Race Log

Countdown to the Rajah Muda Regatta

12 October 1997
Janey's Log: After a great day practicing with Mok at the helm, Pat trimming, Wai Mun on the keyboards, Fiona at mast, and myself at the bow, we came ashore to hear the good news. It is confirmed! There is space aboard Jenny III for Mok, Pat and myself for the Rajah Muda Regatta! Much excitement as Pat & Mok discuss all the wonderful food to be had at all the stops! Me, I'm thinking I better get my hands on some foul weather gear NOW.

21 October 1997
Janey's Log: We had another good practice on Sunday even though the weather was not ideal. The haze has returned to the region (PSI 109). And even though we have a basic standard of sailing only if we can see Tekong (a small island offshore Singapore), we sailed even without sight of Tekong from the mooring. We totalled seven with the addition of William who was in the cockpit and Wan Ling who was there for the ride.

We sailed up into the mouth of the Johor river, crossing into Malay waters, where we gybed the spinnaker some 20 odd times. I was getting frustrated as the guy kept getting wrapped around the jaw. As the most inexperienced person going to the regatta, I have been very nervous about learning more, and getting better at the little I do know. I want to be able to contribute to the boat as something more than "rail meat."

We had some bad news on Sunday, though. Our helm, Jeff, (also owner of the boat) has decided not to participate. He is happy to allow the rest of us to continue with the race with his boat, but it hasn't been clear whether or not the other crewmembers will want to do so. We all anxiously await news from Switzerland, where the other crewmembers are.

Post Regatta

30 November 1997
Janey's Log: I am now back in the comfort of my house (hot water!) after a VERY LONG 9 days in the Regatta. I have all my fingers and toes and I have returned with remarkably few bruises and a fairly even browning all over despite the use of SPF 45.

I wish I could say that it was a good trip. Good things: I got a great new hat! from the Swiss. It has their school logo on the front and their slogan "sail now, work later" on the back. And 2 new T-shirts also from the Swiss!

The first long passage (from Port Klang to White Rock about 80 nautical miles) ended up being 14 hours long from start line to finish line. The race started at about 3pm, but we had been on the boat since 10:30 am. And by the time we motored into the yacht club it was already past 9am. Nearly 23 hours on the boat! Still dawn was really pretty - light coming up over the fishing villages (houses on stilts in the water), the hills in the background. I was rolled up like an enchilada in the genoa, which had been lowered and was laying on the foredeck, to keep warm with a wedge of home baked bread in my hands - I was content there. Dawn was the best part of that race. The worst: it was COLD!!! my jacket did keep the rain off of me, but my legs were freezing and my butt was wet. Mok & I were huddled up next to each other to conserve warmth. Pathetic!

The second race was another long passage (65 nautical miles) - I think it was about 12 hours, bringing us to Penang. We finished fairly quickly, arriving in Penang Yacht Club well before dawn.

The third race was a triangle race - short and for us terrible. Triangle races really show teamwork. A team which doesn't work well together will surely fail. And we did. Everything that could have possibly went wrong, went wrong. There was not one manuever executed without a problem. I added to the mayhem by stepping on the topping lift clutch and breaking it after the race was over.

4th race to Langkawi (55 nautical miles). The shortest passage and the best for us in terms of time - I think we crossed the line 2nd. During one exciting moment toward the end of the race - there were too many people crossing over the cabin for a tack and my contact lens popped out when Mok's elbow bopped my eye. It was too crucial of a moment for me to go down and get a spare lens on, so I crossed the finish line half-blind.

5th and final race - another triangle. Finished without obvious mishaps, but there were many errors none the less.

The last day was probably the best day. Spent the entire day (nearly) after the race in the jacuzzi at the yacht club with several beers! I don't know about the rest, but I was happy there. Later, saw the sunset from the pulpit of Jenny III - the vivid colours fading into the blackness of the night sky.

Yes, I would do another regatta if I have a chance. We finished 7th overall out of 13 boats. took 3rd place for race number 4.

4 December 1997
Mok's Log: I'm back - burnt, bruised, battered, dehydrated, recovering from acute sleep deprivation and post-adrenalin-surges - and in some perverse way, I loved every moment of it.

Didn't suffer as much this time during the passages as in previous years. The winds hardly went over 15 knots and very little rain at night. Froze only on the first passage to Lumut - the other passages were magical, star-spangled affairs. Actually experienced life on the rails as I was the pit man this year (instead of being the main trimmer). Except for the countless sail changes through the night, spent much of the time giving myself chronic backache (crouched often on the leeward rail). Especially loved the solitude of the delivery into port in the early hours of the morning after the race was over. Just the helm & I; the rest of the crew piled all over the boat, exhausted & asleep.

The triangle races were intense, chaotic, mega-shouting matches. Suffered my only knotted spin halyard during a take-down at Penang - totally lost it. Jenny III must have won the award for the most entertaining boat on the water - can't think of any blooper we didn't commit, except for a broach - simply because there wasn't enough wind.

Saw my first shooting star; played my first game of table football; luxuriated in my first midnight jacuzzi soak. Wretchedly, I wait for the aching sense of loss to recede.

5 December 1997
Janey's Log: It is odd to be on land for such a long time without being on the boat. I miss madness of life during the Regatta. Good things from the Regatta:

1. I learned how to read charts and do navigation. Cool stuff! Even learned how to use the GPS we had on board. I'm going to run out to buy the charts for the area that we sailed.

2. Met some nice people - the Swiss were quite sweet and considerate - especially about their smoking. They always checked for wind direction before lighting up in my presence. Also have been invited to go to their sailing school and their brand new ski school!

3. Am a much more confident sailor now. Have a better feel for the boat and for the sequence of maneovers and for how the boat and the crew members function as a team.

4. I saw my first shooting star during the second race. There weren't as many clouds out and without much light coming from the peninsula, and without the moon, there were so many stars. It was really beautiful.

5. Learned a couple of new sailing tricks that will help me do things faster and better.

6. I never once was sea sick!