RSYC MERDEKA REGATTA 2009  REPORT

Sirius 1935, acting as the Race Control boat was motoring gently and was surprised to be overtaken by Rapscallion at midnight.  Baby Tonga, the largest entry lifted her skirts and screamed over the finish line in 10 and a half hours. Half of the fleet made it to the Sembilans before the wind died at around 10 o’clock in the morning, and the rest retired and motored in to Pangkor.

A convincing double line honours and first place on corrected time for Baby Tonga, with Mat Salleh second and Rapscallion third.  The smallest boat, a Hunter 26 Sri Rani eventually reached Pangkor in the afternoon.  The kitchens at the popular Seaview Hotel and Resort were cranked up to produce a hearty feast for the competitors in the evening, generously sponsored by Club Member Jega Muniandy’s Leopad Sdn Bhd.

The traditional National Day Race was held on Sunday 30^th, with the fleet being joined by the RMN dk52s Zuhrah and Zuhal with the new Commodore of RMNYC Captain Mohd Hatin Saad embarked. Also present was the Pangkor Laut Resort yacht Impian. The wind was better than the previous year, when several yachts failed to get far beyond the start line, and everyone got away on time for the first leg up to Pulau Tuken Terindak.  Baby Tonga’s progress was temporarily arrested when she perched on a rock for a few seconds before the swell lifted her clear.  She once again took line honours, but the prize went to the newly named Bobbi Botok, skippered by RSYC long time Committee Member Martin Axe.  The yacht, previously Cabaret 5 under Jeremy Camps’s hand, has its name on the trophy from previous years, and it was no surprise to see it ahead of the fleet on handicap.  Second was Mat Salleh with Neil Ankcorn and Swee Im Tan, another former winner of the Pangkor Laut Cup, and third Unity, now under new ownership and sailed double handed by owner Ken Barber and veteran RSYC sailor Tony Sobey.  They collected a special PLR gift as the crew with the highest average age in the event.  Everyone finished this slow but fun race and the crews were entertained to a lavish spread at Emerald Bay hosted by Pangkor Laut Resort.

This is a popular weekend event with RSYC sailors, as it doubles as a warm up for the Raja Muda Regatta, and a chance to test boats and sailors on some night racing.  Quite a few discovered problems which they will be wise to resolve before November.  The WAGS and other camp followers also enjoy the opportunity to escape from KL and chill out at Pangkor and Pangkor Laut, and the resorts pull out all the stops to make the weekend enjoyable.