Port Klang: The 29th Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta (RMSIR) is set to be an exciting affair with strong contenders vying for the Raja Muda Cup this year.
Singaporean entry ‘Windsikher’, which is owned and skippered by Sarab Jeet Singh, is back to defend its Class 1 title after making race history last year by winning the Raja Muda Cup for a third consecutive time.
Also vying for the title and the Cup are ‘Mandrake III’ (Fred Kinmonth and Nick Burns), ‘Ramrod’ (Gordon Ketelbey and Craig Douglas) and Kannu (Jega Muniandy, who is skippering alongside Jeremy Camps and Andrew Parkes). Returning to the regatta is Troy Yaw’s ‘Ulumulu’, which will be skippered by Jeremy and Tiffany Koo.
His Highness Raja Muda Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah will be joining the fleet this year. Tengku Amir, who is also the Royal Selangor Yacht Club’s Life Commodore, will participate from Penang onwards where His Highness will race onboard the ‘SHK Scallywag Fuku bld’ (Skipper David Witt), one of the fastest racing trimarans on the world sailing circuit.
“The RSYC is delighted to welcome His Highness Raja Muda Selangor onboard this year’s regatta. We are also happy to have several regular and new participants join this year’s event. We look forward to some fine racing and would like to wish everyone good winds,” said Jeff Harris, chairman of the RMSIR committee.
The RMSIR, which is Asia’s second oldest race and Southeast Asia’s most challenging sailing event, will see 26 boats sail in overnight passage races as well as inshore harbour races from 17 to 24 November 2018. Yesterday’s regatta opening dinner at the RSYC saw the ringing of a traditional ship’s bell to signal the official start of the 2018 RMSIR.
In the Start of Race held this morning, participating boats pushed onwards from Port Klang in the first passage race to Pangkor. This world-class event will see the fleet retain the regular course along Malaysia’s west coast – via the Straits of Malacca – to the other checkpoints at Penang and Langkawi in an attempt to win line and class honours.
Also known as ‘the regatta with everything’, the RMSIR will then see the sailors participating in various activities in-between, from social events to the inshore harbour races at the checkpoints to determine the class winners. The final awards ceremony for the 2018 RMSIR will be held at the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club on 24 November.
RMSIR veteran Jerry Rollin is returning as the Principal Race Office overseeing race management while Malaysia’s Leonard Chin will head the International Jury. This year’s regatta will continue to use the Yellow Brick (YB) Yacht Tracking system – introduced last year – for live tracking overnight passage races from Port Klang to Pangkor, then Pangkor to Penang and lastly, Penang to Langkawi.
Each participating yacht will also be provided with a Tron 45S Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), sponsored by Radii Teknology. In the event of an emergency, the beacon is activated and will transmit vessel identity to geostationary and polar orbiting satellites equipped with COSPAS/SARSAT transponders.
The satellites then forward the signal to a Ground Receiving Station (LUT) where the position will be calculated and transferred to a Mission Control Centre (MCC). The necessary demands will be sent to the right Rescue Control Centre (RCC) which co-ordinate the rescue operation. The Search and Rescue Forces (SAR) bring the people in distress to safety.
The RMSIR is organised annually by the RSYC in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Malaysia Sailing Association; assisted by the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) and Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). The RMP’s Marine Police play an instrumental role in escorting the boats out to the starting points and back to the finish line in the whole regatta.
Tourism Malaysia and Selangor Tourism have returned as main sponsors, along with container port Westports Malaysia and Scottish whisky brand Old Pulteney. Other sponsors include the Port Klang Authority, Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Delta Marine and Leopad (Ō Pure natural artesian water) and Radii Teknology.
The updated Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions for the 2018 RMSIR can be downloaded from www.rmsir.com. This year’s regatta offers six event classes which will start from Port Klang, as well as an additional multihull class that will start from Penang.
Program
17 November 2018 Start of Race – races from Port Klang to Pangkor
19 November 2018 Races from Pangkor to Penang
20 November 2018 Rickshaw races at Straits Quay, Tanjung Tokong, Penang
21 November 2018 Inshore races in Penang Harbour
22 November 2018 Races from Penang to Kuah, Langkawi
23 November 2018 Inshore Races at Kuah Harbour, Langkawi
24 November 2018 Final Inshore Races in Langkawi at Kuah Harbour /Awards
The RMSIR was established in 1990 by the RSYC’s Royal Patron, the Sultan of Selangor HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (who was then Raja Muda Selangor) together with Dato’ Johan Ariff and Jonathon Muhiudeen.
Yachts competing in the regatta range from top class IRC1 racers to beautiful classic cruisers with long overhangs dating back over 100 years. Skippers and crew will have to cope with the unpredictable weather, changing tactics and heavy shipping traffic in the Straits of Malacca, all of which make the regatta a matchless experience.
Known for its unpredictable winds, weather and tide, the RMSIR provides excitement for even the most experienced of sailors, along with an interesting challenge. Add to that a little bit of sightseeing and fun social events at every stop and you have a regatta with everything.
The month of November typically marks the height of the northeast monsoon on Peninsular Malaysia where sailors can expect anything from glassy waters and light breeze to a sea heaving with two metres of swell or higher and 30 knot squalls blowing off the coast. In other words, these northeast monsoon months bring conditions that are challenging enough even for seasoned sailors.
More information and official results: www.rmsir.com
