Twenty-five years have passed since HRH the Raja Muda of Selangor and a few Royal Selangor Yacht Club (RSYC) members decided to start a regatta from Port Klang in Malaysia, partly to attract crews heading north to Thailand to participate in the Kings Cup.
The event achieved instant success, with 66 boats lining up on the start line for the second edition in 1991. The addition of 20 boats from the 1991-1992 Europa Round the World Rally helped swell the numbers. Wet Express, skippered by Roger Eastham, was the Raja Muda Cup winner that year. RMSIR continues to enjoy active royal patronage and the organisers have been informed that HRH the Sultan of Selangor and HH the Raja Muda of Selangor are keen to sail this year and to be involved in prize giving ceremonies.
Plans are now being made for a very special regatta, with more boats, bigger parties and a few surprises. The organisers expect a bumper turn out for the 25th event. In Class One, owners of at least ten international racing boats have signalled their intention to attend and Class Four, primarily club racing boats, is looking equally strong. Other classes are also filling up, with more entries coming in each week. The target of a fifty boat fleet may well be exceeded in this anniversary year.
RSYC hopes to see many old friends and past winners returning for this milestone event, in addition to people competing for the first time. 2014 is “Visit Malaysia” year, so it’s the perfect time to sample the delights of this tropical country.
Skippers are encouraged to register their interest early, as this helps with detailed event planning. The Race Officer, Jerry Rollin, and Organising Committee are contributing new ideas to ensure that sailors get some of the best racing experienced to date off the west coast of Malaysia. Among other proposals are revised courses for slower yachts to ensure that they arrive earlier at the end of passage races.
The now familiar route of Port Klang-Pangkor-Penang-Langkawi is retained, with the usual mix of passage and harbour racing. The Royal Selangor Yacht Club will be the base for the Regatta Office and Registration and will also host the Skippers Briefing, followed closely by the Opening Dinner on Friday 17th November. Pulah Indah Marina, with comprehensive pontoons, power, water and onshore facilities, will provide berthing for yachts prior to the start of the event and a water taxi service will ferry sailors to and from RSYC in Port Klang. A limited number of river berths will also be available at RSYC. The start of the first race will return to the familiar location close to North Port, unlike in 2013 when the fleet started sailing from a position around the entrance to Port Klang south channel.
Arrangements at Pangkor and Penang are similar to recent years but the Awards Dinner in Penang will be held at the atmospheric heritage site of Koo Kongsi, much loved by sailors in the past. In Langkawi, the base for racing returns to Kuah Harbour. A mixture of courses has been planned to suit individual fleets, including windward-leeward, round the cans and round the island routes. Racing at Kuah will take place on Friday 24th November afternoon and Saturday 25th November for all fleets.
RMSIR podium places are wide open. The race committee were delighted to see Bill Bremner and his Singapore crew take the Raja Muda Cup in 2013, after trying hard for 10 years in various versions of his yacht “Foxy Lady.” Good luck for the 25th, Bill. We know that you will be back with the intention of doing it again!
See the regatta web site for further details of RMSIR 2014 and for links to register your interest.
www.rmsir.com Dates: 14 – 22 November 2014.
– Jeff Harris
