMINO 86 Looks and speeds are everything in the luxary sports boat world

110 NEW BOATS Monte Carlo 86, Fairline Squadron 78, Azimut 80 and Prestige 750 116 BOAT OWNERS Peter and Gabrielle Churchouse’s Moonblue 2 is a party boat

YACHTSTYLE ISSUE TWENTY-SIX WINTER

STYLE 122 TRINITY HOUSE This elegant British building is the home for lighthouses in the UK

126 100TH BIRTHDAY Hong Kong owners celebrate Aston Martin’s centenary in style

130 JADE TIMES Jade is the distinguishing feature of all of these luxury timepieces

132 FOOD OF THEGODS Chocolate is divine, and one of nature’s most satisfying foods

134 LIFE IN THE ROUND BMT floating lodges and beach houses are based on a new design concept

138 JADE MASTER This unique gemstone is highly valued by its Asian owners

MANAGING EDITOR: SUZY RAYMENT CONTRIBUTORS: GUY NOWELL, NIC BOYDE, CHA SAU-MEI, COLIN DAWSON PHOTOGRAPHERS: GUY NOWELL, JEFF BROWN, ABNER KINGMAN, PEDRO MARTINEZ, MARK LLOYD, ANDREA FRANCOLINI AND THIERRY MARTINEZ

ART DIRECTOR: JIVA SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR: DARREN BARTON CIRCULATION MANAGER: LO WAI GEI SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGERS: LIZ HAMERTON AND REBECCA HICKMAN

MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES AND INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES INTERNATIONAL: DARREN BARTON: enquiries@yachtstyle.com.hk MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE HK: EDO BERSMA: edo@EDconceptsHK.com CHINA: MARIA LAM: china.sales@yachtstyle.com.hk THAILAND: POON KOSOLKARN : thai.sales@yachtstyle.com.hk SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA: NICHOLAS PINDER: contact@homme.com.my CANADA AND USA: MANXMAN PUBLISHING INC: namerica@yachtstyle.com.hk AUSTRALIA: ONE WORLD PUBLICATIONS: australia@yachtstyle.com.hk

MANAGING DIRECTOR: GUY NOWELL CREATIVE DIRECTOR: DAVIDE BUTSON-FIORI CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: NIC BOYDE

YACHTSTYLE ASIA DIRECTORS: NIC BOYDE, DARREN BARTON, GUY NOWELL AND SUZY RAYMENT

COVER PHOTOGRAPH LADY CANDY PHOTOGRAPHY JEFF BROWN

PUBLISHED BY YACHTSTYLE ASIA LTD 2A Gold Shine Tower, 346 - 348 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2792 6234 Email: enquiries@yachtstyle.com.hk www.yachtstyleasia.com ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Tel: (852) 9680 3511 or (852) 9680 7063 E-mail: enquiries@yachtstyle.com.hk

Printing: Gear Printing Ltd, 3/F Derrick Industrial Building, 54 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2873 3803 All rights reserved © 2014 Yachtstyle Asia Ltd All materials published remain the property of Yachtstyle Asia Ltd. Manuscripts and photographs submitted to Yachtstyle magazine should be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes with return postage. While they will take reasonable care, the editors assume no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Single copy HK$80.

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12 EDITOR'S LETTER WINTER ISSUE

CONTRIBUTORS

GUY NOWELL Asia’s leading yachting and marine photographer. Having covered regattas all over Asia during the last 20 years, his photo library is a virtual history of yacht racing in the region. He even claims to have photographs of yachts racing in Hong Kong in clean air. This issue Guy covers the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous in all its glory and a host of sailing regattas in the region. (He also writes a bit).

CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT: Relaxing at Kata Rocks; stylish celebrations for 100 years of Aston Martin; Moonblue 2 team off for a spot of lunch; power and sail at the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous; and thanks to Yachtstyle from Tunku Soraya at the Royal Langkwai International Regatta

uperyachts feature strongly in this issue. We have a feature on the recently launched Benetti, Lady Candy (p.70), and another on the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous at which eleven sparkling and beautiful motor and sailing superyachts met together in Phuket for three days of fun in the sun (p.80). Asia is a sailing paradise, with events like the Phuket King’s Cup and Royal Langkawi International Regatta displaying the delights of sailing in a tropical climate, especially when Europe and the UK are in the grip of chilly winter (p.40). There’s even more challenging sailing on the calendar, with the RHKYC’s Rolex China Sea Race coming up at Easter time, and (much) later in the year the inaugural Hong Kong Kettle, an inshore-offshore mixed-discipline regatta for two-boat national teams – those who remember the Admiral’s Cup format will find this familiar (p.28). Boating personalities featured in this issue include the inspirational Jim Stoll who set up the ActionQuest and Seamester educational programmes – Jim brought the school-ship Argo (120’) to the Rendezvous. Also at the spectacular Kata Rocks for the Rendezvous was designer Jody Chapman, and Yachtstyle had time to catch up with him and find out why he is keen to find out more about Asian design (p.60). Finally, Mark Turner, the Executive Director of OC Sport, talks about the new connection between sailing and the corporate world (p.64). Turner, who set up the Extreme Sailing Series is also now involved in the Dongfeng Volvo Ocean Race entry. Eight Chinese sailors, their numbers whittled down from the original 200-plus applicants, are hoping to land

one of the places available on the team. OC Sport is also involved with this project, and they are hoping to create a sailing legacy in China and make some Chinese sailing heroes along the way (p.90). In a new addition to the Onboard section of the magazine, we talk to boat owners to find out how they use their boats. Peter and Gabrielle Churchouse were our first interviewees afloat, and we find out why their yacht Moonblue 2 has an Asia-wide reputation for being such a great party boat – the secret is in the gimballed blender!(p.116). On the power side we have a boat review of the Riva Domino 82, sporting moves as fast as her looks (p.102) and a review of some of the new luxury motoryacht models that have been launched by the big brand names of Europe (P.110). In our Style section find out the connection between Trinity House and seafarers (p.123) and join us while we look at jade and its importance in culture (p.135). Colin Dawson’s Last Word contribution reflects on why the leisure marine industry in Hong Kong is in trouble, and what is needed to be done if things are to improve. His call ‘For the Greater Good” has the full support of Yachtstyle, and we look forward to seeing things get better in 2014. Cheers!

COLIN DAWSON Colin Dawson has been in the marine insurance industry for over 24 years, starting his career in the Lloyd’s Insurance market. Since 1994 he has been in Hong Kong where he specialises in yacht insurance. The chairman of the Asia Pacific Superyacht Association, Colin is an active sailor, who regularly sails on Moonblue 2.

NIC BOYDE

Nic Boyde has lived in 14 countries, worked in another 20, speaks a smattering of seven languages, and can order two beers in many others. At various times a banker, a lecturer, a publisher, a bar man, and website builder. Combine an incureable wanderlust with a love of boats and you have someone who can give a review of the most luxurious yachts on the market.

Some boats are born with superior genes. MC5, launched in DOsseldorf 2013, MC4, world debut in Cannes 2013, MC6, due in 2014, all three have inherited powerful features from the larger models in the Monte Carlo Yachts range: striking but timeless design, luxurious detailing and innovative solutions unprecedented in this class, plus an air of nobility that is utterly Monte Carlo.

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14 GALLERY MIRABAUD YACHT RACING IMAGE AWARDS 2013 ABNER KINGMAN

MOMENT OF TRUTH The Mirabaud Awards bring together the very finest yacht racing imagery from the world’s very best marine photographers. The 2013 top title went to Abner Kingman for this shot of the moment during the 34th America’s Cup at which Team Oracle USA overtook Emirates Team New Zealand - and never looked back until the Cup was won. PHOTO: © ABNER KINGMAN

Ys | AUTUMN 2012 | 15

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16 GALLERY MIRABAUD YACHT RACING IMAGE AWARDS 2013 PEDRO MARTINEZ

SOUL SHOT Cascais, and photographer Pedro Martinez was looking for the definitive image of the RC44 Championship Tour 2013. “The weather was perfect all week, with great wind conditions and big waves. Finally, I was able to inmortalize in one instant all the great moments experienced during that week, and also the soul of the RC44 class. “ PHOTO © PEDRO MARTINEZ

Ys | AUTUMN 2012 | 17

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18 GALLERY MIRABAUD YACHT RACING IMAGE AWARDS 2013 MARK LLOYD

CITY RACETRACK The Extreme Sailing Series prides itself on its ‘stadium racing’ format that puts the spectators close to the action. Singapore is a case in point - this is Marina Bay, where it looks as if the racing practically takes place in the office lobby. How much closer can you get? PHOTO: © MARK LLOYD / LLOYD IMAGES

Ys | AUTUMN 2012 | 19

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20 GALLERY MIRABAUD YACHT RACING IMAGE AWARDS 2013 ANDREA FRANCOLINI

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN! It may look like a chase scene from an action movie, but in reality this is the start of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race 2012. Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI blasted out of Sydney Heads to lead the race from start to finish and claim ‘The Treble’ - line honours, a handicap win, and a new race record. PHOTO: © ANDREA FRANCOLINI

Ys | AUTUMN 2012 | 21

BOAT NTER~

FEADSHIP RoYAL DurcH SHIPYARDS

Asia

Pacific

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GUY NOWELL

Wild Oats continued her winning streak in the ROLEX SYDNEY TO HOBART RACE P.36 and Jim Stoll and S/Y Argo make students OCEAN TRAVELLERS P.56

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24 LOGBOOK NEWS

lioyd images

EXTREME SAILING SERIES 2014

ingapore will be hosting the opening event of this year’s Extreme Sailing Series at the The Promontory@ Marina Bay, 20 – 23 February 2014. OC Sport has confirmed eight venues for the 2014 global tour of this game-changing professional stadium racing series. Now in its eighth season, the series has spread its wings to three continents and spectators

can expect the world’s top international sailing teams among the line-up including Olympic Legend Sir Ben Ainslie and Volvo Ocean Race Winner Franck Cammas. Aberdeen Asset Management continues to feature in the Series via their support as Local Event Main Partner in Singapore. Team Aberdeen Singapore will also return to impress the home crowd

following a successful outing this year. SEA Games-bound, Scott Glen Sydney and Asian Games keelboat match racing gold medallist Justin Wong will join forces with international sailor Nick Moloney (skipper), an offshore sailing legend as well as a veteran of the Series, as the local invitational entry to take on the challenging stadium race course at the Marina Bay Reservoir. “Aberdeen is excited to be extending our support in Singapore for a second year. The inaugural event in April 2013 went down very well with teams, our clients and the general public. Marina Bay makes for really eye-catching racing, and we expect that to be even more intense with new teams and a February date this year, when winds are more predictable. We are also thrilled that Nick Moloney will be on board our boat along with local sailors Scott Glen Sydney and Justin Wong to challenge for event honours”, said Patrick Corfe, Director – Marketing, at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited “I am absolutely delighted to be part of Team Aberdeen Singapore for the first act of the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series. I have been following Aberdeen’s involvement and significant support of

Superyacht Forum

sailing for several years now, and was flattered to be granted the opportunity to lead the sailing team in our recent Around Hong Kong outright sailing speed record accomplishment. I am looking forward to leading the team in Singapore and hoping the home crowd will get behind us in every race,” added Moloney. Mark Turner, Executive Chairman of series organiser OC Sport, puts the year ahead into perspective: “With such a stunning stadium setting, Singapore is a fitting venue to open the 2014 series. Racing takes place right in the centre of this iconic city, and in partnership locally with Aberdeen Asset Management, we are sure 2014 will be even better than last year’s event.” The action in Singapore will begin with an Official Media Day on 20 February, and the Race Village will be open to the public from 21 to 23 February. Fans and spectators will enjoy complimentary access to the Race Village at The Promontory@Marina Bay where they can enjoy all-day music entertainment, food and beverage and activities for the family as well as exciting on-water activities such as the windsurfing and sailing.

OBITUARY Vic Locke, 1938-2013

The Asia Pacific Superyacht Association recently hosted a series of forums in Hong Kong to establish key concerns and challenges being experienced by APSA members across the region. The aim was to create workable solutions to drive growth, development, and opportunity within the superyacht industry in Asia-Pacific. A range of current and anticipated issues were addressed, and common challenges emerged which APSA members believe to be stifling progress within the regional superyacht industry. These include a lack of government support and understanding of the industry and its potential to provide significant social and economic benefit to a local economy. With the number of superyachts and visiting superyachts set to increase across the region, APSA

is committed to addressing these issues with the support of its membership, and is aiming to develop a series of informative papers that will provide the statistical analysis, research and information required to demonstrate the strengths of the region. “The series of discussions during APSA Week have brought to light some clear challenges which need to be addressed if the region is to attract further growth in the superyacht industry, both through visiting superyachts and ownership in the region”, said Colin Dawson, Chairman of APSA. “What is clear is that there is much enthusiasm from players in the region to work together to resolve these issues, and to ensure that governments and local authorities understand the real benefits that yachts – both resident and visiting - can bring to the local economy.”

ow can I soar with the eagles when I am sailing with such turkeys?” It is with great sadness that Yachtstyle records the passing of one of the truly great personalities of the Asian sailing fraternity. Vic Locke arrived in Hong Kong in 1968 to take up a post at King George V School teaching Craft, Design and Technology. He was Colony Showjumping Champion in the early 1970s before turning his attention to sailing. He joined the Hebe Haven Yacht Club and then the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (1974). Vic was the founder of the San Fernando Race (1977) and completed his first China Sea Race in 1978. Over the succeeding years he sailed and raced ‘Bugis’, a Ron Holland 2-tonner affectionately known as The Big Red Turkey. Further afield, he participated in the Hawaii Clipper Cup, Cork Week, the Sydney-Hobart Race and many, many races to the Philippines. After retirement from KGV he was actively involved in the restoration and refurbishment of three ‘modern classics’, Vanguard, Fuzzy Duck and Golden Delight, and became the Bavaria dealer through his company Jade Marine. In 1992 he was elected Commodore of the RHKYC, and was awarded the RHKYC Noel Croucher Award in 2010 for his enormous contribution to sailing.

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26 LOGBOOK NEWS

Voiles de Saint-Barth

The North Bund

Aquarium Architecture

Aquarium Architecture, a British company with offices in the UK and America, have been installing unique aquariums in superyachts. The company comprises a team of twelve experts including the Creative Director Roland Horne, three field engineers, one structural engineer and an aquascaper. The company has already designed aquaria for a whole galaxy of famous names including numerous music and sports mega stars, the Marie Curie and Nuffield hospitals, hotels, offices, private clubs and property developers, not to mention a commission for architects Rogers and Foster. The bespoke aquaria are a 21st Century expression of ultimate luxury.

guy nowell

rom 14-19 April 2014, St. Barth will be host to the fifth edition of the Voiles de Saint-Barth, with more than 50 yachts expected to attend the event. Once again, this year’s Voiles De Saint-Barth is looking at a fantastic line-up. Forty-eight boats have already registered in the five classes that are available: Maxi Yachts, Spinnaker Class, Non Spinnaker Class, IRC 52s, and Multihulls. This occasion regularly attracts some of the world’s finest yachts, including Rambler, George David’s famous maxi, already confirmed to be returning to the event. Selene, Wendy Schmidt’s Swan 80 will also be attending, as will Ocean Phoenix, the Spanish Humphreys 77 skippered by Juan Luis Serra Lalaurie. Attending for the first time will be Bella Mente, Hap Fauth’s mini-maxi (designed by Judel/ Vrolijk) with her crew of 26, including Mike Sanderson and Dee Smith, the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup sailors. One of their major rivals will be Alex Schaerer’s 68ft Mills-designed Caol Ila, winner of the Rolex Capri Sailing Week Volcano Race in which she claimed line honours as well a first place under corrected time ahead of 13 other maxis. The maxi fleet will be joined by the incredibly fast TP52s, which will be sailing in the IRC 52 category for the first time. Top class racers from the United States, Australia and New Zealand are all eagerly looking forward to doing battle in the dream location hosting the 5th edition of the Voiles de Saint Barth. On board there will be top professionals from the America’s Cup and the world’s leading crewed races. Franck Noël’s Near Miss will be one of the overall favourites in this series. Among the many interesting features of the racing in St. Barth is that it takes place around an island, meaning that it is always possible to come up with a race course on which the sailors will be more or less exposed to the trade winds. On top of that, the many smaller islands in the vicinity make ideal race marks, and Race Director Luc Poupon and his team will be making the most of the natural geography to provide the most enjoyable racing possible for those competing and watching the event. Many nationalities can be found aboard the boats and on the pontoons in Gustavia, capital of Saint-Barth: Americans, Australians, British, Spanish, New Zealanders, Italians, Belgians, Swiss, French, and of course sailing enthusiasts from all around the Caribbean. This year’s event sponsors include Richard Mille, Gaastra, La Banque des Antilles Françaises, and the St. Barth local authority who will be joined this year by the major champagne house, Veuve Clicquot, part of the LVMH Group.

itting squarely in the middle of the development of the North Bund area in Shanghai is a new flagship commercial district. Like the bull’s eye on a target, right in the middle of the area is a brand new marina, the first that one might call a ‘proper marina’ in the heart of downtown Shanghai. Shanghai’s first custom built yacht basin at Gao Yang Port is adjacent to the city’s cruise terminal. The marina is seen as part of the important beautifying process of this former industrial and commercial part of Shanghai port, and is itself the first of two ‘sister’ marinas being built side by side in the area. The first thing that catches one’s eye is the optical illusion that the marina is higher than the river, but on checking with the project manager it turns out this is, in fact, no illusion! Depending on the tide, the water in the marina is indeed 2-3m higher than the HuangPu River, which lies on the other side of a 30m lock that allows boats to smoothly transit from river to marina. Fresh water is pumped into the basin after each lock cycle, whatever the state of the tide, ensuring regular introduction of fresh water into the otherwise landlocked basin. The 30m lock has a minimum marina depth of 2.5m which allows boats of significant size to enter and moor, with berths ranging in size up to 26m. Imaginatively, with car parking space in Shanghai being at a premium, the builders have placed three levels of car parking under the marina, hidden from view – the underground car parking is, quite literally, underwater car parking! The area around the marina is already fully landscaped, with part of the marina on the river itself already operational. This area will be the official marina of the 2014 China (Shanghai) International Boat Show, which is being held from April 10-13, 2014.

