leg 2 rajamuda pangkor to penang

Leg 2 rajamuda pangkor to penang.
We started the race well winning the favoured pin end of the line, we timed our start to perfection and were the second boat to tack off and cross the fleet and start heading for the first headland. The wind was very light and the boat was doing a mere 3knots through the water.
We managed to keep her rolling and got into some nice wind a little further offshore.
We decided to stick to the rhumb line as the wind was building we thought that we could get to the next headland in time for the inevitable nighttime shut down of wind and switch to the land breeze where being stuck offshore doesn't pay.
A serious thunder cloud started to build up and we began to be affected earlier than we had anticipated, the wind increased and clocked around 360 degrees the rain came down in truck loads and the thunder heads crackled overhead.
As the storm passed over we were left with no wind and stuck a little too far out to see, one competitor the 2 foot longer super duper slipped through us but we were soon in hot pursuit. We chased them down under gennaaker and had a kids torch fight with them as we trained the beams on our gennaker to trim it to perfection trying to ease out every inch of speed from our boat. We managed to pull up behind them and started a luffing duel which they responded well to.
We cam back down onto course then went high again, once more super duper was up to defending her slim lead. So we came back to course this time only 5 meters from her stern. Without saying a word we gave each the crew the sign to roll over them one more time and this attempt was successful. Super duper was caught unaware. From here to the finish they sat on our windward hip not letting up an inch. The breeze softened and we were lifted as we came closer to the island of penang. This meant one more gybe into the finish line and a good result for the team. 3rd place on corrected time.

leg 1 rajamuda cup

port klang to pangkor

We started the race in very light winds and alot of tide thankfully the 3 knots of tide was taking us in the right direction off the start line. it was a tricky start as if you were early you would have had little chance of returning to the line.

we had a really good start right on the pin thanks to blackies magic (nick blackman) on the bow we were heading our division up the coast not a great position to be in since it is our first time here and we were ussure about the famous fishing fleet here and how far their nets extend.

so within the first hour we witnessed 1st hand one of these nets. it got well caught around our keel and rudder and we were forced to use our newly crafted net cutter!!!

this proved valuable however i still had to divve in to chop the remaining clump free of the bulb. once this was done we got underway again.

the night was hard work as we changed between our jib and masthead gennaker, in the dieing breeze. untill 3 in the morning when things really shut down for the night.

we ghosted along doing between 0 and 2 knots through the water as the tide was against us for a long time.

as the sun started to shine through the haze of the malaysian coastline the wind picked up and we started to move in a nice little 10 knot breeze. as things started to heat up the wind died again leaving us 2 miles from the finish in a tide that was sweaping us right to left past the finish. we decided to head away from the finish line in order to stay uptide and give ourselves a better chance when the wind picked up. this tacktick worked out well and we picked off 5 places in the last hour off the 23 hour race.

our result for the hard nights work was 6th on corrected time, had we not had the issue with the fishing net we think the leg could have been ours for the taking. good local knowledge for next year.

keep posted for the next leg results. (should be a good opportunity for me as the owner stu has some work to do and the helm has been passed over to me.)

Rajamuda cup port klang (Kuala Lumpuar) to lankawi.

( the boys doing the painting)

( the pile of rubbish that washes up at high tide unreal)

(But you can always find a good angle)

On the road again
I arrived in malaysia on the 8th of november was a clasic arrival to a new city.
My taxi got lost on the way to the hotel and It took 3 hours to get to my hotel. Oh the joys of travelling.
I got to the boat with my job list and started adding to it.
We are working on repainting the bottom as it was scarred from growth over the last yeear sitting in the very dirty klang harbour.
Its a very industrial area one of the main ports for malaysia and you should see the number of ships and crains on the water front.
The smells the heat, stray dogs walking around in packs thumderstorms downpours sunburn. This place has it all.
I have a great little room on the 12 floor of the crystal crown hotel great view I can see forever.
So its back to the boat in the morning I will be looking over our route plan for the race to lankawieand getting the boat ready for the crane as we get ready to measure the boat for our new irc certificate.
Will keep you posted.

Rajamuda cup port klang (Kuala Lumpuar) to lankawi.

On the road again
I arrived in malaysia on the 8th of november was a clasic arrival to a new city.
My taxi got lost and It took 3 hours to get to my hotel. Oh the joys of travelling.

I got to the boat with my job list and started adding to it.
We are working on repainting the bottom as it was scarred from growth over the last year sitting in the very dirty klang harbour.
Its a very industrial area one of the main ports for malaysia. You should see the number of ships and crains on the water front. this is a very busy place.

The smells the heat, stray dogs walking around in packs thumderstorms downpours sunburn. This place has it all.

I have a great little room on the 12 floor of the crystal crown hotel great view I can see forever.
So its back to the boat in the morning I will be looking over our route plan for the race to lankawi and getting the boat ready for the crane as we are going to measure the boat for our new irc certificate.

Will keep you posted.