Big Boats Set Sail for Nha Trang, Vietnam

The entry list for the Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race, from Hong Kong Harbour boasts some big names in yacht racing and includes the 90ft Dubois Maxi “Ragamuffin 90”, previously seen in Hong Kong two years ago as Genuine Risk.
Big Boats Set Sail for Nha Trang, Vietnam
The Dubois 90, ‘Ragamuffin 90’ owned by Geoff Hill and Syd Fischer berthed at Middle Island preparing to take part in the 656 mile Hong Kong to Vietnam Race, which starts on Thursday Oct 17, 2013. (Bill Cox/Epoch Times)
10/16/2013
Updated:
10/16/2013

The entry list for the Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race, from Hong Kong Harbour boasts some big names in yacht racing and includes the 90ft Dubois Maxi “Ragamuffin 90”, previously seen in Hong Kong two years ago as Genuine Risk.

Now co-owned by Geoff Hill and Syd Fischer, Ragamuffin 90 has been refitted, modified and renamed. She only arrived in Hong Kong on Friday Oct 11 for the race, which starts today (Oct 17) weather permitting.

After taking part in the Race to Vietnam “Ragamuffin 90” will travel to Singapore for the King’s Cup and will then be berthed in Subic Bay for races in that region, according to Liam from Sydney, one of the multinational crew.

“Chivas”, a Simonis Voogt 90 Maxi up from Australia, is also listed to sail, so this should be a really interesting tussle between the two big boats.

Although one of these should take line honours in the Vietnam race, they will be up against seasoned veterans Sam Chan in “FreeFire”, Bryon Ehrhart sailing Lucky a new boat from the US, and Ray Roberts sailing “One Sails Racing” from Australia all racing TP52’s.

“One Sails Racing” won the IRC Racing Class-0 in the China Coast Regatta last weekend with “FreeFire” taking second place.

In the IRC Racer Class-1 boats, starters will include “EFG Mandrake”, “Island Fling”, “Krampus”, “kukuKERchu”, “Signal 8”, “Surfdude” and “Walawala 2”.

“Avant Garde”, “Red Kite II” and “Sell Side Dream” will compete in the IRC Racer Class-2.

“Sea Monkey”, a premier Class yacht, and “Mach2”, a 60ft multihull, are also listed for this real international event.

This biennial 656 Nm fast passage race to Nha Trang on the South East coast of Vietnam, is the 6th edition and is Asia’s longest Category One Offshore Race. The current record time of 42:45:41 is held by Grant Wharington’s “Skandia Wild Thing” (now called “Etihad Stadium”), a 30 metre yacht built by Hart Marine for Wild Thing Yachting in 2002-2003.

China Coast Regatta

The weather was perfect for this year’s China Coast Regatta – with winds ranging from 10 to 25 knots and sailing south of Hong Kong Island, there was good swell and exciting racing.

“Ragamuffin 90” took part in the Day-1 race and assembled to start Day-2, but after seeing the increased winds and swell she withdrew to stay intact for the Vietnam race.

Conditions became more demanding as the Regatta progressed with winds of 10-12 knots on Day-1 increasing to a steady 25 knots for the races on Day-3, giving rise to some damage to sails and mechanical problems.

“One Sails Racing” won five of the six races in the IRC Racing Class-0 to win the Regatta from “FreeFire” with “Jelik” in third place.

In the IRC Racing Class-1, it was a very close contest between “Electra” (10), “Signal 8” (11) and “EFG Mandrake” (12) with “Walawala” coming 4th with net 15 points.

“Red Kite II” had a clean sweep of the six IRC Racing Class-2 races followed by “Seawolf”, “Mojito”, Sell “Side Dream” and “Talkinghead”, respectively.

“Lighthorse” won the Premier Cruiser Class with “Moonblue 2” just one point behind followed by “Clove Hitch” then “Sea Monkey”.

“Pepper & Salt” had a perfect score to take the HKPN Regatta trophy with “Akuna”, “Darling” and “No One Else” taking the next three respective places.

Next Events

October and November are busy months in the Hong Kong yachting calendar when the F15 Nationals take place Oct 28-31, the F15 World Championship Nov 2-8, the Lipton Trophy Saturday Nov 9 and the Tommy Bahama Around the Island Race 2013 scheduled for Nov 10.

Meanwhile, the Hebe Haven’s 24 Hour Charity Dinghy race is on Oct 26-27.