Did you know? Hong Kong’s original Green Island lighthouse was built in 1875, rebuilt in 1905, automated in the 1970s, and declared a monument in 2008.

Wishing you a prosperous Chinese New Year of the Horse Kung Hei Fat Choi!

www.facebook.com/rivieraorientale

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28 LOGBOOK NEWS

Superyacht Extension

urrently all of Phuket Yacht Haven’s 300 berths up to 80m (262ft) are fully occupied, and there is a lack of capacity to accommodate superyachts coming to the region. The marina is now keeping up with the growing demand for big boat space through an extension project to provide more than 1.3km of alongside berths with a pontoon width up to 4.5m (15ft) and pedestals with 200 amps, threephase supply and 60 amp single-phase supply. Design and construction is by

world-renowned marina company Marinetek. According to Yacht Haven Marina’s figures, already more than 50 visiting over-30m yachts, of which 12 are more than 50m, have visited the marina this season (to end January 2014). These numbers do not include the superyachts that have their permanent berths in Yacht Haven Marina. “Marinetek’s purpose-designed Superyacht pontoons can best cope with the loads and requirements set by these largest yachts. From an operational view, a welcome improvement is also the pontoons’ minimal maintenance needs thanks to the advanced concrete pontoon structure”, says longtime Phuket Yacht Haven Marina Manager, Nick Wyatt. The marina extension will be completed in 2014 and is the planned venue for the new Phuket Yacht Charter & Brokerage Show set for February 2015. Kristian Rame, Singapore-based Regional Director for Marinetek said, “The region is getting busier and busier, and ever-bigger yachts are visiting the region. Bigger boats set higher criteria for the pontoon performance. As a result, we see an increasing request particularly for our heavy-duty concrete pontoons. We are currently working on both new marina developments and modernisations of existing marinas in the region. New marina developments are especially exciting as we are often involved right from the conceptual design phase, making sure the marina will be viable and meet all international standards.” www.marinetek.net

Ferretti in Indonesia

The Ferretti Group, one of the leading world players in the design, construction and sale of luxury motor yachts, with a unique portfolio of some of the most exclusive and prestigious brands worldwide, further strengthens its presence in the Asia-Pacific area by signing a new important dealership agreement with its partner PT. Dimitri Marin Sejahtera for the exclusive sale of Ferretti and Pershing yachts in Indonesia until 2015. For over ten years, Soetikno Soedarjo – the founder, Chairman and CEO of the company PT. Dimitri Marin Sejahtera – has been a partner of MRA (Mugi Rekso Abadi), one of the leading Groups operating in Indonesia in the luxury sector. Within the framework of the project for the development of the Indonesian market, PT. Dimitri Marin Sejahtera will shortly open sales offices in two particularly strategic locations - Jakarta and Bali. This new agreement is part of Ferretti Group’s new expansion strategy in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, an area considered to have substantial growth potential in the yachting sector, thanks to the current spread of maritime leisure culture and an increasing interest for ‘Made in Italy’ luxury products, well represented by the Group’s brands. Through this new dealership agreement Ferretti Group is further strengthening its highly selective distribution network, which currently includes approximately 60 dealers capable of ensuring that the Group’s customers receive the best possible assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. Ferretti is aiming to pursue its medium-long term objective of achieving an increasingly balanced sales presence in the three macro regions EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), the Americas and APAC. “This new dealership agreement with such an important partner as PT Dimitri Marin Sejahtera, whose founders have operated in Indonesia for more than ten years and can boast long-standing experience in the luxury sector at a local level, marks another important step forward in our ambitious project of increasing and further strengthening our sales presence in the Asia-Pacific markets. The region holds great potential, and we intend to increase the export of our products, true icons of Made in Italy excellence in the world”, said Ferruccio Rossi, Ferretti Group’s CEO.

guy nowell

Inaugural Hong Kong Kettle

rganised by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the inaugural Hong Kong Kettle will take place in October 2014, in and around Hong Kong, combining the around-the-cans excitement of China Coast Regatta, the tactical challenge of an A to A

offshore race of not less than 225nm, and a 26nm circumnavigation of Hong Kong Island. The inspiration for this biennial event comes from the great regattas of past eras, which represented the pinnacle of mixed discipline big boat racing – the Admiral’s Cup, Kenwood

Cup, Sardinia Cup and Southern Cross Cup to name but a few. Masterminding this new event is Drew Taylor, RHKYC Sailing Development Chairman. “The success of the Commodores’ Cup in the UK and the NYYC Invitational Regatta suggests that there is still demand from yachtsmen to represent their club or country on an international playing ground. The regatta is aimed at owners and crew located in the Asia Pacific region and recognises the need for smaller (two boat) teams and a mixture of Corinthians and professionals in the crew without allowing fully professional programmes.” The annual China Coast Regatta is RHKYC’s flagship big boat regatta. However Taylor is adamant that ‘the Kettle’ augments that competition in the same way that the Admiral’s Cup added to Cowes Week in the United Kingdom. It also introduces an element of camaraderie into the competition, as two boats compete together as a team, vying for national pride rather than individual glory. Entries are invited from teams of two boats with endorsed IRC ratings of between 1.020 and 1.200, a rating envelope ideally suited to Hong Kong’s burgeoning fleet of 35 to 45 footers. Individual countries may enter multiple teams, and RHKYC will be building up a list of available charters for overseas competitors. The sailing conditions in Hong Kong in October are ideal for big boat sailing, offering breeze typically in the high teens, temperatures in the high 20’s and an immense variety of sailing areas and scenery. www.hongkongkettle.com

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Leopard 39 PC

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10/05/2013 11:53:32

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30 LOGBOOK NEWS

Taiwanese Superyacht CORY SILKEN

Shipyard Expansion

O Y

acht Solutions at Italthai Marine has expanded its facility and tripled its superyacht yard capacity in response to the ever-growing demand for space in Thailand’s first dedicated superyacht facility in Bangkok. The company has received more enquiries for shipyard work than ever before, and has already undertaken work on the 43m s/y Douce France, 45m m/y Big Fish, 52m m/y Elysium, a 60m Oceanco motor yacht, 62m s/y Lamima and the 40m m/y Amoha. Gareth Twist, Managing Director of Yacht Solutions commented, “Larger yachts are now travelling to Bangkok to undertake refit, repair, paint and remedial work. Our yard in Bangkok offers a fantastic alternative to yachts considering Singapore or having to travel out of the region to Australia, New Zealand or Europe. We offer the best value for money in terms of superyacht expertise, experience, quality and pricing. By running two Yacht Solutions teams - in both Phuket and Bangkok - we have the option to run any sized project at any time, giving our clients the flexibility they need.” This new expansion increases Yacht Solutions’ superyacht facilities by some 300%, expanding its refit capabilities for hauling-out, and opening up a great yard option for any resident yachts and superyachts passing through the Gulf of Thailand. This facility is accessible to all of Southeast Asia, being less than 800 nautical miles from Singapore. “We are very excited to be expanding our yard area to accommodate more yachts,” said Twist. “We have doubled our workforce in only six months, and we are still looking to further expand our team and bring in more superyacht professionals to run these teams.” Yacht Solutions at Italthai Marine is determined to create the very best superyacht facility in Asia. This 112,000 square metre facility offers full shipbuilding and repair capabilities plus a bonded warehouse and in-house design office. Yacht Solutions at Italthai Marine is ISO 9001:2000 rated, and boasts a lifting capacity up to 95m and 3,500 tonnes. It has access to two 115m dry docks, 300m alongside berthing, a floating dock of 160m capacity and 5000 tonnes lift capacity, making this the largest superyacht repair facility in Asia.

ver 60 people from an alliance of interests in pleasure boating, including the Southern District Ship Builders Association, Designing Hong Kong, Hong Kong Marine Industry Association, owners and crew of vessels, and management and staff of marine operators, petitioned the Secretary for Transport and Housing to address the serious shortage of safe moorings in Hong Kong. The marine industry called on the Government to address the shortfall of safe moorings for the increasing number of boats used for tourism, pleasure, recreation and sports. They also urged for an extension of the deadline for termination of non-compliant moorings in Aberdeen until safe alternative mooring areas have been made available. At the end of 2012, 7,920 pleasure vessels and 4,103 transportation, fishing and outdoor open sampans – or over 12,023 vessels used for tourism, leisure, recreation, line fishing and water sports had been licensed by the Marine Department. However, only 2,280 moorings in private marinas and 950 private moorings, or 3,230 safe moorings have been made available in Hong Kong. Taking account of an estimated 800 dry berths (storage facilities on land) offered by marinas and private operators, there is a shortfall of close to 8,000 safe berths. This has resulted in subletting of moorings at high prices, and makes it impossible for people – except for the super rich - to enjoy Hong Kong’s magnificent shore lines and beautiful waters. The shortfall of sheltered moorings hurts the image of Hong Kong and limits job opportunities in crewing for boats, ship repairs and marine related industries at a time when the fishing industry is seeking alternative jobs to compensate for the trawling ban. The systemic shortfall has also resulted in oversized vessels moored on undersized moorings. This was aggravated in 2009 when vessels were moved to Aberdeen to make way for construction works in Causeway Bay. Recent enforcement action by the Marine Department against non-compliant moorings in Aberdeen would force boats from their safe moorings at the start of the typhoon season.

Alpari World Match Racing Tour Champion 2013 Taylor Canfield lifted the Alpari World Match Racing Tour trophy at the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia last December. The 24 year old rookie, originally from the US Virgin Islands and now living in Chicago, USA, finished 3rd in the Monsoon Cup itself, and had to wait out the regatta final between Great Britain’s Ian Williams and New Zealand’s Phil Robertson. Canfield could only win the World title if Robertson beat Williams, which he did by dominating from the start with a 3-0 win over the 2012 World Champion Williams.

AMWRT/onEdition

FLY 47

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32 LOGBOOK NEWS

Safer Phuket

campaign needs mass commitment as “it is about changing the safety culture and the status quo.” Martin Carpenter, the British Honorary Consul in Phuket, and Safer Phuket Co-founder commented, “We believe that with all the key stakeholders working together, and with a common vision, we can establish a set of solutions that can be quickly implemented, are sustainable, and will be beneficial to all.” Safer Phuket came out of the widely reported meeting between Governor

Maitri and 18 European Community representatives in June 2013, where it was determined that a focused effort was needed to improve a number of aspects of the Phuket tourism industry. Marine safety was one of the major areas highlighted during the meeting, and the need for change prompted an in-depth review to identify potential solutions. The island’s reputation as a leading world holiday destination has been undermined by numerous drownings and other safety incidents that have received widespread international media coverage. Safer Phuket will focus on four key areas – enhanced lifeguard capabilities; compliance with international training standards; consistent beach management regulations; and the establishment of a world class search and rescue service. The campaign will be run and managed by a newly formed social enterprise, operating on a not-for-profit basis, with a mission to highlight relevant issues, create a voice, bring stakeholders together and provide funding to implement solutions. Duncan Stewart believes that a positive approach is needed. “We recognise that what we are trying to create will be viewed by some as challenging, which is

Top of the Gulf Regatta

strong international fleet of boats is set to line-up for the 10th anniversary Top of the Gulf Regatta, hosted by Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Jomtien, Pattaya 1-5 May 2014. With over 250 boats and 700 sailors expected to take part from more than 20 countries, organisers are planning for this year’s edition of TOG to the biggest and best yet. Entries have already been received from overseas in the keelboat and multihull classes – the ‘big boat’ fleet. Oi! (AUS) and One Sails (AUS), both TP52s, look set to lead the racing class, and there are a number of top IRC boats in Asia confirmed to compete including Foxy Lady VI (SIN) and Fujin (AUS). The Coronation Cup has a 19-year history and was incorporated into the Top of the Gulf Regatta ten years ago. Charters of the local fleet are already filling up and 2014 looks set to be even more competitive than 2013. The Coronation Cup produces some of the most exciting action on the water of the whole regatta. It is, de facto,

the Asian Platu championship, and should not be missed by anyone who enjoys a good scrap in these tippy little classics. Racing at the same time as the big boat fleet, but on a different course area, will be over 60 single and double-handed dinghies (Lasers, 29ers, 420, 470 etc.) and beach catamarans, including a number of Thai and regional goldmedal sailors from the recent SEA Games. The TOG’s watchword is ‘inclusiveness’: everyone’s welcome! This includes the country’s iconic youth sailing event, the Thailand Optimist National Championships. Thirty-nine years old this year, and an integral part of the Top of the Gulf Regatta, over 120 junior sailors from all over Asia, will compete for the coveted perpetual trophy. Regatta organisers have also worked closely with the Windsurfing Association of Thailand (WATH) and NeilPryde to provide the ISAFapproved RS:One Racing format. And this year, being held as part of the Regatta, will be the threeday RS:One Asian Championships – the first time Thailand has hosted this regional championship – and 30 sailors are expected to take part from Thailand, Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, and other Asian nations. The 10th Anniversary Top of the Gulf Regatta will take place 1st to 5th May 2014, hosted by Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Jomtien, Pattaya, Thailand. www.topofthegulfregatta.com

exactly why we must succeed. Change is inevitable and our view is that we have a responsibility to manage that change so we can re-establish confidence and generate prosperity and security for all who live in or visit Phuket. Safety must be our number one priority, and we need to respect the trust shown in us by the residents and visitors who choose Phuket as their home or vacation destination.” “Together with our partners, we have a collective vision shared and endorsed by the appropriate political and commercial forces which will provide the framework necessary for a safer future for Phuket. “With the 4th Asian Beach Games scheduled to be held in Phuket in 2014, the eyes of the world will be upon this much loved tourist destination. Safer Phuket will build and operate a total of 50 new lifeguard towers on Phuket’s main beaches. The lifeguard stations and ‘professionalisation’ of the island’s lifeguards will be entirely funded by advertising and sponsorship of each tower, and Safer Phuket is currently in discussions with interested sponsors and supporters to make Safer Phuket the success that it deserves to be. www.saferphuket.org

Awards Nominations

jeff brown

new safety initiative has been launched in Phuket with the aim of improving the island’s coastal water safety through significant changes in safety standards and training. ‘Safer Phuket’, has been endorsed by Governor Maitri Inthusut, who said, “I believe this project will bring great benefit to Phuket and our visitors, and I am willing to give it my full support.” Campaign Leader Duncan Stewart, who works for Tui Marine, Sunsail Charters operator in Phuket, believes the

guy nowell

Lady Candy has been shortlisted in no less than three categories - Exterior Design, Interior Design and Holistic Design - for the Showboat Design Awards to be held in Kitzbuhel on 26 February 2014, and shortlisted for the finals of the World Superyacht Awards 2014 to be held in Amsterdam in May, 2014. Central Yacht been nominated as Best Newcomer of the Year at the Showboat Design Awards. A Hong Kong based company, Central Yacht was responsible for the Exterior and Interior Design (with interior design in conjunction with BAMO). Currently the company has two more projects for Asian customers; another 56m Benetti based on the design of Lady Candy, and a 53m yacht in Taiwan which has interior arrangements and full interior design from Central Yacht. www.centralyacht.com

FELICITA WEST 210' 0" (64.01m) :: Perini Navi :: 2003/2011 :: $25,000,000 Bart Kimman :: Hong Kong :: + 852 2815 7712 :: bart.kimman@northropandjohnson.com

TWIZZLE

CARLLINNE

106' 0" (32.31m) <: Holland Jachtbouw :: 2003/2011 :: €3,950,000 Bart Kimman :: Hong Kong :: + 852 2815 7712 :: bart.kimman@northropandjohnson.com

OCEAN RUNNER

ZIGZAG

ANTIGUA VII OF HAMBLE

90' 11" (27.71m) :: Nautor's Swan .: 2008 :: €5,250,000 Bart Kimman :: Hong Kong :: + 852 2815 7712 :: bart.kimman@northropandjohnson.com

188' 7" (57.49m) .: Royal Huisman Shipyard :: 2010 :· P.O.A. Bart Kimman :: Hong Kong :: + 852 2815 7712 :: bart.kimman@northropandjohnson.com

111' 7" C34.00ml :: custom :: 2009 :: $7,770,ooo Bart Kimman :: Hong Kong :: + 852 2815 7712 :: bart.kimman@northropandjohnson.com

64' O" C19.68ml :: Nautor's swan :: 197512009 :: E36o,ooo Bart Kimman :: Hong Kong :: + 852 2815 7712 .. bart.kimman@northropandjohnson.com

