Sailors' Thailand Trip Was 'superb'

[funfun]

Sailors' Thailand trip was 'superb'

SAILORS John Manson and Ivan Fraser are just back in Shetland after competing at the Fireball World Championships in Thailand.

The regatta was organised by Fireball International and hosted by the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya, a town south of the capital, Bangkok.

After arrival at the yacht club on Saturday, 8th March, the pair were delighted to see the Shetland flag flying at the front of the impressive club house. John explained that Shetland is actually a separate "Nation" within Fireball International, and the local organisers had taken the trouble to have a flag especially made to fly alongside all the other national flags representing the countries racing at the championship.

Sunday morning was spent with the task of unloading the UK container after the two-month sea voyage from Britain, setting up the boat, and completing the measurement and registration process, before finally being able to take to the water for a practice sail. It was at this point that they found out just how different sailing in Thailand is to sailing back home.

“We went for a sail in a good breeze, but instead of cold water spraying over us, it was sea water warmer than the Clickimin heated pool ,” said skipper Manson.

The two-week event was split into two competitions, with International Week consisting of eight races during the first week, as a warm-up for the 10-race Worlds series during the second week. Two one-hour races were to be held each day, starting at 1pm after the thermal winds had settled into a steady pattern for the day. Throughout the regatta, the winds varied from 8-16 knots, but were generally a steady 12-13 knots from a similar angle each day.

Sixtey-eight boats were entered for the regatta, with competition coming from large teams from Australia, Great Britain, Canada and Ireland as well as smaller contingents from Switzerland, Japan, Thailand, Czech Republic, USA, Netherlands and Shetland.

The first two races were sailed on Monday afternoon in light 8 knot winds. The Shetland duo finished 48th and 54th, but improved in the slightly stronger winds on Tuesday with 40th and 42nd positions.

http://www.shetlandtoday.co.uk/Shetlandtim...ContentID=25719

Wednesday was a lay day with no sailing,

“They could not be faulted at all, and put on excellent social evenings after the sailing finished each day."

Thats 2 house's in shetland for sale now!!!!