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Race commentary by John Stall:

This months mini regatta was hosted by Tradewinds Resort on Chaweng beach and consisted entirely of multihulls including the performance cruising 8 meter Firefly catamaran Moto Inzi (Swahili for firefly) and the new Corsair 8 meter trimaran The Sting.

Both these boats hail from Phuket and with sailors down from Pattaya crewing together with the local Samui entrants Vivace a Corsair 24 and the two Coco cats, China House and Coco Blues, the Hobie 18 Hammerhead and Nok Talay a 30 foot Wharram, it was a true regional event.

How apt then to have the big 16 meter catamaran Kia Ora as Committee boat with Race officer Mick Grover presiding and at 1230 Saturday, he started the first race and sent the fleet South to race around the marker buoy off the reef Hin Ang Wang which lies South of Lamai off Laem Set.

After a reaching start, as expected Moto Inzi took the lead closely followed by The Sting and China House. Vivace soon powered over China House and these three boats soon stretched out into a commanding lead.

Tacking through the ever shifty light 8 knot breeze was frustrating for all, as most of the boats found, as they tacked, the wind tacked with them. Moto Inzi rounded the buoy first with The Sting hot her tail and then as Vivace approached a fisherman kindly laid a buoyed fishing net across her path.

China House saved some time as Kunta steered the boat through the rocks and the narrow passage off Laem Nan.

Questioned after the race why he took the chance, Kunta logically answered "Well, it's not my boat"

After some five hours of sailing and a failing breeze, the RO wisely shortened the race to finish off Laem Nan with Moto Inzi first, The Sting second and Vivace third followed by China House and Coco Blues.

Hammerhead and Nok Talay retired.

By 6pm everyone was ashore and proceeded to get stuck into the Barbeque and keg beer provided by the host Tradewinds.