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34 LOGBOOK NEWS

‘The Cove’ Director On Busting The World’s Largest Endangered Species Slaughterhouse

louie psihoyos

year ago I found myself on an assignment unlike any other I’ve done. I was in China for my next film, a documentary titled “The Heist” about a mass extinction event. Part of the filming process included helping to bust one of the biggest dealers of endangered species on the planet. The main problem here is that the people in the illegal wildlife trade don’t like to be filmed. Our last film, The Cove, was about a secret lagoon in Taiji, Japan, where every year thousands of dolphins are herded and captured for the captive dolphin trade. An awful fate awaits those not cute enough to be selected to do tricks for the SeaWorlds of the world. We broke into the site, climbing over barbed wire fences, getting past guards, motion sensors and guard dogs, using military grade thermal imaging equipment, cameras hidden in fake rocks, remote controlled drones, underwater cameras and hydrophones planted by world champion free divers. My team blew the lid on that little town with the dark secret, “a dolphin’s worst nightmare,” and the film has been drawing worldwide attention to the now infamous cove and the captivity trade ever since. I run a non-profit organization called the Oceanic Preservation Society, but what we do is probably better described by our acronym, OPS. We’re not a normal film crew. We have a Director of Covert Operations, Charles Hambleton, who is well versed in the dark arts of getting into places you’re not supposed to be. Heather Rally is a veterinary student by day and an undercover operative by night who helped us bust a sushi restaurant selling endangered whale meat in Santa Monica. Our arsenal of covert gear includes buttonhole cameras, cameras in water bottles, fake identity and business cards. Our organisation’s mission statement of “creating media to inspire people to save the oceans” probably doesn’t go over too well with the targets of any of our investigation. Paul Hilton and his colleague Shawn Heinrichs are photographers who travel together all over the world to expose the illegal and should-be illegal wildlife trade. Some of their work takes them to the darkest and most forbidding places on the planet. They told me

that if I wanted to grasp the unimaginable scale of the illegal wildlife trade my team needed to go where just about everything in the world you could imagine was for sale. Elephant carvings, rhino horn, endangered birds, snakes, lizards, turtles, tortoises, and of particular interest, one of the biggest shark oil traders in the world, a Mr. Li of PuQi in Zhejiang province. Mr. Li was operating an epic scale operation to exploit endangered species of sharks. At the time, there were only three species of sharks protected by CITES, the international body that protects endangered species of flora and fauna. Mr. Li was ready to sell us drums of oil from all three: basking sharks, great whites and whale sharks. Paul and Shawn were led to Mr Li by our Chinese interpreter, a researcher who tagged sharks to understand their migration patterns, and who had noticed that many of her field subjects were disappearing off the east coast of China near Mr. Li’s operation. Paul and another colleague, Alex Hofford, who together form the group WildLifeRisk, had filmed and scouted Li’s operation a year earlier and discovered workers feverishly turning the carcasses of the world’s largest endangered fish into oil. But they couldn’t figure out an angle to bust the dealer. Paul and Shawn concocted a scheme in which I, being the oldest of the group, would pose as a shark oil buyer. Heather, being a veterinary student with a background in animal medicine, would act as our science adviser concerned with purity of the oil. Shawn and Charles would be my business associates, and our Chinese shark researcher, who must remain anonymous, would be the interpreter. Paul, knowing some of the language, would return from his previous visit as the middleman who stood to make a cut of the profits if he put together the deal. “I know nothing about the shark oil trade,” I pleaded. Paul, an Australian with a disarming smile, said, “Never mind that mate, just be mean and try get the lowest price.” At our first meeting we met with a family member who insisted on taking us to a feast of various sea creatures including shark. Paul and Shawn have spent a large part of their lives trying to save sharks, many of which are facing severe decline and some cases are near extinction. We were all vegetarians and vegans except for Charles - he had to eat enough for the five of us. After lunch we finally got to meet the family kingpin, Mr. Li. He bragged that he has been killing and processing 600 whale sharks a year. This is the largest wholesale slaughter of sharks on the planet, and we were inside, hidden cameras rolling. When we asked him where he has been selling products, he admitted that he has been smuggling endangered sharks to Italy. Mr. Li said that he could evade the scrutiny of customs by mislabelling the shark oil as ‘fish oil’ and the meat as another kind of fish. We had several cameras rolling on Mr. Li as he told us that he could help us illegally export product overseas. You could tell he was a seasoned pro. Change can happen slowly, but it does happen. While in China we learned that The Hump, the Santa Monica restaurant that we had busted four years earlier for selling meat from an endangered sei whale, was finally going to trial. The sushi chef was facing

70 years in jail and the owner was facing a possible US$2.5m fine. A few months after our China trip Shawn and Paul, after years of work, got the most beautiful and graceful animal in the world, the manta ray, listed as an endangered species. Shawn’s footage of finned sharks in a WildAid commercial has been seen by some two billion people worldwide, and is attributed to helping reduce the demand for shark fins for soup by some 50 percent. We’re hoping that by bringing attention to Mr. Li’s operation that China will close down his operation and others in the region like his before we lose creatures that have been on this planet for 450 million years. And the problem is not just in Asia: the U.S. is the second largest destination market in the world for illegally trafficked wildlife. It’s hard to imagine that humans can have such a profound effect on the planet on such a scale, but in a few short decades we exterminated passenger pigeons that once darkened the sky with their migration. Once shot for animal feed, the last one died in 1914. Like many other species, it’s now only found stuffed in a museum. What we need to do is get people to become aware that right now we are going through a mass extinction event like the earth hasn’t seen since an asteroid hit the planet 65 million years ago and wiped out the dinosaurs. Scientists now say we may be losing 30,000 species a year. In a healthy ecosystem we should lose on average three species a year and another three should be replacing them. This current extinction event is called the Anthropocene, “The Age of Man.” Michael Novacek, Provost of the American Museum of Natural History says that “this time, humanity is the asteroid.” The irony is that our own species name, homo sapiens, means “wise humans.” It’s time that we start living up to our name.

72 GLX

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ASIA BOATING LIMITED http: Avww.asia-boating.com 1/F Annex Buildin& Aberdeen Manna Club, 8 Shum Wan Road, Aberdeen, HK Tel: 852 2572 9212 Fax: (852 2572 6033 Email: info asia-boating.com

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36 LOGBOOK NEWS ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE 2013

ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE 2013

WORDS GUY NOWELL PHOTOS ROLEX / DANIEL FORSTER AND CARLO BORLENGHI

n the northern hemisphere the Rolex Fastnet Race is the thing. For Americans it has to be the Transpac. But down in Australia, for every sailor worth his salt, a Sydney-Hobart is an essential item on the CV. After 69 years the race that starts on Boxing Day (and where Christmas is usually referred to as “the day before the Hobart”) has assumed near-mythic proportions. Not just with sailors: much like the Grand National in England and the Super Bowl in the USA, the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race engages an audience that goes far beyond the followers of those particular sports. The population of Sydney turns out in its tens of thousands to watch the start of the race, covering the cliffs and greensward around the harbour, and choking the on-water spectator area with everything from one-man kayaks to 30m superyachts. It looks simple enough on paper: head south from Sydney and sail down the coast, cross the Bass Strait, turn right into Storm Bay and sail up the Derwent River to the finish off Constitution Dock in Hobart. This, however, does not mention the fact that the shallows of the Bass Strait, the currents that sweep across them, and the intense weather systems that spin up from the direction of Antarctica make this spot one of the most dangerous in the sailing world. The race has a reputation of being by turns ferocious, benign, treacherous, unforgiving, and on many occasions downright lethal. In 1998 six sailors died and five boats sank as the result of a near-typhoon that battered the fleet, but still the event attracts some of the very best sailors, and boats, from around the world, eager to test their mettle against a legend. It’s probably on the bucket list of half the sailing world, and last December’s race attracted 22 overseas entries from Germany, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Cyprus. Principal interest was to be the battle between the 100ft supermaxis vying for a Line Honours and elapsed time win: Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin 100; Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats (also 100’, and already a Line Honours winner a staggering six times, and the race record holder); Anthony Bell’s Perpetual Loyal, formerly Speedboat, also 100’ and estimated by many to be the fastest monohull on the planet. For armchair offshore sailors it was like watching Jim Clark, Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna line up for a dream lap of the Nurburgring. Pre-race weather forecasts indicated a sparkling start, a flat patch in the middle, and then a roller coaster ride at the end – exactly where you were in the sequence depending on the size and speed of your boat. Sure enough, the opening stages of the race were played out under optimal conditions, with the breeze falling off just as the leaders arrived at Bass Strait - with the following pack already a long way behind. Early on, Perpetual Loyal held the lead. Then Wild Oats XI took it back, and never looked back, eventually sailing up the Derwent to a remarkable 7th line honours victory. Further back up the coast, the fleet still racing ran into stronger and stronger wind. “Fresh to frightening” was reported in Storm Bay as boats battled steady 40kt winds, gusting to 57kts. Survival conditions, and the best survivor was Darryl Hodgkinson’s aptly-named Victoire that crossed the finish line at 0800h on the fourth day of racing but had to wait another 24 hrs for her handicap victory to be confirmed. Hodgkinson was quick to thank his tactician and strategist, Sean Kirkjian, a veteran of 17 races, saying “he’s a wizard who’s just playing ‘ocean chess’ all the time.” The next, 70th, Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race is attracting attention already, and the big boys are flexing their biceps for a bash at the bragging rights. If you’re a sailor, add this to your list. If you’re an Aussie, you’re not even a sailor until you’ve been to Hobart the hard way.

DID YOU KNOW? Bob Oatleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wild Oats XI has won seven Rolex SydneyHobart line honours, scored two handicap wins and broken the race record twice since she was launched in 2005 Ys | WINTER 2014 | 37

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38 LOGBOOK NEWS TOMMY BAHAMA AROUND THE ISLAND RACE 2013

TOMMY BAHAMA AROUND THE ISLAND RACE

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY GUY NOWELL

t’s only 26 nm around the island, but Hong Kong sailors only get to try racing the circle once a year – something to do with boats without engines, Macau ferries, the Central harbour, and permits from the Marine Department. Sure, it’s complicated. First thing in the morning of 10 November and a ‘replenishment of the northeast monsoon’ was sending 15-18 kts of breeze down the harbour, with white caps wall to wall, and 25kts and a 3m swell reported at Cape d’Aguilar. Plenty of the small boat skippers decided that discretion was the better part of valour, so it was rather less than the 258 registered entries that started in front of the RHKYC clubhouse in a sequence of 19 starts. Still, this was de facto the biggest fleet entry ever, and Race Management was supported by a team of 50 Safety Assistants keeping track of and tabs on all and sundry both on shore and on the water. There was wind all the way round the course – plenty of it. The big boats revelled in it, and the smaller ones struggled, but there was good sailing to be had for all if you could handle the conditions. There was breeze all through the harbour, and space for a breather at Lei Yue Mun. A power reach down past Cape Collinson and Shek O was hardly broad enough for a spinnaker (although there were those that tried!), and Cape d’Aguilar was less severe than predicted. Frank Pong’s 76’ Jelik was through Stanley Gate at 1040hrs, and the Cyberport Gate off was reporting 20kts and more – everyone who has ever done this race knows to fear the Pok Fu Lam hole, but this time it just wasn’t there. Green Island provided plenty of wind, and then it was the bash through the steep, short, chop of the western harbour before the relative calm of Central and a glide into the finish at Causeway Bay. The Safety Officer reported one sinking, two dismastings, three collisions and a number of other minor mishaps, but no injuries. First to finish was Jelik, but fastest finisher was the next boat, Aberdeen Asset Management’s Extreme 40, up for a visit from Singapore, with Nick Moloney on the helm and firmly aiming at the course record, the Cariad Trophy. Conditions were such that the superfast cat was obliged to drop her main – twice - when she needed to gybe, and Moloney later reported that these were the windiest conditions in which he had ever sailed an Extreme 40. An elapsed time of 2h 13m 11s was good enough to lay hold of the record, (the previous 23-year old record was 2h 41m 57s). Even more impressive was the performance of Cosmas Grelon and Akira Sakai on a 29er dinghy. The two young sailors were delighted, after battling their way around the island in one of the smallest boats in the fleet, to be crowned overall winners of the Tommy Bahama Around the Island Race 2013 – a magnificent achievement. In second place was Wan Chi Wan on a 470 dinghy, with Howard ‘The Bridesmaid’ Williams (Flying 15) one place back. Williams placed second in the previous three ATI races. In fact, no less than 14 class records were broken during the event and it’ll probably be a very long time before we see that happen again. Absolutely last boat home crossed the finish line mere moments before the 1700h cut off, with a full team of race management willing the boat on, one senior RHKYC staff member offering to donate a weekend’s sailing lessons if they failed to finish, and the entire population of the Main Bar sending up a rousing cheer as they crossed the line. A remarkable performance when everyone else was breaking records!

DID YOU KNOW? The previous record time for ‘Around the Island’ stood for 23 years at 2h 41m 57s by Dennis Wong (Skipper), Francis Ong and Paul Zimmerman (Crew) on a Hobie 21. Ys | WINTER 2014 | 39

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40 LOGBOOK CALENDAR ASIAN REGATTAS

Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race 2013 by Guy Nowell

REGATTA CALENDAR 2014 JANUARY

Royal Langkawi International Regatta Langkawi, Malaysia www.langkawiregatta.com ABC Four Peaks Race Hong Kong www.abclubhk.com

FEBRUARY

Mount Gay Neptune Regatta Nongsa Point Marina, Indonesia www.neptune-regatta.com Subic-Boracay Race Subic Bay, Philippines www.subicsailing.com

PHOTO: GUY NOWELL

MARCH

Boracay Cup Boracay, Philippines www.phinsailing.ph

ome say this race should be run every year. Some say it’s the best fun you can have in Asia with all your clothes on. All we know is that the sled ride from Hong Kong to Vietnam is the best opportunity in this part of the world to haul a** for 650nm. It is the best and longest offshore race in Asia, it’s off the breeze all the way, and it is destined to become a Blue Water Classic. The 2013 edition of the Vietnam Race attracted a record 17 boats, including – thanks to some concerted lobbying from the organising committee and some event-friendly media – six overseas competitors. While speaking with some sailors in Japan, Race Chairman Geoff Hill received the reply, “that sounds great, but this is the first we’ve heard of it until now.” There’s a lesson there. First out of the harbour was Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin 90, with Matt Humphries and Ian Walker along for the ride. Long legs cover lots of miles, and sure enough ‘Rags’ led the race from start to finish, setting a new elapsed time record of 42h 41m 20s, a mere 4m 21s ahead of the existing time. But it was Bryon Ehrhart’s exceptionally well-prepared TP52, Lucky, from the USA (and having come straight from the Transpac Race) that took the handicap honours. Ray Roberts (One Sails Racing) came in second, and Sam Chan’s FreeFire was third, delighted to finish in one piece. Others were not so fortunate – the Vietnam Race is a gear-tester, with Avant Garde retiring close to the start of the race with steering failure and Steve Manning’s Walawala 2 actually sinking as a result of rudder damage. And on that note, many thanks to Krampus, the RHKYC Emergency Response Team, and especially the Government Flying Service for their various parts in a wholly successful rescue operation. For all those who enjoyed the race – sorry, you’ll have to wait until 2015 for the next spinnaker-shredder to Vietnam!

Lipton Trophy 2013 by Guy Nowell

PHOTO: GUY NOWELL

he Lipton Trophy marks the start of the Top Dog Trophy Series, a set of three pursuit races plus the Around the Island Race. ‘Pursuit’ racing involves the boats starting not together, but at different times determined by their respective handicaps. Smaller, slower boats first; bigger, faster, boats last; the leaders looking anxiously over their shoulders as the back markers claw up to them; the late starters wondering is there’s going to be enough ‘runway’ with which to catch the minnows in front of them. First across the finish line is the winner. It was an unusually blustery day on Victoria Harbour, with a steady 18-20kts gusting to 25kts. Six boats declined the start and ten more retired during racing, leaving just 28 crews to duke it out in the testing conditions. Up to Shau Ke Wan, and back to triangles around Kowloon Bay, Dock buoy and Gate buoy as the clock ticked closer and closer to the allotted finish time. The smallest boats held on to their lead for a long time, but the continuous full-pressure breeze meant that there were no holes, not even a soft patch. First the Flying Fifteens caught the Pandoras, only to be caught in turn by the Etchells. For those who resisted the temptation to lie down on their side - and there were plenty of broaches that afternoon, including Salona 41 who ended up with a broken mast as well - it was hang-on-and-hellfire stuff. Mark Thornburrow's E22 Dream On was the eventual winner, closely followed by four more Etchells. Inevitably, it is going to be a good prizegiving party if you have Veuve Cliquot and Becks beer on the guest list, and so it was. The RHKYC’s well-practiced pursuit race RO, Gareth Williams, gave away the prizes, and nobody needed any further encouragement to have a good time.

MARCH

Philippines Hobie Challenge West Philippine Sea www.hobiechallenge.ph RHKYC Pedro Blanco Race Hong Kong www.rhkyc.org.hk

APRIL

Rolex China Sea Race Hong Kong to the Philippines www.chinasearace.com Commodore’s Cup Regatta Subic Bay, Philippines www.subicsailing.com Top of the Gulf Regatta Pattaya, Thailand www.topofthegulfregatta.com

Ys | WINTER 2014 | 41

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42 LOGBOOK CALENDAR ASIAN REGATTAS

Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta 2013 by Guy Nowell

MAY

RHKYC Spring Regatta Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong www.rhkyc.org.hk

MAY

Samui Regatta Koh Samui, Thailand www.samuiregatta.com

JUNE

Borneo International Regatta Challenge Sarawak, Labuan, Sabah, Malaysia www.borneorace.com

JULY

PHOTO: GUY NOWELL

Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek Phuket, Thailand www.phuketraceweek.com

t was ‘all change’ this year at Asia’s peripatetic coastal-hopping regatta. Different gathering venue, different start line at Port Klang, different finish line in Langkawi, and a different final venue in Langkawi too. Aficionados of the Raja Muda will be aware that apart from being a movable feast (or regatta) in sailing terms, the Raja Muda has gone through a number of tweaks and tunings over the years. This time boats foregathered at Pulau Indah Marina, instead of in the less-than-pristine Klang River at the Royal Selangor Yacht Club. Pre-regatta social events still took place at the RSYC, which was a good thing as Pulau Indah has all the character of cold porridge. A new start line at the south end of the Angsa Bank called for new tactics in the opening miles of the first race, to Pangkor, principally that of not straying onto a bank that dries at low tide (although it is liberally demarcated by fish traps – just don’t go where you can see the traps!). It was a hunt for breeze to get the fleet from Pangkor to Penang, and the Penang inshores races were conducted in miserable, cold, relentless drizzle. The last offshore (Penang-Langkawi) ran to a finish off Telaga Harbour up at the northwest corner of the picturesque island group, where the fleet was subsequently accommodated. The last two days’ inshore races were run in a shifting breeze that on the first day had RO Jerry Rollin abandon racing in sheer exasperation, and the next day squeeze in just one race, against all the odds. After ten years of trying, and six different boats with which to do so, Bill Bremner finally hoisted the Raja Muda Trophy above his head before filling it up with the biggest rum-and-coke that Langkawi has ever seen. He said, "winning the Raja Muda against the level of competition that we see here regularly – especially the Hong Kong boats – is a dream come true. We worked no harder for this win than we have all the other years, which means that we have been working damn hard for 10 years!" Congratulations to all the Foxies on their very broad streak of perseverance. Next event will be the 25th edition of the Raja Muda.14-22 November 2014. www.rmir.com

Phuket King's Cup by Guy Nowell

PHOTO: GUY NOWELL

he Phuket King’s Cup is the big Pooh Bah of the Asian regatta circuit, and nobody is likely to knock it off its perch in the near future. An event that can rustle up 100+ entries, throw a fistful of good parties, and offer a venue with as much after-hours entertainment as Phuket has on hand is a hard act to beat. Add in the tone and solemnity of the Royal Presentations, and the King’s Cup – the annual birthday salute by sailors to another sailor, His Majesty the King – and the event is pure gold. Of course, gold goes well with blue, but the deep ultramarine water that we normally see in Thailand was notably absent. In fact, the King’s Cup was a remarkably ‘grey’ regatta, although that was nothing to do with the racing. This year’s 107-strong entry list included 29 in the Bareboat and Open Charter divisions, and another eight (at least) in the IRC and Cruising classes were on charter. This is something that other regatta organisers should think on when wondering why their events don’t grow beyond a certain point: do you have a charter operator near you? For a further boost in numbers, say hello to the Russians, of which there were 37 crews this year. Vladivostok in December, or Phuket? It puts it in perspective. Not so long ago the King’s Cup was expecting an influx of entries from China – now they are considering publishing the Sailing Instructions in Russian! Ray Roberts and One Sails Racing won the blue riband Racing division of the King’s Cup for a record 5th time. (In that particular league table, Bill Gasson has won the event four times, and so has Neil Pryde.) 2nd place went to Oi! (Peter Ahern), just one point back after 11 races in five days and a truly spirited tussle on the water. Next regatta, 1-7 December 2014. www.kingscup.com

JULY

Sail Indonesia Darwin to Singapore www.sailindonesia.net

AUGUST

Darwin to Ambon Race & Rally Darwin, Australia to Ambon, Indonesia www.darwinambonrace.com.au Western Circuit Regatta Singapore www.westerncircuit.com

SEPTEMBER

ABC Opening Regatta Aberdeen, Hong Kong www.abclubhk.com HHYC Port Shelter Regatta Port Shelter, Hong Kong www.hhyc.org.hk

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44 LOGBOOK CALENDAR ASIAN REGATTAS

Royal Langkawi International Regatta 2014 by Guy Nowell

SEPTEMBER

RHKYC Autumn Regatta Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong www.rhkyc.org.hk

OCTOBER

China Coast Regatta Middle Island, Hong Kong www.chinacoastraceweek.com Hong Kong Kettle 2014 Hong Kong www.rhkyc.org.hk

NOVEMBER

PHOTO: GUY NOWELL

China Cup International Regatta Shenzhen, China www.chncup.com HHYC 24hr Dinghy Race Hong Kong www.hhyc.org.hk

t’s the first event on the calendar for the year, 13-19 January, long enough for the echoes of the New Year to have subsided but soon enough to mark a brand new start to the serious regatta season – and make no mistake, the Royal Langkawi is a serious regatta. Langkawi is a spectacular venue for a regatta, with the host venue Royal Langkawi Yacht Club delightfully positioned at the northeastern end of Bass Harbour, giving the racing fleet easy access to the archipelago’s ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ racing areas as well as the islands that provide the courses for the cruising divisions. ‘Spectacular’ might even be an understatement, with races run in proximity to the fabulous limestone karst scenery that makes up this handful of islands, a UNESCO Geopark of towering cliffs luxuriously draped with tropical vegetation. Not for nothing is Langkawi also called ‘The Jewel of Kedah’. But the 2014 regatta, for all the natural beauty of its surroundings, will be remembered above all for five days of solid non-stop breeze that graced the 44boat fleet with some the best sailing conditions we have seen at a regatta in a long while. Racing was conducted in nothing less than 14 kts, and on the last day gusts of up to 28-30 kts were causing some problems – a few boats out of control and a number of breakages but nothing too severe. A1 race management from RO Simon James and his team, and the excellent hospitality of the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club rounded out the event. After winning the first three iterations of the RLIR, followed by an absence of some eight years, Peter Ahern returned to Bass Harbour with a new boat, the ‘old’ crew, and enough attitude to take the Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy for the fourth time. Frank Pong’s Jelik finished strongly only two points adrift and with more wins on the scoreboard, but hampered by a poor start to the regatta. This regatta has been getting better and better in recent years – so mark 12-17 January 2015 in your diary now. www.langkawiregatta.com

ABC Four Peaks Race2014 by Guy Nowell

PHOTO: EILEEN SZE

escribed by one enthusiast as “unique and addictive,” Asia’s premier adventure race deserves to be much, much better known. Take a crew of sailors and runners, set a course around the substantially under-advertised coastal scenery of Hong Kong, and make them stop every now and again to scale mountains with an aggregate height of 2,422m. This year was the 30th anniversary of the Aberdeen Boat Club’s blue riband event, and it did not disappoint. January in Hong Kong is ‘cool’ at the best of times, and it can be downright cold. However, 2014 provided sunshine and good winds to get the 35-strong fleet under way on the Saturday, giving way to some patchy breeze and ‘parking lots’ during the night, specially organised to test the patience of the sailing crews. Sunday arrived with a fresh northeasterly breeze to round out the race and blow Helmuth Hennig’s Vineta across the finish line after 90nm and 19h 25m of racing. Along the way, the runners went to the top of Ma On Shan (702m), Violet Hill (433m), Lantau Peak (934m) and Mt Stenhouse (353m), the ascent of each peak starting, inevitably, from sea level. This means that although sailing and running are the principal qualities in demand, amphibious landings on beaches from a kayak or an inflatable is a useful item in the crew’s skill-set. And don’t forget to include orienteering, map reading and night navigation as well – this scribe knows full well, having got lost on Mt Stenhouse in the dark some 25 years ago! The ABC Four Peaks Race is about seamanship, tactics, hillcraft, fitness and endurance. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted. So congratulations to Nick Southward and the stalwarts on board Whiskey Jack for a fine win in IRC 1, and the crew of Ragamuffin for taking out the ‘short course’ title.

NOVEMBER

RHKYC Lipton Trophy Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong www.rhkyc.org.hk Tommy Bahama Around the Island Race Hong Kong Island www.rhkyc.org.hk Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta Port Klang, Malaysia www.rmsir.com Monsoon Cup Terengganu, Malaysia www.monsooncup.com.my

DECEMBER

Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Phuket, Thailand www.kingscup.com Asia Superyacht Rendezvous Phuket, Thailand www.asia-superyacht-rendezvous.com

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46 LOGBOOK BOATSHOW REVIEW MACAU

The 3rd China (Macau) International Yacht Import and Export Fair

DID YOU KNOW? Macau is the only place in China where gambling is alowed, and The Venetian Macao, owned by the Las Vegas Sands, is the largest casino in the world.

he 3rd China (Macau) International Yacht Import and Export Fair was a combination of three separate shows featuring yachts, business jets, and a very extensive car exhibition. The boat show element had two venues this year - a small indoor exhibition in a large area at the Venetian Macao Convention and Exhibition centre, and an even smaller (eight boats) in-water display at Macao Qingzhou Yacht Club Pier, otherwise known as the Clube Nautico de Macau. Although the water show was not as strong as previous years, there were some international brands that took part and most noticeable was the 40m Sunseeker which dwarfed the other yachts on display. Maiora, Cranchi, Sunbird, Monterey, Delta and Sea Ray represented the motorboat side of the industry, and Jeanneau was the sole sailing brand on display. Looking to the future, the show will benefit from its connection to the business jet and car exhibitions which were both substantial, and attracted a lot of interest from residents in Macau, Hong Kong and a significant number of visitors from Mainland China. Visitors were from the high-end financial and real estate sectors, as well as bank VIP clients, high-end club and casino members. A number of activities engaged visitors over the three-day show, with yacht dealers offering sea trials to potential customers, as well as a daily show of young ladies modeling swimwear. The business jet display had increased by 45% from the previous year, and

there was an impressive showcase of 16 aircraft on the tarmac. The major manufacturers and business jet operators were there Airbus, Boeing, Gulfstream, Dassault Falcon, Bombardier, Hawker, Piaggio and Cessna were on display for visitors to experience firsthand. The organisers are striving to make this an annual event, and with the rise in domestic aviation in China this show is definitely a positive contribution to the region. Equally impressive this year was the auto show that included a range of super luxury sports car brands such as Bugatti, Koenigsegg, and Lamborghini as well as the ever-popular luxury names such as Mercedes, Bentley, Audi and BMW and some collector's cars such as the AC Cobra. Besides the new cars there was a vintage car exhibition called ‘Time Tunnel’ which was made possible by the Classic Car Club of Hong Kong. The display included a 1973 Jaguar E type convertible and a 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS amongst 20 others. Add to the mix a Chinese contemporary painting exhibition, a golf tournament, a high-end wine tasting and a raffle prize that included a luxury car and award winning bottles of wine, and you have an event that is popular with the crowd. With strong support from the Macau SAR Government, the Central Liaison Office in Macau and a number of other government departments and agencies, the 4th China (Macau) International Yacht Import and Export Fair is set to grow in 2015.

EDU'&~

OPPOSITE PAGE: Government officials and VIPs visit the 40m Sunseeker CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Luxury car display at the automobile exhibition; Maiora on show; business jet show at Macau Airport; jetskis babes; novel seaplane; classic cars on show; Sea Ray is runabout

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48 LOGBOOK BOATSHOW REVIEW PATTAYA/PHUKET

Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show

he Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show held at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in November 2013 was the second edition for this newcomer to market. The multi-million dollar selection of boats, supercars and bikes, luxury properties, marine products and services, attracted over 4,000 visitors to the threeday show. Both Thai national visitors and expatriates showed an interest in the marine leisure lifestyle. Talking about the Boat Show’s aims, Deputy Managing Director Supatra Angkawinijwong of Ocean Property said, “Having launched the Show last year, our goals for 2013 were to grow the number of exhibitors, increase the display area, and to attract a larger and more diverse visitor demographic to the Show. This year I believe we have achieved this.” Many exhibitors confirmed the success of the show including Sergio Loiacono, Simpson Marine’s Country Manager, Thailand. “This was our second year at the show and you can see the progress. We have a few interesting clients as a result of the show. Probably 30-40% of visitors to our display have been Thai, 30% Russian and the rest a mix of other nationalities.” Princess Yachts Bangkok, a subsidiary of the luxury importer Niche Cars, presented a selection of luxury motor yachts, including the popular V39 sports cruiser. “We had a lot of interest from visitors, and welcomed celebrities and well-known businessmen to our display.” said Anchita Chotisirikul, Secretary to the Managing Director, Niche Cars Co., Ltd. “We sold a THB21.5 million yacht, and expect to sell three more based on interest shown at the show.” Wirat Pholpradab, President of A.G. Cars & Marine Co., Ltd., exclusive dealer in Thailand for the well-known line of Cranchi motor yachts, said after the first day, “We had over 50 visitors, and more than 20 of them showed genuine interest in buying a Cranchi.” Complementing the luxury boats and marine lifestyle offering at the show was a large display of leading auto marques, including Lamborghini, Porsche, Land Rover, Harley Davidson and Ducati. Both car and motorcycle distributors were showing new models for the first time in Thailand, and visitor feedback was positive. The demographics of Thailand’s marine marketplace are changing. Russians are buying boats in Thailand and keeping them there. There is continued strong interest from overseas buyers from nearby Asian cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong, who can conveniently fly to Bangkok and then drive down to Pattaya in just 90 minutes. Thais living in Bangkok are also looking at Pattaya as the seaside destination for the weekend lifestyle. “We see an exponential growth in Russians buying boats in Pattaya, but there is also a genuine interest from Thais in buying sailing boats compared to a few years back when they were only considering buying motor yachts,” said Mr Loiacono.

PIMEX

y the last day of the show over 3,800 visitors from 56 different countries had enjoyed viewing the yachts on display at the show, as well as soaking up the social scene on the boardwalk. Over half of the visitors were from outside Thailand, and the vast majority of those were from Russia. Princess Yachts Southeast Asia had an impressive line-up of five motor yachts from 43ft up to a newly arrived 83-footer. Sunseeker Thailand displayed their 63ft and 73ft models andÂ Go Boating Thailand - representing Gulf Craft, Majesty and Silvercraft - lined up four yachts, including the brand new Silvercraft 36HT. Simpson Marine had the most yachts on display, including two Lagoon Catamarans (620 and 400), two Beneteau sailing yachts, a Beneteau GT49 motoryacht and three brokerage yachts including the Azimut 105 which was the biggest yacht at the show. Pinnacle Marine have recently been appointed as distributor for Azimut Yachts in Thailand, and had an Azimut 82ft model on display. Lee Marine, representing Ferretti Group, Pershing and Riva as well as Jeanneau, clocked up their 11th show to complete a 100% record at PIMEX exhibitions. Derani Yachts represent Fairline, Pursuit Yachts and a number of other brands, and were showing off a Fairline Squadron 50 and a Pursuit OS315. In the indoor exhibition space they were promoting the Sanlorenzo superyacht range for which they are now the Thailand rep. Northrop & Johnson Asia, one of the largest and most respected yacht brokerages in the world, now has a base in Thailand and is one of the first global yacht brokerages in Asia to link the yachting centres of America, Europe and Asia. Multihull Solutions from Australia, who are now the distributor for Fontaine Pajot in Thailand displayed one of their sailing Catamarans ,which are becoming increasing popular for exploring the surrounding cruising grounds of Phang Nga Bay. While Wider Yachts Asia, the all-new and highly innovative marque from the founder of Pershing, Tilli Antonelli, displayed their unique Wider 42 for the first time in Thailand. In the exhibiton hall, SMART Property - the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading luxury property show - highlighted a number of regional and international investment opportunities including such developments as Knight Knox, Megaworld, Rightmove Pattaya, Hamilton Grand, Net Estates from Prachuab Kirikhan, and Vista Del Mar and RPM La Reserve from the island. On the closing night there was a sumptuous poolside cocktail party at the RPM villa hosted by Aziamendi with Michelin 3 star chef Eneko from the recently opened Iniala Resort in Phang Nga, and entertainment by the lovely Eka.

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50 LOGBOOK BOATSHOW SINGAPORE

Singapore Yacht Show

ithout a shadow of a doubt, the third edition of the Singapore Yacht Show is fast shaping up to be the largest and most popular boat show in Asia. To be held at One˚15 Marina, 10-13 April

2014, the rapidly expanding show is testimony to the growing interest in boating, especially superyachts, in Asia. International superyacht brands such as Benetti, Heesen, Alloy Yachts, and Sanlorenzo will all be present, along

with some of the biggest international brokerage houses including Northrop & Johnson, Edminston & Company, and Burgess. Design houses will also be in attendance with Philippe Briand and Axis Group making their first appearances at the show. A key evolution at this year’s show is the inclusion of the largest superyachts into the main on-water exhibition area. This year one of the many highlights of the show will be the stunning superyacht Vertigo, the seventh largest sailing yacht in the world, built by Alloy Yachts of New Zealand. Also in attendance will be the 50m Exuma which was the first yacht in Perini Navi’s innovative Picchiotti Vitruvius motoryacht line. Launched in 2010 this expedition-style yacht has ventured to some of the most exciting destinations in the world. Joining them will be the luxurious Cloud 9 built by CRN, and with her Andrew Winch interiors she is certainly a head turner. As well as the superyachts there will be an extensive display of motor

and sailing yachts from the leading production shipyards. Brands being showcased includes Azimut, Ferretti, Dominator, Monte Carlo, Sessa, and Wider Yachts from Italy; Fairline, Princess, and Sunseeker from England; and Beneteau, Prestige and Jeanneau from France. From the UAE comes Gulf Craft, and Leopard catamarans from South Africa. Central to the success of the show is its partnership with W Singapore, which serves as the event’s principal luxury accommodation and social venue for the Show, and also the host venue for the Gala Dinner. The sixth edition of the Asia Pacific Superyacht and Boating Conference (APSBC) will be held on the two days before the show opens. In keeping with the highly popular widening scope of the show the forum will include a range of topics that are relevant to the boating industry, as well as broader plenary sessions and ‘streams’ dedicated to both superyacht and general boating interest subjects.

Boat Show Calendar 2014 Mar.01-03

Mar.04-08

Mar.20-23

Apr.10-13

Boat China & Water Sports Expo

Dubai International Boat Show

Hainan Rendez-vous

Singapore Yacht Show

VENUE:

Guangzhou, China www.chinaboatshow.org

VENUE:

Dubai, UAE www.boatshowdubai.com

VENUE:

Sanya, China www.hainanrendezvous.com

VENUE: Sentosa Cove ww.singaporeyachtshow.com

Apr.10-13

May 09-11

May.8-11

May 22-25

19th China (Shanghai) International Boat Show

Gold Coast Boat Show

Taiwan International Boat Show

Santuary Cove International Boat Show

VENUE: Shanghai, China www.boatshowchina.com

Hong Kong www.hongkonggoldcoastboatshow.com

VENUE: Kaohsiung, taiwan www.boatshow.tw

VENUE: Queensland, Australia www.sanctuarycove.com

Jun.07-08

Jun.12-15

Jul.31-Aug 04

Sep.12- 21

2nd Indonesia Yacht Show

Korea International Boat Show

Sydney International Boat Show

Southampton Boat Show

VENUE: Jakarta, Indonesia www.yachtsexpoasia.com

VENUE: Goyang, Korea www.koreaboatshow.org

VENUE: Sydney, Australia www.sydneyboatshow.com.au

VENUE: Southampton, UK www.southamptonboatshow.com

VENUE:

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52 LOGBOOK PARTIES ASIA SUPERYACHT RENDEZVOUS

Super Challenge The Asia Superyacht Rendezvous, sponsored by Feadship, enjoyed its 13th edition with 11 beautiful superyachts in attendance. The event was hosted at the luxurious Kata Rocks development, overlooking Kata Beach. The superyacht fleet enjoyed an action packed two-day programme that was competitive and social both on and off the water. The Feadship Challenge brought owners and crew together for some relaxed entertainment, and the final night of the Rendezvous included the Boat International Media Gala Dinner and a crew party sponsored by Sevenstar. PHOTOS: GUY NOWELL

Clockwise from above: Crew party sponsored by Sevenstar; crew of Shamoun with Cpt Dave Roberts (centre right) and Megan Loggenerg; Peter Wood (centre) with crew of Sunshine; dramatic fire dancing display

Clockwise from above: Chantal Fernandes, Gulu Lalvani, Tanyuta Singhmanee and Gordon Fernandes; Sundowners; Johnny and Pamela Warrilow, Koos Zitman; Greg Ferris, Richard Pope, Max Brown and James Brown; Holly Lunn and Victoria Lister with crew of Shamoun (centre); photo booth fun; Chomphu Phasuksom and guest; Michelle Hossack, Suzi Lochner, Zara Tremlett, Koos Zitman, and Khun Dome

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54 LOGBOOK PARTIES PHUKET KING'S CUP REGATTA/ROYAL LANGKAWI INTERNATIONAL REGATTA

Royal Racing The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is on every racer’s wish list. For its 17th edition the regatta saw 108 yachts on the start line and over 1000 participants enjoying five days of racing and parties. Supported by the Kata Group and organised by the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, the official prizegiving is presided over by HM the King’s Personal Representative Admiral Mon Luang Usni Pramoj, and sees winners take home their own replica of the King’s Cup Trophy. PHOTOS: GUY NOWELL

Clockwise from above: Organising Committee and HM the King’s Personal Representative; Bill and Janice Bremner; International Jurors; Anthony and Hong Yu Root; Jo Aleh, Jamie Boag; Lisa and Matt Allen; Opening Ceremony

Clockwise from above: Tunku Soraya Dakhlah, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed and Datuk Mirza Taiyab; Tunku Dato’Ya’Acob and Team Oi!; Tammi and Bryan Willis; a splendid Closing Party; Malaysian ‘youth’ sailors; Nicolas Pinder, Suzzane and Christina Tunku Halim and Roslan Wilkinson; Tunku Soraya Dakhlah

Island Style Perfect sailing conditions combined with plenty of Island Style made the Royal Langkawi International Regatta a real hit with the sailors this year. The regatta was hosted by the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club, and saw 45 boats competing in some of Asia’s finest sailing waters. The signature Around the Island Race saw a new race record set by Frank Pong’s Jelik. The Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy was presented by Tun Matahir Mohammed to Peter Ahern (AUS) and his crew sailing the TP52 Oi! Tunku Soraya Dakhlah invited everyone back for the 2015 regatta, saying there was ‘something special’ planned for the 10th anniversary regatta. PHOTOS BY GUY NOWELL

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56 LOGBOOK PEOPLE JIM STOLL

OCEAN TRAVELLER

Jim Stoll has spent a lifetime at sea, and uses sailing as the teaching medium for his ActionQuest and Seamester educational programmes to influence young people in a thoroughly positive way.

TEXT BY SUZY RAYMENT AND GUY NOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUY NOWELL ABOVE AND RIGHT: Argo at the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous in Phuket; Jim Stoll at the helm

im Stoll greeted us as we arrived on the Argo. The 120’ staysail schooner had just finished racing in the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta and the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous. “We were racing here in 2006, in the Classic Class, and it is nice to be back,” said Stoll. “We enjoy sailing in Thailand. We feel that we are in home waters, as the yacht was built in a Bangkok shipyard in 2004.” Since then Argo has circumnavigated the globe twice as part of the ActionQuest and Seamester educational programmes that Stoll first set up, and now runs and supervises. Stoll has been involved with yachts and sailing for most of his life and he tells us that the sailing-based educational activity programmes that he has developed are a result of both parental influences and having sailed with his mentor, the

legendary Irving Johnson. “My parents, George and Betty Stoll, established a unique educational programme that was known as the ‘Flint School’. This was a year-long study and travel experience that took teenagers around the world on a sailing yacht. I was brought up on a yacht, and when I grew older I took over responsibility for the sailing side of the operation, running our first schooner, the 156’ T Vega and then our second yacht Te Quest (175’)”. “Irving Johnson was another big influence in my life. He was like a father to me,” said Stoll. It was his ideas and suggestions that steered Stoll in a new direction. “Irving and his wife Electra circumnavigated the world seven times working for National Geographic, and during these voyages they always took young people on board with them. They inspired me to adopt a more positive educational approach that has been at the heart of our programmes ever since.”

Stoll decided to branch out on his own in the mid 1980s. He moved his wife and family of four on to dry land and spent the next few years developing ActionQuest as a summer adventure in which sailing was an integral part of a programme that included diving, water sports and marine biology. In 1995 Stoll met Mike Meighan, a graduate in oceanography and marine biology. Meighan dreamed of creating a truly interactive tertiary educational experience and by using the principles of ActionQuest, he developed Seamester, a live-aboard college-accredited ‘semester at sea’ that gave university students the opportunity to live a little outside the classroom while still retaining an academic focus. Seamester acquired the 88’ school ship Ocean Star in 1998 and, after an extensive re-fit, she headed for the Caribbean where she continues to ply the waters of the Lesser Antilles providing a waterborne platform for both adventure training and scholastic courses. ActionQuest and Seamester programmes now host over 600 young

people every year on board Argo and Ocean Star as part of their educational experience. To date, they have come from 17 countries and 25 states within America. “The sailing, scuba and marine biology skills are only the starting point of the Seamester experience,” said Stoll, who believes that life skills, seamanship skills, and academic training are all just as important as each other. “We know that we are doing our job well when, during the 90 days that they are on board, our students begin to take on full responsibility for operating the vessel. Custom built as a training vessel, the Argo has no electric winches for raising the sails, and so everyone has to work in unison just to get the vessel sailing in the first place!” Seamanship is an important part of the programme, but Stoll believes that learning to work cooperatively and taking on responsibilities are just as important at the end of the day. “I like seeing the students coming together as a team and taking on a variety of responsibilities. At the end of the programme they are so bonded that many remain friends for life,” says Stoll. In 2002 Stoll and Meighan went on to create yet another experienceYs | WINTER 2014 | 57

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58 LOGBOOK PEOPLE JIM STOLL

FROM TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: Argo crewed by students at the Phuket King’s Cup; the galley; the Nav station; bunk bed accommodation

based programme - Lifeworks International, a worldwide community service-learning programme for teenagers which teams up with local, national and international organisations that allow students to embark on meaningful service projects around the world. Stoll: “We were looking to give something back to the very many communities that have supported ActionQuest and Seamester for so long.” Lifeworks students are encouraged to consider what contributions they want to make to the world during their lifetime, how to give back, and how to serve. Life on board Argo follows a similar pattern each term. Each of 26 students learns basic seamanship skills, becomes a certified PADI scuba diver, and takes classes in marine biology from the team of seven dedicated and professional crew members. Not to mention the invaluable teamwork and life experience they will gain during their three months afloat. Argo is not a deluxe cruise liner, and is not meant to be. Students learn navigation, watch keeping, sailing and marine maintenance almost as a matter of necessity; a car has no function without a driver, and a 120’ ship takes a bit of driving. They progress their academic studies because that is a part of what they have signed on for. But they also learn how to live cheek-byjowl with 25 other young people, where personal space is limited, where the ability to work with a team – and sometimes to lead that team – means they may be called on deck at any time of the

day or night, where ‘we’ always comes before ‘me’, where taking a day off because you feel tired is not an option, and where the weather dictates a lot more than how you dress in the morning. It is an immersive experience that tests many of the youngsters as they learn to participate fully. To date the Argo has been around the world twice, and has given hundreds of Seamester students the chance to cross oceans while furthering their educational goals. These days Argo’s sailing programme is restricted due to the piracy issues in Somalia – the ship’s next ports of call after Phuket will be the beautiful cruising ground of Phang Nga Bay and then the Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea. The next leg will take the student crew to the Maldives, followed by a return journey to Thailand where the voyage will pause at Koh Samui, Koh Samet and Jomtien Port before arriving back in Bangkok in mid-April 2014 for some refurbishment work. As demand for places constantly outstrips supply, Seamester plans to build additional vessels in the future, based on the model of the Argo. ActionQuest, Seamester and Lifeworks programmes span the world and have brought significant changes to the lives of thousands of teenagers. To learn more you can read about Seamester, and the students’ experiences on the blogs they are encouraged to keep when staying on board. So take a deep breath and jump in.

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Specialist Yacht Team: LONDON, HONG KONG, NEWYORK, ROTTERDAM

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AREA:

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60 L OGBOOK PEOPLE JODY CHAPMAN

ASIAN APPROACH

Architecture might have been in the genes, but Chapman junior decided to study product design instead, and now that he is based in Singapore the designer is discovering what Asia has to offer to boating design.

TEXT BY SUZY RAYMENT PORTRAIT BY GUY NOWELL

ABOVE : Hampshire II OPPOSITE : Jody Chapman

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rchitecture might have been in the genes – both Jody Chapman’s father and grandfather were architects – but Chapman junior kicked over the traces went off to study product design. And it was a good start straight out of university, with Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin. “It was good disciple working for these large corporates, immediately after all the theoretics of studying,” says Chapman. “A course teaches you to design things, but it is something entirely different when you have to turn those designs into a commercial reality. Getting ‘grounded’ for real.” He also acknowledges that the automotive industry taught him to be rigorously disciplined in his approach to any new project. “There has to be a proper process, it is indispensible. There are matrices to fill in and deadlines to meet. And above and beyond anything else, there is a cost associated with absolutely everything,” he reflects. “It is very easy to draw something or to come up with a novel idea, but the real skill is getting that something into production in a viable format and at the right

price.” This is the umbrella of practicality under which he conducts his design practice to this day. Chapman was very close to the cutting edge of the car business, designing the interiors for sleek and fast machines. The minimalist approach was king, with everything flush and artfully concealed. His foray into the ‘big boat’ world came through the well-known superyacht design house of Redman Whiteley Dixon. “It was a completely different experience, and I loved it. I got to work with some of the best shipyards and brands in the world, and it was all about luxurious materials, sumptuous carpets and dedicated craftsmen.” Chapman has worked principally on motor yachts, but he has also contributed to the design of a number of sailing yachts both at RWD and Seventy Seven Design. Working on the 80m Feadship m/y Hampshire II proved to be an enormously pleasurable experience. “Having worked with the client before on his original yacht, Redman Whiteley Dixon was given the responsibility of both the interior and exterior of this amazing 80m Feadship. The client was very hands on, and it was a great opportunity to view first hand the knowledge and skills that Feadship brought to this project.” Chapman recalls that it was “doing a master class,”

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62 LOGBOOK PEOPLE JODY CHAPMAN

ABOVE LEFT: Concept exterior and interior drawings of the Zycraft ABOVE RIGHT: The Jaguar concept speedboat

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and remembers how one day, a beaming cabinet maker was pleased to show off to him the bedside table that he had spend six months building. “I was so impressed by the worker’s dedication to quality,” says Chapman. “It is rare to see such a level of quality in this day and age.” Always ready for another challenge, Chapman decided to move to Asia. “I wanted to embrace Asian design - and I hope this does not sound pretentious! – because I believe it is going to leap-frog western design in the coming years. Asia is on the fast track - just look at the technology coming out of Asia, it’s amazing!” Here is someone who prefers not to pigeon-hole ‘Asian design’. “Design in Asia is a little erratic at this early stage, and it still very often looks to the West rather than into its own culture. There are, however, a number of talented and unique Asian designers who are producing fantastic designs… people like Kenneth Cobonpue, the Filipino furniture designer, who has earned international acclaim for his creations using natural fibres such as rattan, bamboo, abaca (a species of banana) and buri palm. Shanghai Tang is another example,” according to Chapman. “And now Sir David Tang has created Tang Tang Tang after selling Shanghai Tang to LVMH. I am inspired by these Asian designers and brands.” Chapman has set up his own design company in Singapore and is aligning himself with some of the boating brands that are focusing on Asia. “I was recently involved in a powerboat project with a Singaporean company that produces a stealth yacht. Working with Zycraft was a very satisfying experience and really good fun. Often as a designer you are asked to come up with designs for very ethereal projects. They are tantalizing, but they rarely progress into production”. “Zycraft on the other hand is a well-engineered powerboat to begin with, so we had a good starting point”. Chapman believes that “design is best harnessed when you have some strict guidelines, as you know exactly how the product is going

to be constructed. As soon as you start taking away some of the restrictions, designers can tend to go off the rails and chase after some weird tangents.” With Zycraft this wasn’t going to happen. “It was fun bending the rules as we progressed through the design phase. I would say can we bend this bit of glass or can we move everything forward? Or, does the engine have to be just here because if we move it we can access more space? I was responsible for the exterior and interior design concepts, renderings and drawings. Now we just have to see if there is anyone who is interested in buying one!” Can Chapman carry any of his specifically automotive experience across into marine design? “Certainly. I was involved with a project for Jaguar that worked as we were not trying to make a car on water – but, rather, imbue the spirit of Jaguar into a sports boat. On the other hand, I remember a Bugatti boat design which was beautiful but didn’t make it into production, and there was a Porsche concept boat that looked good but again never became a reality. If you can adopted the right features and you are clever about it, and most importantly the design is good enough, then you can pull it off.” “Sports boats and sports cars have a lot in common. They both go fast in a straight line, and they look good while you cruise around in them. Sports boats are pretty simple instruments,” says Chapman. “Their purpose is to be fast and fun - unlike sailing yachts or superyachts, which are more multipurpose and therefore are more challenging projects for designers.” Last word? “Asia is presently more concerned with the name, the brand, than with the actual design,” he laments. “But this is possibly because people don’t have the same exposure to indigenous design culture or consider it a disciple in its own right. I believe that there will come a time – soon - when Asian design will be respected in the west in just the same way that Italian style is respected in Asia today.”

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64 LOGBOOK PEOPLE MARK TURNER

ark Turner is no stranger to offshore sailing, having competed in numerous Grand Prix events including the Whitebread Round the World Race, Transat Jacques Vabre and the Mini Transat. Having founded his company Offshore Challenges in 1998, he managed Ellen MacArthur’s successful Vendée Globe race, and her recordbreaking solo round the world nonstop record. Turner’s inside knowledge of sport combined with his business acumen has led him to be at the forefront of professional sailing. This combined with his passion for a number of outdoor sports, led him in 2013 to merge his company Offshore Challenge, with two other sports businesses

- ThirdPole and PCA - and create OC Sport in conjunction with Patrice Clerc, President of the Board. OC Sport specialises in outdoor events that are focused on running, cycling and sailing. This global sports marketing and events company has an international team of over 80 employees, and presently organises over 100 days of competition across 20+ events on four continents. “We consult with and work for corporations who are interested in connecting their businesses to a sports platform,” says Turner. “We work with events such as the MOD 70, which is the latest and most exciting multihull class on the European sailing circuit, and we also acted as a consultant for Nespresso during the last America’s Cup.” Closest to Turner’s heart, however, is the Extreme Sailing Series (ESS) which he created in 2007. “ESS is run as a commercial entity with each team paying OC Sport an entry

ACTION MAN

Mark Turner, himself a sailor, has taken the business of sailing into the corporate realm with the Extreme Sailing Series and OC Sport events. TEXT BY SUZY RAYMENT PHOTOS COURTESY OF LLOYD IMAGES fee. Each race in the series has an official home sponsor, and each team is either owned or sponsored in much the same way as is a football team.” He acknowledges that running sailing events in such a way requires the organisers to thinking differently about sailing, which in the past has usually been a much more Corinthian affair. Corporate team ownership is the preferred model for the ESS, explains Turner, but there are also some privatelyowned teams in the series such as Alinghi. “The Alinghi brand is owned by Ernesto Berterelli, (a previous winner of the America’s Cup), and it works because it is not so much about the individual owner but more about the brand.” Corporate sponsors in the current (2014) series include software and systems giant SAP who are both a sponsor of the series, provide ESS with tech support, and are a team sponsor as well, and GAC Pindar who provide logistics support for

the series (moving the yachts and teams from one venue to the next) as well as having a team in the event. Turner believes that the ESS is the perfect hospitality platform for B2B connections. “We have made it a rule that each boat must carry a spectator for all races, and as we have lots of races there are plenty of opportunities to get VIPs and sponsors out on the water. Even if you own a football team you never get the opportunity to go out on the pitch and play, so this is the main advantage of our event. Sponsors can really connect with their clients, and guests can experience extreme racing first hand when they go out on the boat in the 5th man position. Everyone comes back off the water loving the experience, and it is a real blast when the wind blows.” “Team sponsorship for the series does not come particularly cheap, with the cost being somewhere between €600,000 to €800,000 per year for the team. This includes the boat, the

ABOVE FROM TOP LEFT: Mark Turner; Action from the Extreme Sailing Series

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66 LOGBOOK PEOPLE MARK TUNER

ABOVE FROM TOP LEFT: The skippers line up in London for the Extreme Sailing Series 2014; Mark Turner and the Vice Mayor of Qingdao signing the host venue agreement for the Extreme Sailing Series

crew, and moving around the eight venues worldwide. If you crunch the numbers, each stopover comes out being in the five figure range, which is pretty reasonable given the coverage and the commercial opportunities available.” Aberdeen Asset Management is the major sponsor for this year’s opening event of the Series in Singapore. Now in their second year of a threeyear sponsorship programme, 2014 will see a bigger corporate hospitably programme taking place in the race village, and more involvement from the general public who will be able to watch the racing up close from the Marina Bay Stadium. Local sailors Scott Glen Sydney, one of Singapore’s top Laser sailors, and Asian Games keelboat match racing gold medallist Justin Wong return to the Series, hoping to impress the home crowd following a successful first outing this year. They will be joining forces with record-breaking Australian sailor Nick Moloney, an offshore sailing legend as well as a veteran of the Extreme Sailing Series. Turner believes these stadium events bring real value to the cities that sign up as host venues, “It is the perfect way to showcase a city and its waterfront.” Turner is very upbeat about the potential for professional sailing events in Asia. “Asia and especially China are relatively new to the sport and so there is more openness to try new things. Sailing in Europe is very developed and so it is difficult to get corporations and teams to think out of the box. Sailing has been more Corinthian in spirit and this has dictated how sailing has developed in the developed world. Not many people in China or Asia have been exposed to sailing but there is beginning to be some awareness of the sport following on from the Olympics in Qingdao. Now there is a desire to get out on the water but it is still very early days.” The Extreme Sailing Series is only one of several projects

that OC Sport is involved with. Other projects included the Artemis Offshore Sailing Academy in the UK, which is designed to help British sailors win major offshore solo and short-handed races. The ultimate goal of the Academy is to put a British sailor in a position to win the legendary solo, non-stop round the world Vendée Globe race in the future. The Academy, backed by Artemis Investment Management, was created by OC Sport in 2010. and is the first of its kind in the UK to specifically focus on the solo and short-handed racing disciplines, traditionally dominated by French sailors who have benefited from similar training academies in France. Turner and the team at OC Sport have recently taken over the running of the DongFeng Team in the next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race race. “We helped set up Oman Sailing several years ago, and this has given us a good track record for project managing such an initiative. DongFeng vehicle company is sponsoring an entry and we are project managing the team for the duration of the race. Despite the numerous successful sailing campaigns that Turner has been involved with, this will be his first Volvo Ocean Race campaign. “We are not only setting up a team to participate in the race, but we are building up the pool of local Chinese sailors who can become part of the team and actually race in the event. There are only a handful of professional sailors in China and there are few Chinese sailors who have ever sailed offshore. Only one or two who have sailed around the world. We are looking to create professional sailors who will be sailing at the top end of the sport, and we are creating these sailors from the ground up.” Turner believes you need to develop heroes in a sport for it to grow and develop. “Maybe some of our DongFeng team members will help to develop a offshore sailing culture in China.”

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JEFF BROWN

A new Benetti superyacht for a Hong Kong owner is called LADY CANDY P.70 and eight Chinese hopefuls are looking for new OFFSHORE OPTIONS P.90

IN A PERFECT MARRIAGE OF EAST AND WEST, LADY CANDY OFFERS THE ULTIMATE IN COMFORT, BEAUTY, TECHNOLOGY AND LUXURY FOR HER HONG KONG OWNER. TEXT BY NIC BOYDE IMAGES SUPPLIED COURTESY OF BOAT INTERNATIONA MEDIA

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LADy cANDY c,~o~c.~-

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•

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C Commissioned by an experienced Hong Kong Superyacht owner, Lady Candy was launched last year, and is on her way to Hong Kong. The latest in a series of Lady Candys, she has been designed, literally, from the inside out and incorporates several innovative uses of space. Lady Candy was conceived, designed inside and styled outside by Central Yacht, headed by Captain Paul Brackley, who is also the boat’s captain, an unusual double-act. Central Yacht also did most of the interior design for the guest cabins, while BAMO, a US interior design firm, did the rest of the interior design. Capital Yacht supervised the build too, and daily kept on top of design issues as they were translated into reality by Benetti and their contractors at Benetti’s Cantieri Orlando yard in Livorno. Benetti were responsible for the naval architecture required to achieve the exterior style and the interior layout, and for building this very substantial 962-ton boat. Lady Candy is a 56m 5-decker, designed from the beginning around the practicalities of managing service, ship operations and passenger and crew comfort in a vessel capable of very extended cruising. She has a range of 5,000nm, so is fully capable of a trans-pacific voyage.

An overview of her internal arrangement has to begin with the central circular lift rising through all four decks, and its surrounding semi-circular guest staircase. Right in the middle of the boat, thus minimising the effect of hull movement while under way, this connects the lower-deck and its guest accommodation amidships, to the main deck dining, saloon and bar entertainment areas, up to the upper deck owners’ accommodation and ultimately to the sun deck and its huge exterior, partly-shaded entertainment space. A completely parallel crew staircase runs alongside, top to bottom, permitting crew to access all the ship’s operational spaces without intruding upon the guest or owner areas while permitting discreet and rapid services to all areas of the boat. Getting this right is the key to the entire layout plan. Hot food has to be served hot, so the galley has to be centrallyplaced to cut transit times to a minimum. There’s a food hoist connecting a small pantry on each of the upper three decks. Crockery is stored locally and food can be plated locally, so staff don’t have to manage the risks of moving plates and food up and down staircases. Independent services can be maintained on each of the three floors if required.

PREVIOUS PAGE: Lady Candy in profile OPPOSITE PAGE AND ABOVE: Lady Candy’s stern and four rear decks; Lady Candy underway

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Heading aft, the saloon is made of three linked spaces: first the dining room, with its 14 seater dining table centrally placed, further back a main saloon with sofa seating, and aft again a large bar giving out on to an open shaded cockpit-like rear deck.

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The Main Deck aft of the central lift is the main interior entertainment space. Heading aft, the saloon is made of three linked spaces: first the dining room, with a huge 14-seat dining table centrally-placed, further back a large main saloon, with sofa seating, and aft again a large bar giving out on to an open shaded cockpit-like rear deck with yet more seating. Forward on the main deck is the substantial galley on port side with room for several chefs, or one really busy one, accessible through the crew communications stairs and corridors. Starboard, in guest country, is the cinema, a flexiblepurpose space that can be converted into other uses at need. Forward again is the garage with space for two jet-skis, a 4-seater rib, and a large 7.3m tender. This garage loads and unloads through the side of the boat, using an overhead gantry crane. This is one of the boat’s most innovative ideas, and reflects the experience of its designer as a veteran superyacht captain and the difficulties of actually launching tenders and embarking passengers over the stern in anything like a large sea. Right forward is the foredeck, space for another two jet-skis and a launching crane and the foredeck mooring equipment. Up another floor is the Upper Deck, and here are the two owner’s cabins, the Captain’s cabin and a crew berth. The main owners’ cabin is aft of the central lift lobby. Entrance is private, into a substantial saloon and an adjacent, walled-off study, which in turn gives onto a private lounge, eventually leading to the bedroom itself, semi-circular in form, looking over a private rear deck with independent staircase access to the main rear deck below.

CLOCKWISE, FROM OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: The main saloon; the forward owner’s suite; ensuite bathroom; cinema room; formal dining room

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A Massage Room leads off the central lobby, and forward is the Captain’s cabin on port side with a study area and its own bathroom, flanked on the starboard side by a crew berth. Forward of this another private entrance leads to the other owners’ cabin. This opens onto a dressing table/desk and lounge and forward past a bulkhead to the semi-circular bedroom, overlooking a private terrace and steps down to the foredeck. The Sun Deck, above all, is mostly aft, but the wheelhouse occupies the forward part of this deck. The crew staircase directly connects the Captain’s cabin below to the Wheelhouse which has a Navigator’s station off to one side. Flanking the wheelhouse on each side, are battleship-type flying bridges, permitting crew to overlook mooring activity or other ship-side operations. Aft is the enormous half-shaded external entertainment area. Under cover is another large circular dining table, seating 12, a bar and a satellite cooking area and buffet counter. Open to the skies behind this is a raised jacuzzi, with its very own miniwaterfall and stacks of sun-lounging space. Finally, the lower deck. At the very rear, accessible from the Rear Deck of the Main Deck, is the Beach Club: seating, a bar and bar-stools and a small fitness-room-cum-gymnasium. This space leads onto the substantial and sheltered swimming

platform, large enough itself to hold a couple of sun-loungers. Forward of this, but with its own access, is the engine room, and the incorporated Engine Control Room, domain of the Chief Engineer. Accessible from the central lift lobby are the four Guest Cabins, each capable of accommodating two people in double or twin configuration, each with a private bathroom, each with a dressing table/desk. Forward again, accessible from the crew staircase, are the crew cabins. The Chief Engineer has a single cabin, desk and bath on port side, with the crew mess on starboard side. Forward of this on two decks are a single berth and three double-berth crew cabins, all en-suite, extending into the forepeak, each room with natural light from a port light. Generally, much use is made of sliding doors to avoid creating dead space and corridors are central, helping mitigate disturbance due to ship movement, further mitigated by at-rest stablisers. The interior design of the guest areas is independent of the interior layout - finishes are replaceable and can be changed as changes in taste and style dictate without having to alter partitions or internal service channels. Air-conditioning and wiring are run through risers and ducting built-in to the layout plan permitting maintenance to be carried-out without affecting

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT OPPOSITE: Sweeping views from the main saloon; the owner’s private deck; upper deck for sunbathing

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Tech Specs

SUN DECK

UPPER DECK

MAIN DECK

LOWER DECK

Overall length

56m

DISPLACEMENT

3.5 tons (full load displacement)

Beam

10.6m

Draught

3.55

FUEL CAPACITY

130,000 Litres

WATER CAPACITY

18,000 litres

Main engines

No 2 MTU 12V 4000 M53 - 1.320kw @1800RPM

Max Speed and Range

17kts and 5,000miles@ 12kts

Naval Architeture

Azimut BEnetti SPA

Interior Designer

Central Yacht/BAMO

Concept & Exterior Design Central Yacht

the use of internal spaces. This amounts to a considerable saving on maintenance which in turn translates to a saving on crew staffing levels. This design is exceptionally-well thought-through from the point of view of the functionality of the individual components: crew-space, guest-space, service corridors, mechanical and electrical service routes, providing exceptional entertainment space that is easy to service, providing guests with space and privacy, and crew with their own space and privacy when they are off-watch. And somehow assembled into the shape of a finelooking superyacht without the loss of functionality or form. Lady Candy is a testament to a designer who has spent many years working on and managing superyachts, and an owner who has owned and run superyachts for even longer. Together, they and Benetti have created a truly functional design that is capable of displaying its form in any way desired.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT OPPOSITE: The beach club; spa and sundeck; launching the tender; engine room; birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye view of Lady Candy; the large swim platform that makes access to the water easy

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PHUKET P 80 |

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PLAYTIME IT’S ASIA SUPERYACHT RENDEZVOUS TIME AGAIN! A TIME WHEN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VESSELS IN ASIA COMPARE NOTES. THIS INVITATION-ONLY SUPERYACHT EVENT SEES OWNERS, GUESTS AND CREW PUSHING THE BOAT OUT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS OF ROLLICKING FUN IN THE SUN. TEXT BY GUY NOWELL AND SUZY RAYMENT PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUY NOWELL AND KEVIN MILLER

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Eleven superyachts came out to play at this year’s Asia Superyacht Rendezvous (ASR). Now in its thirteenth year, this Feadship-sponsored three day event brings together superyachts from around the region for plenty of sailing action and onshore parties. This year, the first time in a long while, there were more sailing yachts than motor yachts participating, and so the regatta element of the Rendezvous saw more action than usual. “Over the years we have seen more and more superyachts coming to Phuket during the high season in December,” says Gordon Fernandes, one of the event organisers. “Having these yachts in the region at this time of year was what prompted us to start this Rendezvous in the first place. Each year we have new yachts participating and some regulars returning.” According to Capt Charlie Dywer, “the size of the yachts increases every year, and we are now seeing the Who’s Who of the superyacht community visiting Asia, and staying longer in the region.” Dwyer, the other organiser behind the event, and also the skipper of Yanneke Too, sees the reason for the number coming to Asia as a direct reflection of the improvement of the infrastructure in the region for visiting superyachts. “Better marinas and availability of berths

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combined with better service facilities have made Phuket a destination of choice for many Captains.” Over the last five years, more than 30 superyachts have attended the Rendezvous, and the trend is for some of the superyachts to make it a regular event on their sailing calendar. A staunch supporter of the event for the last three years, Maverick was again the start boat for the two days of racing. Maverick’s owners were delighted when their crew won the Feadship Challenge this year. “We may not be a sailing yacht”, said the owner, “but the crew have shown that they have learned something over the years by attending this event.” The owner of Maverick also believes that the Rendezvous is a wonderful way to meet the other owners of superyachts who are cruising in the region. “We has been based in Asia for the last three years and it is hard to beat the cruising grounds in Thailand and the Andaman Sea, and the weather is fantastic all year round. I cannot understand why people want to stay in the Med where it is overcrowded and expensive. Phuket has a lifestyle that is second to none.” This year’s Rendezvous started off in great style with a peripatetic cocktail party on board a number of the participating yachts. With the fleet at anchor in front of the

PREVIOUS PAGE: The equally stunning s/y Sunshine and m/y Sapphire come out to play in Phuket OPPOSITE: The classic schooner s/y Sunshine shows off her sailing pedigree ABOVE: Poolside at the host venue Kata Rocks

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The Yachtstyle dictionary says: ‘Yacht-hop’ n. a vaguely nautical activity involving moving from one large and hospitable pleasure vessel to another, whilst being plied with tasty canapés and refreshing drinks, and trying not to fall in the water when transferring from boat to boat.’

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new Kata Rocks luxury property development, the host venue for the event, the owners and crew assembled for a Skippers’ Briefing and then it was time to go ‘yacht hopping’ to Maid Marian II, Schooner Sunshine and Yanneke Too. The Yachtstyle dictionary says: ‘Yacht-hop’ n. a vaguely nautical activity involving moving from one large and hospitable pleasure vessel to another, whilst being plied with tasty canapés and refreshing drinks, and trying not to fall in the water when transferring from boat to boat.’ There’s a certain skill required on such an occasion – balancing on a rolling deck whilst holding a glass of wine in one hand and a foie gras nibbly in the other (and, obviously not spilling the drink…), and then balancing the inclination towards another drink sweetly offered by a passing hostess against the desire not to get an all-over soaking on the next transfer leg. Many thanks to our various hosts for their hospitality during the evening - a good time was had by all, and everyone stayed dry! Next morning, at 1100h sharp, Race Officers Simon James and Andy Dowden, comfortably accommodated on Maverick and under the ever-watchful eye of Capt Rob Hossack, sent the ASR fleet’s six sailing vessels away on a 2nm two-sausage course ‘with the emphasis on reaching’. Peter Wood’s Schooner Sunshine was second over the start line mere moments after Yanneke Too, rolled into the lead almost immediately, and then handed out a sailing lesson to

all the other competitors. We try to avoid the sort of overcooked superlatives that usually infest press releases, but on this occasion the sight of Sunshine powering down the sunsplashed Phuket coastline in 15kts of breeze with a bone in her teeth was, indeed, nothing short of stunning. Adding even more sail area to the picture was Argo, and although she didn’t manage to win any prizes for speed, this educational training vessel did bring a youthful element to the regatta. It was ‘term break’, so the staff and crew of the school ship had some time to go sailing! Another beautiful competitor on the start line was the 33m Shamoun with her flowing exterior lines and elegant interiors. There’s even a fireplace in the main saloon! She is a true ‘Gentleman’s Yacht. She sailed elegantly around the course (that is, until she dropped her spinnaker over the side, but a full recovery was made) and then galloped to the finish line. The Turkish gulet Capricorn completed the sailing lineup and, although she did put up her sails to show form, her vast entertaining deck space and beautiful mahogany interior are more for relaxed cruising than any form of racing. With grace and elegance the French skipper gracefully retired before turning on the engine to join the rest of the fleet at the finish line. A new participant at the Rendezvous this year was Dr Ian Nicholson’s Dubois 80, Intrigue. ‘Doc Nic’ is a well-known face on the Asian racing circuit, and equally well-known at

CLOCKWISE, FROM OPPOSITE LEFT: The gentleman’s sailing yacht Shamoun; Sunshine and Argo cross paths; Turkish Gulet Capricorn; Owner and guests on Intrigue; Yanneke Too goes full steam head to the finish line

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the after-party. Intrigue has recently undergone a substantial renovation, and will no doubt be making a splash around Asia in the near future. For now – welcome to the show! When the yachts go racing they love an audience, and this was provided by the four handsome motoryachts in attendance to play and party alongside the sailors. At 50m Sapphire was the was the biggest yacht on the touchline, and she was joined by Moonsand (42m), Big Fish (45m) and the Grande Dame of the occasion, Maid Marian 2 (33m), recently refurbished and restored to her 1931 glory days and art deco theme. Another superlative, please? How about ‘breathtaking’? Each year the ASR organisers present crews with a bag of mystery ‘bits’, and give then an hour to build something that looks like a boat, that floats, and can be ‘blown’ down a race track in the form of a trough - or gutter, depending on when the party started. This is the Feadship Challenge, which every year serves to remind us that superyacht crews are not necessarily naval architects. Some have done this before, and worked out that a streamlined hull is less important than sail area, and both of those are beaten by a boat’s reluctance to sink or turn over, and the ability of the blower to drink beer, fast. After a great deal of huffing and puffing, and even more cheering, the crew of Maverick sailed home clear and popular winners. Bravo! However, the Feadship Challenge is not only about coming first across the line. This year’s design prize, judged by Singapore-based designer Jody Chapman, went to the skipper and crew of Intrigue, who built a ‘scrap’ yacht that performed well but also looked good, which is a very

CLOCKWISE, FROM OPPOSITE LEFT: The 41m m/y Moonsand; m/y Sapphire; the Race Officers ‘off duty’; the 1930’s classic Maid Marion; Kata Rocks the host venue; the beautiful m/y Maverick was the start boat for the racing

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Asia Pacific ~S;a~UIIQIW-.,&.~~

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Superyacht Visitors Since 2009 over 30 superyachts have attended the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous. These include: SAILING SUPERYACHTS

Argo Asia Anata Bristolian Capricorn Intrigue Obsessions II Perseus Silolona Shamoun Si Datu Bua Sunshine Thalia Twizzle Yanneke Too MOTOR SUPERYACHTS

Archimedes Big Fish Braveheart Callisto Helix Lady Array Maid Marion 2 Moonsand Maverick Naos Noble House Samax Sapphire Silver Zwei Vie Sans Soucis

important element of any superyacht event. Another race between the sailing yachts the next day had Schooner Sunshine rounding the first mark in the lead by a country mile (somewhat longer than a nautical mile) before making a tack into oblivion and the biggest and windless-est hole on the west coast of Phuket, sportingly allowing all the slower boats a tilt at the finish line. Dr Ian Nicholson’s Intrigue came from behind very much like the Duke of Plaza-Toro, to claim line honours in something less than 1kt of breeze. The afternoon’s entertainment consisted of a treasure hunt – the Search for Pirate Booty – which involved real mermaids (really!) and a lot of young people wearing handkerchiefs on their heads and saying “Arrrrr…” a lot. Superyacht crews may be even worse linguists than they are boat builders! The final fling of the Rendezvous was the Boat International Media Gala Dinner for the owners and VIP guests, hosted at Kata Rocks. There was a display of fire dancing to break the ice, with champagne and cocktails on the pool deck. The sunset view from the terrace was made

even more special by the collection of superyachts at anchor right in front. Then a truly superb spread prepared by Executive Chef Paul Quarchioni put everyone in the mood for a little dancing beneath the stars. Meanwhile, just a short walk away down at Kata Beach, the crews were enjoying their own party at the Re Ka Ta Beach Club, sponsored by Sevenstar Yacht Transport. The photo booth certainly got a good work-over, providing crews with an opportunity to take a little walk on the wild side and producing some hilarious results! As the saying goes, “a good time was had by all”. All too soon, it seemed, the Rendezvous was over. Two days of sunshine, breeze and stylish entertainment in a thoroughly classy setting that is sure to have the participants coming back for more at the end of 2014. Organisers Gordon Fernandez and Capt Charlie Dwyer are to be congratulated on another successful Asia Superyacht Rendezvous, and Richard Pope at Kata Rocks deserves a round of applause for putting together such an inspiring venue.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Photo call for superyacht owners and skippers; Pirates en masse ; Gordon Fernandes (ASR Organiser) Bas Nederpelt (Feadship) Richard Pope (Kata Rocks) and Koos Zitman (Feadship), sailors and mermaids; classic Thai welcome to VIP guests ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Poolside for cocktails, Intrigue wins the Design Award; Maverick the winners of the Feadship Challenge

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CHINESE SAILORS HAVE THEIR HANDS IN THE AIR FOR THE NEXT VOLVO OCEAN RACE. teXt bY GUY NOWELL pHotograpHs bY GUY NOWELL, OC SPORT AND VOLVO OCEAN RACE

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dong Fengâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; means East Wind, and this is the Chinese entry for the 11th VOR, the circumnavigating yacht race that began in 1973.

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It’s eight months until the start of the next Volvo Ocean Race, and they are burning the midnight oil in the Dongfeng camp. ‘Dong Feng’ means East Wind, and this is the Chinese entry for the 11th VOR, the circumnavigating yacht race that began in 1973 and calls itself – with plenty of justification – “one of the toughest events in sport”. This is the first time that a fully-funding Chinese sponsor in the shape of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co, the second largest automotive manufacturer in the country, is entirely serious about putting a competitive entry into the VOR. “We’re not here just to make up the numbers, so we need to make sure the men we select are capable and share our ambition,” says Dongfeng Race Team’s Director Bruno Dubois, himself a race veteran from 1989-90. The idea is to have a number of Chinese crew on the boat along with established VOR-type professional sailors. The trick is in how you pick ‘em. Dongfeng’s selection trials are being led by the OC Sport team who manage a similar selection process for the UK-based Artemis Offshore Academy. Over 200 original applicants were quickly whittled down to 20, but only eight of them made the next cut. “The bar was set very high right at the beginning,” says Dubois.

“We had applications from Olympic athletes, high level sailors from the AC45, Laser, and Finn classes as well as the Extreme 40 series and the Clipper Race. There were some very interesting sailing resumes, but what we are looking for now is quick learners who will gel into a team.” The selection programme in December last year at Serenity Marina, Sanya, was tough. Over a period of 36 hours, and with – deliberately – very little sleep, the 20 candidates were put through team building tests, physical strength activities and mental challenges. Now, the first Chinese sailors to join Dongfeng Race Team’s training squad have been named, and a second round of selection trials will decide who is tough enough to get on board the red boat for the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15. The ‘Lucky 8’ in the squad so far will be further whittled down. “This is where the hard work really begins for these sailors, as they try and earn a place on board the boat for the race,” says Dubois. Two Jeanneau Sunfast 3200s arrived at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in January 2014, and were quickly commissioned. After a quick photo-shoot in Hong Kong harbour, two teams of four sailors (with coach and on-board reporter) took to the deep blue ocean, racing the 32-footers to Sanya. For some it was their

previoUs page: The eight Chinese sailors competing to be on the Dongfeng Team opposite page, from top left clockwise: Sailing on matched Jeanneau Sunfast 3200s; testing problem-solving skills; survival at sea training; chill time; Fitness training; sitting on the rail

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first experience of sailing offshore, but the competition was no less fierce for all that. The 48-hr race certainly tested the sailors’ teamwork and ability to cope at sea, but the primary objective of the exercise was to provide some important offshore experience. The sailors were delighted to be home in China in time for the Lunar New Year holiday. Said Yang Jiru, “Recently, I haven’t known what my exact objectives were, but now I know. With Dongfeng Race Team I have something to work towards and something to push myself for. The New Year is a new start for me, and I am determined to become part of the final race team.” 43-year-old Wu Liang is thrilled to have made it this far, but has no illusions about the hard time ahead of him. Coming from Shanghai, Wu sailed with China Team in the America’s Cup and attended the Extreme 40 sailing races in Qingdao. “I understand how tough the race will be,” he claimed, “and I expect a lot if I can take part in it.” Cheng Yin Kit, previously a member of the AC China Team, has his eyes firmly on the VOR prize. “Sailing is a massive part of my life, and The Volvo Ocean Race is the biggest event in offshore sailing – it’s my dream.” The VO65 ‘Dongfeng’, built by Green Marine and launched

and sea-trialled in the Solent at the end of last year, will arrive in Hong Kong in February and then sail down to Sanya. Training with specialist coaches will continue, with the sailors covering physical fitness, first aid, sea survival training, radio operator training and boat handling skills. “And then,” smiles Bruno Dubois, “all we have to do is put our selected crew on board and sail the boat back to Alicante in time for the start.” This ‘serious’ approach to an event as big as the Volvo Ocean Race is something new in Asia. Says Mark Turner, Executive Chairman of OC Sport, “having a State Owned Enterprise on board the VOR makes this one of the biggest commercial partnerships in sports sponsorship – ever – in China. It is a major marketing project, using sailing to project the Dongfeng brand globally. And where does this take sailing in China? Well, we’d like to find the funding for a Chinese Ocean racing Academy, and by 2020 we’d love to see a Chinese skipper and a fully-Chinese crew in the Volvo Ocean Race. Are we dreaming too big? We’re putting the founding partners of that in place right now. The Chinese are hard-working and determined – and I am sure we see them succeed in ocean racing just as they have in other sports.” Watch this space.

opposite page clockwise from top left: Dongfeng press conference; the Dongfeng signing ceremony; Dongfeng Team sailing in Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong; under the watchful eye of John Thorn from Artemis Sailing Academy; training in Sanya; training activities Above: Farr designed VO65 Dongfeng takes shape at Green Marine in Southampton

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SURGE MARTIN LAI, THE ONLY CHINESE HOLDER OF A UIM CLASS 1 POWERBOAT LICENCE, BRINGS US UP TO SPEED ON THE ENORMOUS SCOPE OF POWERBOATING TODAY. TEXT BY GUY NOWELL PHOTOS BY onEDITION AND SIMON CHEUNG

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If you have a couple of million to spare, and an unquenchable thirst for speed, then try the Supercats and Class 1 boats. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find 3,000hpworth of inboard engines on a Supercat, and they are hitting top speeds of 200mph.

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Where you want to be with powerboats and powerboat racing is largely a matter of budget – rather like the difference between sailing a 100’ supermaxi and learning to sail a dinghy. And just like sailing, it’s a good idea to start at the smaller end of the sport. Entry level powerboat racing starts with RIBs, and the numerous ‘formula’ boats such as Formula Honda, Thundercats and Zapcats. Some of these race with engines as small as 50hp – but don’t be fooled, it doesn’t mean that they are slow! Next rung up the ladder might be the XCATs that race in the Arabian Gulf – Dubai mostly – with two 300hp engines on the tail, and reaching speeds of 140mph and more. Not fast enough? Then you need to get into the P1 class, with 800hp engines pushing you along, or maybe one of the 40’ Endurance class boats. If you have a couple of million to spare, and an unquenchable thirst for speed, then try the Supercats and Class 1 boats. You’ll find 3,000hp-worth of inboard engines on a Supercat, and they are hitting top speeds of 200mph, but you’ll probably have to go to Key West, Florida, to race one of these outrageous machines. These superboats have F16 fighter canopies and are powered by three or four inboard engines. They move so fast that helicopters often have difficulty keeping up with them when they are racing. And then there are the Inshore classes such as the F1 ‘tunnel’ boats, crazy fast one-man machines with 350hp engines, that race on closed courses on lakes, reservoirs, or rivers. Plenty of adrenaline there, crash-and-burn racing that keeps the drivers on their toes and the spectators on their feet. Key West is probably the mecca for powerboat racing. The variety of boats and classes of racing that happens there is

amazing. It is a hugely competitive scene, and this fuels the drive and creativity that makes the sport so exciting. It is a place where everyone is learning from each other - unless of course you are a competitor in the same class, and then the other teams tend to be a bit more secretive about how they set up their boats! There is a strong tradition of powerboat racing in the UK, Norway and Sweden, and World Championships have been hosted at various times in Germany, Spain, Croatia, and Portugal. Northern hemisphere races rarely venture down south to Australia and New Zealand simply because the shipping costs are prohibitive. Powerboat racing is immensely physical. Many of the top end car racers go on to become powerboat racers when they reach their 30s. They find that powerboat racing offers them new challenges, and allows them to continue their racing careers. It’s all a lot more ‘organised’ than it used to be – once upon a time anyone could turn up at a race or a race meeting with a boat and just get on with it. Now there are certificates and paperwork, and regulations to attend to. The world governing body is the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique). The UK’s racing programme is all overseen by the RYA (Royal Yachting Association), and it is actually a requirement that powerboat drivers start in the smaller classes and work their way up – which is fair enough. Ambitious racers will begin in boats of around 21ft and build up their skill levels over time. The top of the list is, of course, the World Championship in each class, and those are held at different venues around the world every year. High-end powerboat racing is not a cheap sport, which is why the big teams have sponsors. XCATs are a reasonably ‘economical’ class to race – Dubai provides assistance to get boats there, airfares,

CLOCKWISE, FROM OPPOSITE, TOP: Martin Lai and CK Siu from Ocean Dragon Racing Team; Team AI &AI racing neck to neck in Sicily; F1 racing in the UAE; AZ-tec and GGS Mermaid racing in Dorset

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shipping and so on, and there’s some impressive prize money to collect. And as long as your boat is class-legal, that’s about all there is to the regulations, which makes the XCATs more of a ‘turn up and race’ sort of class. The boats are relatively easy to drive when the course is straight and the water is flat (which is most of the time) but they sort the men from the boys on the corners – they have a tendency to flip over if you get it wrong. A lot of ‘offshore’ racing today is conducted just a few yards from a beach or harbour wall – it’s good for the spectators and good for the crowds, but it is hardly offshore. Recently there has been renewed interest in real offshore racing, a brutal test of crews and craft: races like Cowes – Torquay, Venice - Monte Carlo, Miami - Nassau, and Around Britain. In the 1980s the Cowes – Calais - Cowes Race would attract 70 boats or more – now you’ll only see ten. These were the really testing races, and they are on the way back. So how about a Hong Kong - Shantou Race? That would be exciting. China: now there’s a land of opportunity! The only regular powerboat racing in China is an annual F1 event in Shenzhen. There was a P1 event in Sanya recently, but powerboat racing is definitely not an established sport in China, yet. There’s a huge future for powerboat racing in Asia and China, just waiting for a promoter to make it happen… start with smaller boats – say, a 21ft racing boat with an outboard engine. Sponsorship is a big part of the sport, much like the F1 car racing scene. Hong Kong would be a great place to run a racing series as importing boats is not a problem, but there really is no support from the government. The Chinese authorities are a great deal more enthusiastic. All that’s needed there is a consensus of opinion and some simple rules and regulations – but not lots of complicated ones, please!

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Fantastic 1 driven by Luca Formilli Fendi and Adriano Panatta in the Evolution class; Lucas Oil spins out in Sweden; Young P1 fans enjoy a ride in a Zapcat; Entry level powerboat racing in a rib; OSG Racing Team in Italy; Shelley Jory (driver) and Audrienne Ciantar (throttle) for Team Racing Project

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34' Open Fish / Open Sport / Pied-a-Mer 37' Open Fish / Open Sport / Cabin 39' Cuddy / Inboard / Sun Lounge 43' Open – NEW

LOA: 37"2' BEAM: 11'6" FUEL CAPACITY: 475 Gallons WATER CAPACITY: 70 Gallons HOLDING TANK: 9 Gallons ENGINE: Twin or Triple or Quad outboard MAX SPEED: up to 50 knots (for quad engine) MADE IN USA

34’ PIED-A-MER

39’ CUDDY

37’ FULL CABIN

ADDRESS: No. 1-2, Block 1, Po Chong Wan Industrial Area, Shum Wan Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong WEBSITE: www.oceanbluemarine.com.hk E-MAIL: info@oceanbluemarine.com.hk TEL: +852 25183668

The Riva Domino 86 is the EVOLUTION OF THE EGO P.104 and Peter and Gabrielle Churchouse take YACHTstyle on board their beautiful sailing yacht MOONBLUE 2 P.116

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104 ON BOARD BOAT REVIEW RIVA DOMINO 86

EVOLUTION OF THE EGO

Riva is renowned in the sports boat world and this new sleek-looking yacht is truly impressive both in speed and looks. TEXT BY NIC BOYDE PICTURES BY COURTESY OF FERRETTI GROUP

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106 ON BOARD BOAT REVIEW RIVA DOMINO 86

First choice of the playboy, Riva is the lean mean machine that is sought after by the jet set

ubbed a coupé, this sleek-looking yacht combines Italian design flair with Italian craftsmanship and finishes into a breath-taking whole. Eschewing the usual sheer white, this 86-footer’s hull and deckhouse is a “Metallic Ice” finish, which adds to its air of constrained alertness and power. More wolf than greyhound, she nevertheless has the greyhound’s speed and cornering ability, while retaining the ferocity of the wolf. 86 feet long and 20 feet wide, she’s no tiddler. By “coupé”, Riva, who still make their iconic open-top runabout launches, means that the Domino has a roof, protecting the occupants from the elements. The substantial amount of glazing, meanwhile, means that the same occupants nevertheless get all the thrill of powering along at a super 38 knots (or cruising at a mere 34 kts), missing only the wind in the hair and the spray in the face. Or they can go out onto the huge sundeck with its u-shaped seating area and sun-pad and experience it all. This speed is achieved with twin 2,435 hp MTU Diesel engines which with a modest fuel capacity give a range of up to 335nm at cruising speed. She’s 20ft high and draws 6ft of water, and even fully laden with up to 20 people on board, it’s still an exhilarating ride, but you won’t get the top speeds at full load. 6-up with tanks one third full, however, and she flies. Riva’s pedigree in the fast-boat business is a long one, and they have been in the sports boat business for some time. Founder Pietro Riva started building his boats in 1842; piston engines came next in the 1880s and by the time Serafino Riva took over the family firm, the emphasis was all on speed. In 1912 his personal racing boat reached the then unheard-of speed of 24km per hour, and this was just the beginning of a long era of success in national and inter-

national power boat competitions between the wars. By the 1950s, Carlo Riva was making boats strictly for pleasure as well, leading the firm to become a byword for quality, elegance and speed. The first choice for the playboys and playgirls of the Riviera in the ‘60s, Riva still make the lean, mean machines sought after by the jet set; in fact by anyone who demands performance and power untempered by relentless attention to the creation of comfort, luxury and style. Behind the cockpit and reached by twin staircases is a waterlevel swim platform, and the access to the garage, large enough for a rib and a jet ski, so there’s plenty of scope for water sport to continue while the boat is at anchor. Below decks the crew get their own access from the cockpit area to two twin-berth cabins and a private mess, forward of the engine-room, from which they have direct access to the engine room. Further forward still are the full-beam master cabin with its walk-in wardrobe, private bathroom and private living-room; two twin cabins and a forepeak VIP double, all en-suite, with one ensuite bathroom doubling as a day-head. The VIP double includes a ceiling hatch for emergency escape, and otherwise for light and fresh air. Generous accommodation for a sports boat. The port guest cabin features a system of sliding beds on tracks that allows it to be transformed into a third double-bed cabin. The Master Cabin has large hull-side-windows that run the full depth of the cabin on both sides, providing views and light. The bed is offset to port, leaving starboard for the living room area with its hidden TV in the forward bulkhead. There’s a minimal upper-deck: a flybridge which has a broadseated helm position and a sun pad with space for three behind and an instrument gantry above. The flybridge shades part of the large

PREVIOUS PAGE: Riva Domino 86 in action CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE PAGE: The spacious open saloon is just perfect for entertaining; the owner’s en-suite; owner’s dressing room; master suite; guest accommodation ABOVE: Powering along at 38kts

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108 ON BOARD BOAT REVIEW RIVA DOMINO 86

TECH SPECS

OVERALL LENGTH

86ft 7in (26.4m)

BEAM

20ft 4in (6.2m)

DRAUGHT

6ft (1.82m)

DISPLACEMENT LOADED

72tons

MAXIMUM SPEED

38kts

FUEL CAPACITY

7500 litres

WATER CAPACITY

900 litres

TEST ENGINES

cockpit below, which can be further shaded by a retractable awning that extends from the rear of the fly-bridge. The cockpit has a rear lounge, again u-shaped, forward of which, and just shaded by the fly-bridge, is another bench seat facing an eight-seater dining table. The cockpit also boasts a retractable gang-plank for access to the dockside when stern-moored, as is the usual practice in the Med. The bulkhead between the cockpit and the saloon disappears altogether, when conditions permit, enhancing the open-boat impression and letting in lots of light. Even more light comes from the glass panel in the roof forward of the flybridge, which can be shaded when required. The forward lower helm station can be shielded by a pop-up TV screen, or folded down altogether to provide straight-through views over the bow. There are doors to either side of the helm station, permitting crew access without having to traverse the saloon. The two-seater helm station, amid-ships, is flanked by two staircases to the accommodation deck below, one for the galley and serving staff, the other for guests to reach their cabins. Right forward, and accessed by the side decks is another 6-seat open air dining area adjacent to the usual sun pad, but unusually, these are recessed to give the passengers some privacy while remaining open to sun and fresh air. The saloon dining area seats 8 comfortably, and is right beside the galley staircase. The dining table isn’t permanently deployed: it slides out from the port wall of the saloon, so when not in use the saloon looks even more spacious. The galley, fully-enclosed, is on the lower deck, and has its own opening porthole. It is compact, and filled with storage space, and with its own access to the saloon, right beside the dining table, makes service a breeze. The saloon seating area is all white leather sofas with hi-fi, TVs

2 x MTU 16V 2000 M93 power 2435 mph/1792 kW at 2450rpm

and iPod dock station and all the usual electronic trimmings. Altogether there are 4 discrete areas for socialising: foredeck, flybridge, cockpit and saloon, so with the normal cruising complement of 8 passengers and up to 4 crew there’s plenty of space for getting together or for enjoying a bit of peace and quiet while the big engines do their job. The combined space and light are truly impressive. The saloon in particular can be arranged, by folding-up the helm station and “disappearing” the rear bulkhead to be open and light as a yacht twice the size, with a straight run through from rear cockpit to foredeck, lit from above and the sides by massive windows. With this arrangement of space and the glazing, Riva have achieved what others can only attempt: a large yet cozy internal space that conveys the impression of an open-top speed-launch. The Riva Domino 86 isn’t so large that a full crew, or any crew, is required. Owner-operation is part of the concept, and of course that gives a further 4 berths for guests who don’t mind bunking-up for a weekend’s gadding about at high speed. Perfect for the kids. So, invite your guests, stock up the galley, and head out at speed to wherever you’ve selected for your picnic lunch, and you’ll be there in half the time (or twice as far away in the same time) as the other people at your dock. Out comes the rib to ferry the kids over to the beach, while the older young folk exercise the jet ski and whoever drew the short straw sets to work in the galley. After lunch, a slow speed cruise to your overnight mooring, enjoying the afternoon and early evening light and the panoramic views from the saloon, while the guests tackle the first cocktail of the night. Riva!

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The dramatic main deck; relaxation zone for two and more; the spacious and stylish galley; the ultra modern helm station

FERRETTI GROUP ASIA PACIFIC LTD: www.ferrettigroup.com

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110 ON BOARD NEW BOATS IN ASIA MONTE CARLO 86/FAIRLINE SQUADRON 78

Step on board for an immediate and extraordinary feeling of space and comfort. The cockpit, sheltered by the flybridge, offers a huge social area

MONTE CARLO 86 Pocket Maxi R adically-different configurations allow each owner to personalise their yacht, allowing it to fit into their own unique lifestyle. The layout variations encompass all three decks, offering a choice of 3,4 or 5 cabins. The rear deck, which is completely sheltered by the extended flybridge, offers a huge social area. From the foredeck the Portuguese deck leads to the signature private living room. A real lounge, which adapts to different uses during the day. The extensive area is ideal for using large sun loungers, comfortable sofas and a table where meals can also be eaten in the shade. This can all be done while enjoying the sea view with one’s family and guests in a space that is both open and private, the sort of cleverly-designed space that you really only expect to find on a vessel over 30m. Aloft, on the flybridge, there’s space for a Jacuzzi and a bar as well. There’s also room for an open-air kitchen, and a carbon fibre T-top with an electrically operated soft-opening sunroof provides shade on call. If it’s too hot, then retreat and relax indoors: the open-plan saloon is nothing short of vast, and provides a succession of luxurious and comfortable living areas, which are ideal for conversation, entertainment, relaxation or dinner with guests. And

then there are the opening side platforms’ extendable terraces over the sea. Below-deck the spacious cabins are all embellished with exclusive fabrics and furnishings. The master stateroom is a true full beam suite with a sizeable office and large walk-in cupboard, and presents the very epitome of style and comfort. www.montecarloyachts.it

FAIRLINE SQUADRON 78 Light and Thrilling 8 0ft long and almost 19ft wide makes this a substantial boat. Twin Caterpillar diesels of up to 1622mhp each make light work of this, and the substantial 5.9 ton fuel capacity means that you can let her have her head, there and back again. Large, spacious entertaining areas are in evidence throughout the Squadron 78, from the extensive saloon and upper deck areas, through to the private staterooms, where light and space are combined to stunning effect. On the accommodation deck, besides the crew quarters, the engine-room and the garage (capable of taking a 345 diesel jet rib), there are several cabin layout options, providing 3 or 4 cabins, (sleeping 6 to eight) all with en-suites. All the options include a mid-ship master cabin with seating, desk and wardrobe. The contiguous lounge is large, with space deliberately made over to standing-around room to extend the cocktail space from the cockpit. The galley is port side, serving both helm and dinette positions which seats 6-8. The helm position forward is raised, and the saloon proper with its comfortable sofa seating is a step down. The sofa seating is along one side, leaving two thirds of the space for standing and moving from galley/dining area to and from the spacious cockpit. Perfect

The wellproven Squadron 78 CUSTOM is equipped for relaxing and entertaining on a grand scale

for cocktail parties on-hook. A suspended staircase, unusually lighter than the conventional moulded version, leads up to the fly-bridge. The helmposition, like the one below, is off-centre on starboard, leaving plenty of room for seating beside the helm, and behind at the upper dining area with its adjacent bar. The swimming platform is submersible to help recover the jet rib. www.jebsenmarine.com

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112 ON BOARD NEW BOATS IN ASIA PRINCESS 88/PRESTIGE 750

The very latest hybrid deep-V hull ideally-suited to efficient cruising to long-range destinations

PRINCESS 88 Agile Cruiser T

win Caterpillers of up to 1925 mHP each will take this powerful boat up to 30 kts, and 8,400l tanks give her the range to take on a long journey. At nearly 21 feet wide there’s plenty of room on all three decks. The lower deck has two optional layouts, 4 or 5 cabin, all en-suite. The principal difference is either two double cabins amidships, or one colossal full-beam master-cabin with oodles of spare space for seating, wardrobes, a desk-cum-dressing-table and a double-head. Crew accommodation is aft of the engine-room, and is generous: the captain gets a double cabin, there’s a twin-bunk room for two crew and a crew mess. The crew have their own access to the wheelhouse and the galley and an independent service route to the dining area. The flybridge has two banquettes flanking the central helm position with a lounge/dining area, bar and sun-pad behind and 3 sun-loungers at the very rear. Forward on the main deck a secluded sun/lounge area, behind which the wheelhouse, which includes a small u-shaped lounge and table, sits forward of the enclosed galley. You can add a spa bath as well. The flybridge has a hardtop, handy for the radar and communications equipment, and to provide shade for the helmsman and the party as required.

The dining area easily seats 8 and optionally can be extended by a powered balcony deck that slides out sideways. A very comfortable-spaced lounge is behind the dining area and leads in its turn to the rear cockpit, entirely-covered by the flydeck above, with lots of room for pre-prandial drinks in the evening cool. www.princessyachtschina.com

PRESTIGE 750 New Chapter O

ver 22m long and nearly 6m wide, she cheerfully accommodates 8, plus two crew berths, and can get up to 28 knots on a couple of 1200 hp diesels, so no slouch either. 3 cabins, two ensuite, and the crew quarters are below deck, separated by the engine room. The crew have their own access aft, and their own shower. The enclosed space on the main deck is unusually long, with the bare minimum of open space at the front. The forward part of this enclosed space is an enormous master cabin, occupying the full width of the boat, stern-wards of this is a half-deck, raised, for the wheelhouse, and the lounge, forward of the dining room and open galley, which thus serves the large raised cockpit too. The lounge comfortably seats 6 or so, and the dining table 6 while up to 8 might be accommodated at the table in the cockpit, sheltered by a short moving covered flybridge, the rear of which could be used for a jet ski or just sun-lounging space. The rest of the flybridge space is given over to dining and lounging space and a bar all behind a full-width upper helm station. The trick with the master cabin is deceptive: it is lowered somewhat, to permit the helmsman to see over the top, from the

From the same Prestige DNA, a new concept for fuller enjoyment of life at sea, without compromising on safety and freedom of movement

somewhat raised helm position. This lowering of the master cabin also permits the placement of the traditional Mediterranean display sun-lounger: swimsuits, small, for the display of. More prosaically, wide side-decks, railings and swing gates keep this boat safe for all its users, even while moving about under way. www.chinapacificmarine.com

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114 ON BOARD NEW BOATS IN ASIA AZIMUT 80/SUNSEEKER 75

In the sleeping area, every room is filled with sophisticated elegance and charm

AZIMUT 80 Dream Therapy A zimut picked up an award for this boat: the best Flybridge Yacht over 55ft, and are understandably pleased. Boasting twin deisels (up to 1800mHP), a fast-cruise speed of 24kts and a top speed of 31kts this Righini-designed V-hull can shift, even in 5-foot seas. 25m long and 6m wide, so it is spacious, and depending on build configuration can carry 8 passengers and three crew who have their own entrance to their quarters, and an external passageway to avoid having to walk through the saloon when attending the wheelhouse. The flybridge is large at 440 sq ft: two helm seats, a lounge, a 9-seater table which doubles as a sun-pad between meals, a wet bar & fridge with all the trimmings, including a 40-inch TV, and then more lounge and sunning space and a jacuzzi. The forward part of the flybridge can be covered with a folding hard-top. The Main deck has two suggested layout options, one with an open galley, another with the galley closed. The galley is placed forward, just behind the wheelhouse and the steps leading to the lower accommodation deck. The 8-seater oval dining table is amidships, just in front of 8-seater lounge space and the door to the rear deck with its 5-seater lounge with plenty

of space for yet another dining table which with three chairs will also sit 8. After drinks on the rear deck, dinner in the saloon, and a nightcap up on the flybridge admiring the stars, it’s down the stairs to the large and luxurious sleeping accommodation where the designers have gone out of their way to provide comfort, space and Dream Therapy. www.simpsonmarine.com

SUNSEEKER 75 Power and Speed S unseeker’s iconic exterior design, a kind of angry cat look, perseveres with this latest addition to their stable of thoroughbred yachts. This 23m beast can get up to 34 knots, load permitting, and will cruise at 25 knots, provided you’ve kept the bottom clean! A cruising range is possible, at lower speeds, and she carries 5,000 litres of fuel to support this. Overall, two general arrangements are offered: a lowerdeck galley, and a wider saloon, or a main-deck galley, amidships, and an extra twin berth bringing the guest accommodation up to eight. In either configuration the three main cabins offer large and spacious environments, lit by the famous Sunseeker extendedlength glazing that puts your guests very close to the water. All ensuite, as is the extra twin berth if selected. The master cabin takes up the full 8’x10’ beam with a walk-in wardrobe and seating. The crew get their own access to two air-conditioned single berths and their own head, all aft of the engine room. The open-topped flybridge has a double-helm seat and flanking lounge and right behind a bar and dining area with lots of space, and a lounging fence at the rear. The flydeck completely shades the main deck cockpit but overlooks the lowerable rear

This offshorecapable yacht is easy to sail and flexibly provides huge amounts of living space inside and out

swimming platform. The cockpit itself leads forward into the full-beam lounge and forward again into the dining area. If the below-deck galley option is taken, this space is very large indeed, nor is it anything to complain about if you go for the main-deck galley. Right forward in the main saloon is the 2-seat wheelhouse and the circular stairway that leads to the sleeping cabins below. Beyond the main saloon, the secluded foredeck and sun pad are perfect for lounging underway. www.sunseeker.com

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116 ON BOARD BOAT OWNERS PETER AND GABRIELLE CHURCHOUSE

MOONBLUE 2

Pete and Gabrielle Churchouse invited Yachtstyle for a Po Toi Run, and to discover why Moonblue 2 has gained a reputation for being such a great ‘party boat’. TEXT BY SUZY RAYMENT PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUY NOWELL

nfectious laughter is the overwhelming sound on board Pete and Gabrielle Churchouse’s Moonblue 2. Long-term residents of Hong Kong, the Churchouses have owned several boats over the years and Gabrielle is happy to tell us that “we have had just as much fun on all of our boats - Moonblue 2 is no different. It’s all about people, bringing them together, and having a good time.” Most of the yachting community in Asia can

attest that having a ‘good time’ is what Pete and Gabrielle are good at, and it has given them the reputation of being the No 1 ‘party boat’ In Asia. Ask Pete for some trenchant advice for new boat owners, and he’ll tell you, “Never be too precious. Basically a yacht is a large chunk of plastic that floats. Safety is of course a very important consideration, and when I have new people on the boat we do a

safety briefing before heading out. It’s important for guests to know what to expect and where they can sit or stand safely, as the loads on these boats when the sails are under pressure in windy conditions are enormous.” “Another important aspect to having a well-functioning and safe yacht is your crew”, says Pete. “Boat preparation makes all the difference. It’s just not fun when the engine conks out or something breaks on a boat.” Pete relies heavily on his skipper Benny, who has cared for his yachts over the past 15 years. “Benny knows the boat inside out, and keeps it in shipshape condition. His commitment to the yacht takes a lot of stress out of being an owner.” Pete recommends that boat owners look after their skipper and crew, “as their care for your yacht will reward you and your friends at the end of the day.” The Churchouses, who are both from New Zealand, met while studying at university. Gabrielle was reading History and Pete, Economics. Pete was an avid surfer in his youth, and believes that there is nothing better than a day out on the water. Gabrielle is not quite so keen on surfing, and remembers Pete inviting her out one winter’s day. “I replied that I was sorry ‘but my jeans are at the dry cleaners’. He understood.” Although Gabrielle was not a surfing fan, she did enjoy boating and Pete took her for a few dayssailing up the coast. “We ran into a storm, and then it took longer to get back than expected. We ran out of food, but Pete had a fishing line,

so we didn’t starve.” Gabrielle was most impressed with his survival skills. and not long after that they were married. Gabrielle recalls that her mother was very impressed with Pete, saying “I see he has a clean body, but it is his mind I worry about!” The Churchouses arrived in Hong Kong in 1980the early. Pete had been offered a contract to work in the private sector planning and designing a new town called Tin Shui Wai. “It was an interesting project,” says Pete, “but one fraught with problems.” It did, however, get him into the financial and property sector where he has been ever since. Pete worked for Morgan Stanley Asia for 16 years, where he was was Managing Director, and then set up the LIM Asia Alternative Real Estate Fund, investing in Asian real estate and real estate stocks. Dubbed by some ‘an investment legend’ and revered by others as ‘the property guru’, he now runs his own investment business and publishing house, Churchouse Publishing Ltd, advising on stock investments and property. Gabrielle has also been busy over the year running a highly successful photographic studio and bring up a family of three - two sons and a daughter. But even though they both have had busy careers there has always been time for sailing. Moonblue and Moonblue 2 were both designed by New Zealander Alan Warwick, and both boats have been cruised extensively in Asia and raced on the Asian circuit. A little closer to home, one of Pete and Gabrielle’s favourite activities when in Hong Kong is the Po Toi Run. On this occasion, 24 guests

CLOCKWISE, FROM OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: Moonblue 2 racing in Phuket King’s Cup; Pete Churchouse at the helm; Seafood lunch Po Toi Island, Hong Kong; Pete and Gabrielle Churchouse

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118 ON BOARD BOAT OWNERS PETER AND GABRIELLE CHURCHOUSE

have piled onto Moonblue 2, (including several young children and a dog), for an outing to the Churchouse’s favourite seafood restaurant - there’s plenty of room on a 64 ft boat! There’s a crisp wind blowing, and up go the sails as the boat heads out of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and up the harbour towards Lei Yue Mun. “We often take overseas visitors and colleagues out on trips like this,” says Pete. “There was one business associate who tended to be a bit obsessive when it came to planning his overseas trips, and I thought he needed a different experience and a bit more fun in his life, so we brought him out on the boat for the Po Toi Run. I told him we were going to a restaurant that was a cross between the Shangri-La and the Four Seasons, and when we arrived you could see his face drop. We got into the dinghy and came ashore, but after tasting the garlic prawns, fried squid and the steamed fish, he was quite blown away. But then we did sit him between two gorgeous blondes…” When discussing the design of Moonblue 2, Pete says, “Actually, there is very little that I would want to change about this boat. Alan designed a yacht that really works both for racing and cruising, and (most importantly) one that is great for entertaining. Early

on in the design process we stipulated that there should be enough room to do a foxtrot in the saloon.” Just to prove the point Gabrielle and Pete do a quick turn. “Another terribly important feature of the boat is The Pirate Bar. “I believe (I hope!) that this the only sailing yacht in Asia – maybe the world - that has a gimbaled electric cocktail mixer, designed by the doyen of Hong Kong sailing, Vic Locke.” Specialties of the house include mango daiquiris made with fresh mangos, coconut cream and lashings of rum. This combined with the standard ‘teapot’ rum and coke brewed at near-industrial strength, results in après sailing sessions that are legendary amongst the sailing community. Both Pete and Gabrielle manage to make guest time on board a totally relaxed affair. An overriding philosophy of “good wine, great food and congenial company” are the ingredients of a great day out on the water. Conversation flows along with the cocktails and wine, and there is never any shortage of opinions and laughter to be shared. Pete with his daredevil approach to life and carefree attitude, and Gabrielle with her stylish elegance and natural sense of charm, create one of Asia’s great yachting experiences.

CLOCKWISE, FROM OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: Moonblue 2 in racing mode at Phuket King’s Cup; the gimbaled cocktail blender; Pete with a ‘pot of tea’; a quick foxtrot in the saloon; the pirate bar; racing in Premier Cruising Class; and around Hong Kong Island

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